Proposals to transform Dumfries town centre have been welcomed by a local community council.
Councillors on the economy and resources committee pushed back on Crichton Trust plans to develop a £45m care campus on the Ladyfield site.
Instead members said they wanted to explore a Dumfries “masterplan” to tackle housing issues in the town.
Loreburn Community Council said they weren’t expecting that commitment but said people of Dumfries should be “delighted” with the update.
A spokesperson for the community council said: “The commitment to a Dumfries masterplan is something which we welcome.
“We didn’t expect that commitment and we think the people of Dumfries should be delighted with that.
“Sean Marshall said it’s all very well having a masterplan for the Crichton but we need one for Dumfries.
“That was a great thing he said and from Loreburn Community Council’s point of view we’re absolutely delighted with that. We’re delighted Malcolm Johnstone and the Tories seemed to accept that as well.
“We’re dead keen on that and we’re ready as a community council to work with councillors and the council to develop that masterplan for Dumfries because we all need that.
“We want to identify those sites, work with Midsteeple Quarter as they’re doing it on the High Street but there are other sites just away from the High Street. We’d like to see the council direct people to those brownfield sites rather than greenfield sites like the Crichton.”
Opponents to the Ladyfield development raised concerns over the environmental impact, noise and traffic and flooding. The Crichton Trust said the site has the “potential to transform the lives of local residents”.
