Bathgate will soon face proposals for new Taylor Wimpey housing at another site on the edge of town as the council emerges fresh from fighting a rearguard action to control the look of the company's development off Sibbald’s Brae.
Taylor Wimpey have lodged new plans to develop land at Eastoun Farm on the western fringe of the town to build 160 homes.
Proposals to develop the farmland just off Easton Road and close to the A800, Balmuir Road, were put out for public consultation in June and are set to close for comments and objections this week.
READ MORE: Petition to save West Lothian greenbelt from housing developments launched
The housebuilder has proposed a mix of homes ranging from two to five bedrooms, the provision of “high-quality landscaping and public park, wildlife enhancements, improved biodiversity on site and cleaning up of the burn.
The housebuilder said: “It would also provide opportunities for our customers to engage with nature and integrate with wildlife and potential improvements to The Easton Bing public path and restoration of The Bathgate Water.”
Plans are set to go before the Development Management Committee (DMC) but will likely face a fair amount of opposition from people in Bathgate.
A petition calling for the protection of nature sites and the greenbelt around Bathgate has already been started following a decision made by the Division of Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) Reporter to allow Taylor Wimpey to proceed with the Sibbald’s Brae development, also on the western edge of town.
Alongside fears for traffic on largely rural roads, campaigners, including local councillors, have been critical at the loss of natural habitat and erosion of greenbelt land between Bathgate and Armadale.
The application likely to go before the DMC will seek planning permission in principle for the Eastoun Farm development.
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