PARK OF KEIR WELCOME Welcome to the Park of Keir community consultation event. The purpose of today is for you to meet our team and find out about our proposals; so please have a look round the information boards and let us know if we can help explain any aspects of the plans. The information being presented today is the first step of the planning process and sets out the broad outline of the emerging proposal. Through this consultation we are seeking any opportunities to improve the proposal or to adapt it where appropriate and to ensure that local community is actively involved in the planning process. We’re really keen to hear your views and will include a Pre-Application Consultation report with any subsequent planning application so please find some time to leave us your comments. Please complete one of our Questionnaires and pop it in our comments box, or return it by post to the address provided, at your leisure. An application to “renew” this outline planning permission was submitted to The Council also accepted that: Development plans should support more opportunities for small scale Planning Process Stirling Council in 2008, and this was considered by the Council’s Planning housing development in rural areas, including new build housing which is Committee on 12 November 2009 where the Council resolved to approve “the proposals accord broadly with the Development Plan policies on the linked to rural businesses or would support the formation of new businesses Planning Background & Assessment the application, subject to the signing of a legal agreement as per the Areas of Great Landscape, on the Historic Environment, on Natural by providing funding; (paragraph 94). original permission. This agreement has still to be signed, but the Heritage, on Surface Drainage and on Transport”. The Site application remains valid and the current permission is still extant. Planning authorities should support, protect and enhance open space and In summary, the Council agreed that: opportunities for sport and recreation; (paragraph 149). The Park of Keir site lies to the south of Dunblane and to the north-west of Planning Assessment Bridge of Allan. The site measures approximately 110 hectares and “the Proposals accord with many aspects of the Development Plan, and Green belt designation should be used to direct development to suitable comprises mainly a mixture of used and disused farmland and woodland. In considering, and approving, the proposed hotel and golf course where they do not, there are persuasive grounds for exceptional locations, not to prevent development from happening; (paragraph 159). Much of the woodland is on the higher parts of the site. development, both the Scottish Ministers and Stirling Council assessed justification within the terms of the Plan. Many of the other material relevant planning policies for this site. justifications provide support for the proposals. Principle of developing Where a proposal would not normally be consistent with green belt policy, it The site is bounded to the west by the A9 and the B8033, and the Keir this site is accepted and well-established”. may still be considered appropriate either as a national priority or to meet an Roundabout, where the road joins the M9 and the B824. The Stirling-Perth The Scottish Government Reporter concluded that the proposals covered a established need if no other suitable site is available; (paragraph 163). Railway and the Allan Water lie a short distance beyond the site’s eastern large range of Development Plan Policies, and in the main, the proposals boundary. There are a number of established houses “within” the site, and a adhered to the Policies and objectives of the Development Plan. The Current Proposals Development in a designated green belt should be of a high design quality further grouping of existing housing just beyond the north east boundary of Reporter also considered that there were many persuasive grounds for and a suitable scale and form. Intensification of established uses may be the site, and a further group to the south east of the site. exceptional justification within the terms of the Development Plan. The current proposals for the site can be considered in the same light. As appropriate subject to new development being of a suitable scale and form; noted in the 2009 Committee Report, the principle of developing this site is (paragraph163). The site lies within the Green Belt, and within a Proposed Local Landscape In reconsidering the proposals in 2009, Stirling Council ratified this view and accepted and well-established. It has the benefit of an existing planning Area. It lies adjacent to, but outwith, the Keir and Kippenross Gardens and considered that: permission for major development. An effectively managed green belt can be an important resource for access Designed Landscapes. Knock Hill Fort, which lies within the site, is a to the countryside, providing a range of opportunities for outdoor recreation, scheduled Ancient Monument. Kippenross House and Old Kippenross “the proposals are deemed to accord with SPP21 (Greenbelts) in that the Whilst the site is allocated as Green Belt, the Government and the Council education and tourism; (paragraph 164). House, to the north of the site, are category B Listed Buildings. development will provide areas of recreation within the greenbelt, the setting have both taken the view that the development of this site can be of the greenbelt will be maintained and that the development will provide a considered favourably, and there are exceptional justifications for buffer that will stop coalescence between 2 settlements”. developing in such a location. Summary of Planning Assessment Planning History The Council also concluded that: The current Park of Keir Proposals can be assessed on the same basis. It The principle of developing the Park of Keir site is accepted and well- The Park of Keir site has an extensive planning history and has, over the is a significant local, regional and national opportunity, and has a unique established. It benefits from an existing planning permission for a major past 20 years or so, been the subject of substantial and detailed “The golf course (and the clubhouse) would comply with the main and specific requirement for a location in/adjacent to Dunblane. sport and tourism development, including a hotel and golf course. assessment, scrutiny and examination as a potential location for a Development Plan policies relating to the Green Belt and the countryside”. significant scale of new development. A number of possible locations have been considered (both within Dunblane There is now a unique and specific locational requirement for the proposed In terms of the proposed hotel development, the Council considered that it: and other Scottish locations), but the need for a site in Dunblane is essential tennis and golf centre development to be located in Dunblane, and following The overall conclusion of this previous and detailed assessment of the site, to the success of the project, and there are no suitable alternative locations a site selection process, the Park of Keir site is considered to be the was that whilst it was a sensitive location, given its green belt, landscape “would not comply with these policies. However, there is merit in viewing the within Dunblane that could meet the particular size and space requirements optimum location for the proposed development. It has an excellent fit with and built heritage designations, it was appropriate for new development. proposals as an integrated development requiring a rural location. for the project. the existing approved uses and would allow for an integrated, high quality, Furthermore, the development would not harm the purposes of the accessible development of benefit to the local communities and the wider Proposals for the development of the site were first considered in the 1990s. Greenbelt, and it would result in various forms of environmental The Park of Keir site, with the benefit of an existing planning permission for Stirling area. More recently, outline planning permission for the development of the site enhancement. Taken together, these factors go a long way to justify the sports and hotel development and a high quality, accessible and high profile for a proposed 150 bed “destination” hotel with 18 hole golf course, developments location in the countryside, and to rebut the presumption in location is considered to be the optimum location for the proposed The project can be considered as nationally important, and would bring clubhouse, public footpath/cycleway, construction of access road and new against development in the Green Belt”. development. significant economic and job creation benefits to the local Dunblane and junction was granted by the Scottish Ministers in October 2005. This Bridge of Allan area. This is in addition to the significant sporting, followed the consideration of the proposals at a Public Inquiry in May 2004. The main elements of the development can be considered appropriate in recreational and educational benefits that would flow from this high profile terms of current green belt policies and would not offend these policies. proposal. The proposed housing development would be very low density and high Whilst the housing element is not included within the existing permission, or quality. In design and massing terms it would be designed to avoid any provided for in terms of current planning policies, it can be viewed positively landscape sensitivities, and be of a quality entirely appropriate for this site. as the necessary enabling development for the wider proposals. Whilst the housing element is not currently catered for in terms of the existing permission or current planning policies, it can be viewed as the Pre-application Consultation necessary “enabling development” for the wider proposals. Without the housing development, the proposals would not be viable in the long term.