Plans for new homes at Lennoxtown rejected

The proposal, from MGL Developments Ltd to build a mixture of properties on a site south of Redhills View, was considered during a virtual meeting of East Dunbartonshire Council’s planning board.

In a report sent to the board earlier, planning officers recommended refusing planning permission on the grounds that the site was not zoned for housing, provisions for open space within the development would not compensate for loss of habitat for wildlife, the scale and density of the proposed housing was out of keeping with the area, loss of amenity, and a lack of privacy for occupants of the proposed flats within the development.

The application attracted a significant amount of comment from the public, with 78 objections and 129 expressions of support received. Supporters highlighted the need and high levels of demand for housing in Lennoxtown and in Scotland overall. They also claimed existing trees were now overgrown to the point of being dangerous, that the Redhills View woodland would become a valued community asset, and the development would be economically beneficial.

Objectors, meanwhile, said there were other sites in the area more suited to housing, that recent housebuilding had done little to prevent small businesses from suffering, and other points agreeing with concerns raised by planning officers.

The board unanimously refused permission.