182 houses are planned
A co m m u n i t y councillor has vowed to call in a bat expert to stop controversial plans to build 182 new homes in Cleland.
Margo Young, treasurer of Cleland Community Council, says she will fight tooth and nail against houses being built on greenbelt near the village’s Biggar Road.
The land runs along the perimeter of the village’s industrial estate and out towards Windyedge Road.
Mrs Young said it would threaten wildlife in the area
“We have a lot of birds, hedgehogs, rabbits and bats come here,” she added. “I will get bat experts out to stop this as bats are protected species.”
It is one of seven new sites in Cleland submitted that have are looking to get their sites earmarked for housing on the council’s new Local Plan that is out for consultation.
The seven sites consist a total of 333 houses, including 25 in Carlisle Road and three sites in Bellside consisting of up to 100 homes.
Margo You n g is against the proposals mainly because it is on greenbelt, lack of privacy, maintenance issues, transport and access issues in Biggar Road, road safety concerns for children walking to school,
“I will oppose it and contact every person in the street,” she added.
“It is not a safe walking route for children. “With 182 new homes how many school buses would be needed to take children to school?”
At their meeting last month, Cleland Community Council were opposed to the plans and encouraging residents to submit objections.
Louise Roarty, chairman of the community council, said: “We said the community council are happy for more housing but it would be social housing, not private builders.”
A re s i d e n t said Cleland doesn’t have the infrastructure to cope with an extra 333 houses in the village and was also concerned about traffic and the impact on local schools.
He added: “One of my concerns is the traffic on Biggar Road as it struggles to cope just now. Schooling would be another problem. The village would struggle to cope if a development of this size was given the go ahead.”
There are about 16,000 people on the council’s waiting list and 28 new sites across the council area to be considered as part of the Local Plan.