A COMMUNITY council and a group of neighbours have voiced their opposition to a housing association building more homes in Collin.
Cunninghame Housing Association has already built several affordable homes at its Braehead Homes development, but is now seeking planning permission from Dumfries and Galloway Council to construct 14 more two and three-bedroom properties.
But current residents are unhappy, arguing that there are drainage and flooding issues at the location. They also have concerns about privacy and overlooking, roads issues, and lighting.
Meanwhile, Torthorwald community councillors have lodged an objection with the council, stating: “The community council objects on the grounds of increased traffic near to Collin school and already overloaded water and sewage systems. If it were shown that both of these issues had been fully addressed the objection would be withdrawn.
“The community council has concerns that flooding is already an issue in this area, access to Collin main road has poor visibility and the change of plan would result in more cars.
“The proposed housing is no longer in keeping with the current housing on that estate. As this is a proposed increase to the original number of residences another concern is whether the school has capacity to deal with this and also that affordable housing should have local amenities and Collin has none alongside a very poor bus service.”
But council planning case officer Claire Eckstein has recommended that the application be approved subject to conditions.
Despite all the concerns around flooding and drainage, her report states that the council’s flood risk management team were not consulted “as the site does not lie within a flood risk area identified by SEPA Mapping System.”
Six objections were also received from members of the public. They highlighted that there are issues with a burn which flows from the field at the top of the site and where a new road is being proposed. There is a “constant concern” that water will flood into gardens, and residents say that building on the chosen plots would “exacerbate this situation, and any soakaway or other drainage system would soon be overwhelmed.”
Councillors will make a decision at committee on Wednesday.