More than 40 new homes could be built on greenbelt land on a Dunblane estate under plans lodged with Stirling Council.
Kippendavie Group Trust have submitted an application for a residential development of 44 units - including self-build and custom-build homes, retirement and family housing, and affordable housing at land east of Kellie Wynd, Leighton Avenue and Leighton Court off Robertson Road.
The proposals, which also include a “neighbourhood community hub”, landscaping and other works, would retain existing amenity space east of Kellie Wynd and Robertson Road.
The trust manages the 920 -acre Kippendavie Estate, which has been in the same family ownership for more than 400 years, and has been involved in delivering land for housing in Dunblane for more than 20 years.
Agents for the trust say the latest application is in response to demand from members of the local community for serviced plots to enable them to build their own homes.
In documents submitted with the application, the agents said a community survey undertaken in January and February of this year received 265 responses, with 66 locals expressly looking for a new home and 90 per cent believing they would be unable to find this in the town.
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Almost all of those looking for a new home were said to want to, or were interested in, building their own home, but key challenges were felt to be finding a plot, getting advice and the price.
Affordable housing was also flagged as important.
In the documents, the agents said: “A central theme was that the issue for many people is not a matter of development or no development but rather one of scale, with clusters of up to 25 homes with overall developments under 50 being the consensus of responses received.
“Setting new developments within ecologically designed landscapes, with pedestrian and cycle access to amenities and the provision of a neighbourhood hub offering a range of local services from parcel collection/return, dry cleaning, deli, workshop space and meeting room for events came across as key features for new developments.
“In response to this survey, the trust have designed a masterplan for 44 custom and self-build homes as well as 14 affordable homes, consistent with policy requirements. These affordable homes will be provided on site and the equivalent of one additional house would be met via a financial contribution to provide off-site affordable housing.
“The design has been informed by environmental and technical analysis of both site and, critically, the amenity of neighbouring properties.
“A neighbourhood hub within the apartments has been included, providing space for parcel collection and returns, with potential for local workspace, meeting room, e-bike and micro mobility charging and an energy centre.
“The decision to submit a planning application at this stage has not been taken lightly.
“Like most of the land around Dunblane, the site is in the designated greenbelt.
“However, analysis undertaken on behalf of the trust has established that there is a housing shortfall within Stirlingshire, a point reinforced by the high level of demand of new homes within Dunblane.
“The trust have formed a local self-build plot register to enable members of the local community to express an interest in the site with priority being given to meeting local need, alongside a process to support the delivery of custom and self build plots.”
Council planners are expected to make a recommendation on the application in due course.
