Plans for 600 more homes in Holytown

Murray Estates Ltd, headed by former Rangers owner Sir David Murray, says it hopes to begin the latest construction in the spring or summer of next year.

Its plans will go on public display next month at Torrance Park Golf Clubhouse. The proposed development is in partnership with Barratt Homes West Scotland, Miller Homes Ltd and Taylor Wimpey West Scotland.

A preliminary notice has been lodged with North Lanarkshire Council and it’s intended to submit a detailed planning application later this year. Plans for a “small neighbourhood retail centre” will be included.

The announcement follows the construction of 270 homes and a clubhouse for Torrance Park Golf Club which has seen its membership rise to approximately 450 members. 
Phase two at Torrance Park has been allocated in the North Lanarkshire Development Plan.

Russell Wilkie, director of Murray Estates, said the company is approaching “significant milestone in our journey to deliver our master plan vision to create a vibrant mixed-use development”.

He added: “The inclusion of phase two in the North Lanarkshire Development Plan is great news as it allows us to maintain the momentum that we’ve generated around this project.”

It’s a far cry from the days when doubts were expressed about Torrance Park housing ever being built. Planning permission for the first phase was granted in 2007 but the project stalled, with the developers blaming the downturn in the construction industry for the lack of activity.

Twice they had to ask the council for an extension to the deadline by which the work had to start.

Finally work got underway in late 2014 and Sir David Murray was joined by former football stars last summer to celebrate the opening of the golf clubhouse built in tandem with the houses.