Proposals for significant expansion of Friockheim including a new health centre have been drawn up.
The Gardyne Street scheme has come from housebuilder Guild Homes, whose application in principle has been lodged with Angus Council for a project that could lead to up to 40 homes on the 7.4 hectare south side site.
Identified in the Angus local plan as a potential housing site, the land is open farm ground, but the applicants say their proposal will meet the local authority’s development brief and allow for an integrated and planned expansion of the community.A spokesman said, “The current application is to establish the principle of residential use on the site and the application further seeks the division of land to be set aside for community use and then establish the road layout and access points.”
Guild Homes proposes to take access from Gardyne Street to a residential development of primarily three/four-bedroom homes, with early talks with Angus Housing Association over the requisite 20% affordable housing allocation.
An open space provision of just over two acres has also been earmarked for the north-west of the development.New health centreA key driver is the new health centre, to replace a facility the applicant has been told is past its sell-by date.
The supporting submission said, “Guild Homes has negotiated at length with the existing Friockheim Health Centre. They have expressed a strong desire to relocate to larger and more suitable premises within the centre of the village.”
The blueprint sets aside 1.36 acres for the health centre, to include off-street parking, pharmacy premises and improved consulting facilities.
Guild Homes said the Gardyne Street site was considered at the local plan review inquiry to offer a “new central focus for the village in a sustainable manner.”
The planning statement said, “There are contractual and financial reasons why the current applications is being promoted. As the council is no doubt aware, the development industry has been in crisis, with credit facilities difficult to obtain from the main banks.
“In order to provide certainty on the development area, the bank requires the current application for formalise the planning situation.”
It added, “An architect has been appointed to develop house styles appropriate for the Friockheim village location, and it is intended that once in possession of the necessary funding the detailed application will be forthcoming.”
Guild Homes said, “It is considered the submitted proposal offers an effective and sustainable package of development which will benefit Friockheim in the long term. The development fully adheres to the requirements of both the local plan policy and the development plan brief.”
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