Barratt has drawn up a planning application for a proposed 300-home development in Monifieth.
The company are arguing that an “appropriately designed and phased” expansion of the town to the north-east would present the best opportunity for its sustainable long-term growth.
The lodging of the application with Angus Council follows a public consultation in December. Another housebuilder, Taylor Wimpey, has announced proposals for 380 homes on an adjacent site.
Barratt’s plans for their 24-hectare site between Ashludie Hospital and the A92 encompass a mix of house types and tenure including affordable housing.
“Through public consultation it became clear there is a requirement for a range of house types to meet the demand of the entire community,” they said in their planning statement.
This includes starter homes and mid-sized family homes.
The development is envisaged as being the first phase of a wider masterplan for the north-east edge of the town, opening up opportunities for shops and community facilities, a park and ride, cycle/footpaths and a new public park.
Barratt said: “There is an underprovision of accessible public space within the town and development of this area could help address this issue.
“The application site will provide approximately 10 hectares of public open space, in a variety of formal and informal landscape areas.”
The site’s main vehicle access would be a junction off Victoria Street, with possibly another junction at Broomhill Drive.
The statement acknowledges a financial contribution from the developer would probably be required to ensure that Moni-fieth High is capable of coping with the extra pupils the new housing would bring.
However, the town’s primary schools are reckoned to have enough capacity to cope with the initial phase of the project.
Barratt said: “The strategy presented here provides the first step in the establishment of a long-term, phased vision for Monfieth appropriate to bring forward new homes and community and business premises to meet current needs and demands, without prejudicing the TAYplan strategy.”
Monifieth community council has said there is public concern that further large-scale expansion could spoil the “village atmosphere” and there are mixed views about the desirability of developing the agricultural land to the north-east.
There was a clear view that the brownfield site at Ashludie Hospital should be developed first, it said.