Bannockburn golf range plans to be shelved after ministers' refusal
A disappointed Bannockburn businesswoman has completely shelved plans for a new golf driving range for the area.
Lianne Muirhead's application for the driving range, clubhouse and multi-purpose community space 250 metres east of Bridge Cottages was initially rejected by Stirling Council's planning panel in January 2024 when all but one councillor backed planning officials' recommendation to refuse the bid.
The plans had attracted 11 individual objections plus others from Historic Environment Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland.
However, a total of 38 submissions of support had also been lodged.
Council planners had backed objectors' concerns, saying the proposals failed to protect the cultural significance of the Bannockburn Battlefield, as well as failed to protect landscape features, character and setting of the battlefield.
Most recently, the Scottish Government planning appeals reporter and then Scottish Ministers refused permission for the proposal, citing its impact on the battlefield - the same reason given for refusing a bid by a separate applicant for a trotting track on a neighbouring site.
Lianne previously told the Observer that every aspect of the design had been carefully considered and environmental issues looked at sensitively plus it was hoped the project would create a community asset, whilst generating new employment to the area.
Supporters had said the project would be a 'much needed replacement' for the loss of the former Brucefields driving range in Bannockburn, which closed in 2020, and would 'be a benefit to the area and the community' and bring jobs and consumers to the area.
Following the Scottish Ministers' decision, however, Lianne told the Observer she would not be pursuing the plans any further.
'We are obviously very disappointed as you can imagine. We felt we had a very good case to provide a facility that would reinvest in our community and benefit those both living and working in Stirling.
'While we appreciate the significance of the battlefield, we hoped that the mitigations we had put in place to limit the view, allowed us to provide a community and economic benefit that would outweigh any detriment to the site of a possible battlefield.
'A lot of time, effort and money went into us putting in the very best application we could.
'Two golf facilities, along with a racetrack, have been removed from our area with no plans to have these facilities replaced anywhere.
'Scotland is the home of golf yet we are denying local children from being able to even take the game up never mind practice. Not to mention the health and wellbeing benefits of people being able to play the sport or just be outside in the fresh air.
'I believe we have a need for new houses but we need to provide infrastructure and facilities for people to use. We have the South Stirling Gateway already started and work commencing soon on Durieshill yet we are providing no new facilities for the community.'
Lianne said she felt there had been a 'really disappointing start to the application process' having been denied meetings with the planning department and Historic Scotland to work through their concerns, and that she felt reports she had provided 'as and when required' hadn't been read fully by either the planning team or the local councillors.
She added: 'When we had our appeal with the [Scotland Government's appeals] reporter it really did feel like they had listened and read the proposal fully. Disappointingly this has not gone our way either.
'A new application will not be submitted.'
In their decision, Scottish Ministers stated: 'The Scottish Ministers agree with the reporter that the proposed development would be clearly visible to the observers directly beyond the [battlefield] interpretation panels and that the driving range building would be a prominent addition to the restricted and framed landscape view when observed from this viewpoint.
'The proposed development does not effectively integrate with its sensitive landscape context owing to its scale and position and therefore, does not accord with the relevant development plan policies regarding siting and design.'
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