Guild Homes are preparing to lodge a new revised planning application for 243 houses set within a generous and attractive landscape setting on land to the west of Strathmore Fields, Forfar. The proposed development will provide a seamless extension to the ongoing development at Strathmore Fields allowing Guild Homes to continue to provide a range of high-quality homes meeting the needs of the whole community.
The proposed application represents a resubmission of an earlier proposal which was refused by the Scottish Government Reporter. However, in refusing the application the Reporter recognised that there was agreement between all parties, including Angus Council, that there is an existing, and worsening, housing land shortage in the West Angus Area, confirming that there is a “strong public interest in progressing new housing sites in West Angus.”
He further concluded:
“the proposal would provide economic and social benefits including; supporting a public interest in addressing an identified effective housing land shortfall within the housing market area, providing employment and facilitating accessibility to the north of Forfar. Some environmental benefits would also be gained through new planting and open space provision.”
However, the Reporter highlighted a number of areas of specific concern, these are as follows:
- Noise, specifically to the properties to the northwest of the site
- Perceived impact on Forfar Country Park
- Issues related to design.
The proposed development layout has been amended to respond to all the areas of concern providing a fully considered residential development which provides much needed homes for the whole community. Details of the proposed development can be found here – www.turfbegwestconsultation.co.uk.
The proposed development will continue the high quality and connected design of the ongoing development at Strathmore Fields. The proposed layout provides excellent walking and cycle links connecting the proposed homes to the existing services and facilities in the town, including Forfar Community Campus, Forfar Loch Country Park and the town centre. In this way the new houses fully support these local services and facilities. Further, it is hoped that the new and improved walking and cycle routes will encourage residents to reduce their reliance on the car. The proposed housing will be set within a generous and attractive landscape setting, providing a range of recreation opportunities including improved access to Forfar Loch, connections to the existing core paths network, children’s play area, new and improved walking routes and a large recreation space to the north of the development for use by the whole community. The development will expand on existing landscape planting providing improved biodiversity and habitat creation.
The new proposal is a direct response to an identified housing land shortage in the Forfar area with a number of allocated sites in the area to date either failing to deliver any housing or providing houses at a much slower rate than originally anticipated. Both the Scottish Government Reporter and Angus Council agree that there is a shortfall in effective housing land supply and that an additional housing site beyond those already allocated could help address the shortfall and as such there is a strong public interest in progressing a new site. Unless a new site is provided promptly this will likely have a knock-on impact on house prices within the area, with demand out stripping supply.
The proposed site is fully effective with all services and infrastructure readily available together with the capacity to accommodate the proposed development. We seek to ensure a wholly sustainable development with current houses built to a high EPC rating incorporating excellent insulation, air tightness and solar panels as standard. Materials and labour are sourced locally wherever possible. The site layout has been developed to make best use of the south facing aspect to maximise solar gain opportunities.
We are proud that our site at Strathmore Fields and workforce have recently been recognised in achieving the NHBC small builder of the year award for Scotland for the second year in a row, an acknowledgment of the high quality of the homes being built.
We anticipate the proposed houses could progress as soon as planning consent is granted with the affordable homes and smaller mainstream houses proposed in the first phase. As such we would encourage anyone with an interest in the proposed housing to register your interest by clicking on the link below and completing our form.
https://www.turfbegwestconsultation.co.uk
For further information please contact us on:
Guild Homes (Tayside) Limited
Chapelpark House
17 Academy Street
Forfar, Angus DD8 2HA
Telephone 01307 460011 or email developmentplanning@guild-homes.co.uk
