Latest news with #PlanningandRegulationPanel
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Work to begin on Stirling Council's first new primary school in 30 years
Corbiewood PS will serve the 800-home South Stirling Gateway housing estate, with completion for the project expected in time for the 2026/27 academic term. Building work is to begin on Stirling Council's first new primary school in almost 30 years. Ground will be broken on the new primary school serving the new major housing development at South Stirling Gateway in the coming weeks. Work on the site is due to begin in late June where a seven-classroom facility will be built in the heart of the development site by McLaughlin & Harvey. It is anticipated to be completed by the beginning of the 2026/27 academic term and will be followed by a four-classroom extension in 2033/34 depending on roll estimates. The new school will be constructed alongside external sports and landscaping and be linked to active travel routes to and from Bannockburn and its surrounding areas. Planning permission for the school was granted at the Planning and Regulation Panel in February. Pending approval from councillors, the new school will be named Corbiewood Primary School. It will be the first new school built within the Stirling Council area to support population growth since Newton Primary School in Dunblane opened its doors in 1996. Children and Young People Convener, Cllr Danny Gibson said: 'An exciting milestone in the South Stirling Gateway development has being reached with the appointment of a contractor to build this brand new primary school that will serve this emerging community. 'This modern, state of the art school epitomises Stirling Council's commitment to its ongoing investment in learning infrastructure for our children and young people and will help the new community to continue to thrive. 'Work will get underway shortly and we will keep local people updated throughout the construction. I can't wait to see the progress of the new school as it develops in tandem with the new housing development over the coming months and years. This is another sign that Stirling is continuing to flourish and grow.' Chris Boyle, Framework Director at McLaughlin & Harvey said: 'We are delighted to be delivering a new primary school for Stirling Council that will be at the heart of the South Stirling Gateway development. This project offers the chance for us to deliver a modern, exciting building, which can help achieve educational excellence. 'Our early partnership with the council, facilitated through the SCAPE Framework, has been the catalyst for designing a truly sustainable project within the agreed budget and timescales. We look forward to continuing our work with Stirling Council to construct a building which can inspire future generations of young people.' Children from South Stirling Gateway will be accommodated at Bannockburn Primary School while construction is underway and will initially feed into Bannockburn High School. The developers are in the first phase of housebuilding on the site following planning permission being granted in April 2024 for the first 150 homes. The South Stirling Gateway Development will deliver around new 800 homes with almost 200 allocated for affordable housing.
The Courier
5 days ago
- Business
- The Courier
Plan for controversial Bannockburn trotting track blocked by Scottish Government
A controversial plan to build a harness racing track near the Battle of Bannockburn site has been rejected by the Scottish Government. The proposal, lodged by Mr H Muirhead of the Scottish Harness Racing Club, hoped to construct a trotting track surface in a Whins of Milton field. A single-storey building housing toilets, a bar and hot takeaway food, and 240 parking spaces, also formed part of the plan. It was greenlit by Stirling Council's Planning and Regulation Panel in July 2024. Due to the type of application, the Scottish Government was to have the final say. While the reporter recommended planning permission should be granted subject to conditions, Scottish ministers disagreed. They said the development would have 'a significant adverse effect on the character of the battlefield, its setting and sense of place'. This was due to new development and urbanisation on one of the few remaining undeveloped parts of the battlefield. Furthermore, it was considered to 'detract' from the prominence of the listed buildings and would therefore have a 'detrimental impact' on their special character and setting. The plan also would not preserve the character or the special architectural or historic interest of the Rotunda and flagpole, according to ministers. Diarmid Hearns, acting director of conservation and policy at The National Trust for Scotland, thanked those who campaigned against the plans. He said: 'Ministers' conclusions closely accord with our stated views that this development was simply in the wrong place and would have badly impacted upon the setting of the battlefield. 'We hope that this decision brings this matter to an end and that the developer withdraws to a new site elsewhere that will not impinge on places of historical importance.' In harness racing, horses compete in a specific gait while pulling a two-wheeled cart called a sulky. Scottish harness racing took place at Corbiewood Stadium for more than five decades. However, the site was demolished in 2022 to make way for housing as part of the South Stirling Gateway development. The Scottish Harness Racing Club is currently using a grass track at Haugh Field. A plan for a new trotting track was submitted in October 2023. It proved controversial with more than 100 responses for and against the proposal. The National Trust for Scotland, which runs the Battle of Bannockburn site, described it as a 'damaging and unsuitable development'. Residents voiced concerns over the influx of vehicles, noise pollution and the historical significance of the site. But supporters said the track was needed for harness racing to 'survive' in Scotland and would bring a 'financial benefit' to the Bannockburn area.
