Housing development rejected due to noise

Milller Holmes and SP Transmission jointly applied to North Lanarkshire Council for approval to proceed with a mixed development of two-storey, three and four bedroomed houses.

However, the planning committee agreed with the recommendation of council officers who stated the site was unsuitable for residential properties due to large amounts of road and rail traffic noise.

The site is close to several railway lines, including the west coast main line used extensively by passenger services. The closest rail line is for freight operating out of Mossend Railhead where traffic levels are expected to increase significantly as proposals to expand the railhead have recently been approved.

Although the council’s 2012 local plan had the site marked as suitable for residential development, officers deemed that the constant traffic noise was an insurmountable problem and councillors voted 11-10 to refuse planning permission.

A Miller Homes spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that our planning application for 61 much-needed homes near Mossend has been refused by North Lanarkshire Council, given that this is a brownfield site allocated for housing in the adopted local development plan for North Lanarkshire. We are now considering our options.”

Neil McGrory - Local Democracy Reporting Service