Gladman plan '˜must' be for green belt site

Tory politician Liam Fox came under fire in a TV news story which flagged up his opposition to green belt development at a time when his wife is involved in the major Gladman plan for one of the most undeveloped areas of East Renfrewshire.

The firm, stressing its scheme will provide affordable housing if approved, argues there’s no conflict because “there are no local sites that are not green belt”.

A spokesman for Gladman said: “The housing shortage has been highlighted in Holyrood by local MSP Jackson Carlaw.

“Any new building in East Renfrewshire will be on green belt land because there is nothing else available.”

It says its plan would create fewer homes than already approved at Greenlaw in Newton Mearns and Maidenhil, and would use “just a tiny amount of the green belt”.

At the same time, said the spokesman, the scheme would help to address the shortage of homes in East Renfrewshire while adding new local amenities.