A legal fight is looming over the decision of Angus councillors to vote through a major Carnoustie planning project.
Rival developers are thought to be considering a judicial review challenge to a decision which led to the removal of a 300-house allocation to the east of the town from the proposed local plan, days ahead of this week’s approval of a multi-million-pound residential and commercial development at Pitskelly in the west.
The scheme, involving town firm DJ Laing and landowner K&D Henderson, split a special Thursday meeting of the full Angus Council but was approved by 13 votes to eight against the recommendation of planning officials.
That decision has now cast doubt over the development of a previously approved business park at Carlogie and last night the partners behind the project said they were “bewildered” by the turn of events.
Angus Estates and Muir Homes had hoped to progress a residential/business development on either side of a realigned Carlogie Road before the surprise decision to remove the housing allocation from the local plan.
The companies are considering their next move but Simon Laird of Angus Estates expressed surprise over the recent track taken by elected members.
“Angus councillors have made some extraordinary planning decisions during the last 10 days,” said Mr Laird.
MR LAIRD added: “Councillors will, presumably, have their own reasons for the way in which they have voted.
“However, given that virtually all the decisions have been against the strong professional guidance of their own council planning department it is little wonder that most people are left scratching their heads in bewilderment.”
He added: “We are reviewing our own position. However, I suspect this depressingly unnecessary saga is some way off a final conclusion.”
DJ Laing and Angus Estates were previously Carlogie project partners but the banking crisis of 2008 put the skids on the plan and DJ Laing subsequently refocused its interest on the Pitskelly Farm site.
Improvements to the Upper Victoria access from the A92 and drainage developments have taken place and Pitskelly received overwhelming support in a community council survey, as well as the backing of the town’s three councillors.
Councillor Brian Boyd described the bid, for around 250 homes and business use over 20 hectares of farmland, as “a no-brainer”.
However, it had been recommended for refusal by planners due to the site’s position outwith Carnoustie’s development boundary and several councillors raised concerns about the use of prime agricultural land.
Council leader Iain Gaul said: “We are obliged to be a plan-led body, and it is to be our plan, not someone else’s plan.
“What I know at this moment in time is that it’s outwith the development boundary and breaches all sorts of policy.”
Arbroath councillor Ewan Smith also raised the question of impact on local schools, although supporter Brian Boyd said the development would add “only a handful of kids to each classroom”.
Mr Smith said: “It’s a very good proposal in many ways and there is great support from the community.
“But there is already significant pressure on the schools in Carnoustie, there’s not adequate provision and if we go with this then what we are going to have is three incredibly overcrowded schools.”
Pitskelly project agent Heinz Voigt said DJ Laing had invested in the community for four decades.
“We need housing to support the business park, there is no question,” he said.
The new project will free up brownfield sites at Panmure industrial estate and the Maltings and a housing masterplan for those has been drawn up.
This week’s special meeting also showed a graphic of a “blue-sky” vision of how future development might progress on the north of the town, eastwards from the newly approved site.
Arbroath councillor Alex King said it was an obvious path for town expansion.
“I’ve got a certain feeling of dj vu about this. I can remember when Carnoustie expanded to double its size by developing into greenfield sites.
“We have to look at a little bit of blue sky thinking or green field thinking and that’s what’s come forward.”
He added: “The developer needs the housing to subsidise the industrial development and that will give us the next stage of brownfield development in Carnoustie.
“Where we are going is the next lifespan of Carnoustie, the next 10 or 15 years when we will see the town expand the way it did in the 1970s.”