Courtesy Evening Times

By CAROLINE WILSON

CAMPAIGNERS fear plans for up to 4000 more houses could create an “urban sprawl” across some of Scotland’s most scenic countryside.

The homes could be built across green belt land in East Renfrewshire and residents say that will virtually join up the communities of Newton Mearns, Eaglesham, Clarkston and Mearnskirk.

They say there are adequate derelict and brownfield sites available for new housing and no extra amenities are planned for what could amount to a 25% increase in the population.

Residents also say schools in the area are already at capacity and areas in need of regeneration, such as Barrhead and Busby, are being missed out.

They fear the plans will also leave Eaglesham, a conservation village, surrounded by new housing on green-belt land, causing house prices to slump.

Around 150 residents attended a community council meeting set to up to fight the plans, which have been put forward by a number of developers, including Cala and Taylor Wimpey.

Plans have already been approved for 3000 new homes in East Renfrewshire. The 4000 now proposed are in addition to those.

East Renfrewshire Council says the plans contained in the Main Issue Report bring together all the proposals put forward by developers and nothing will be decided until 2014.

A council spokesman said an issue remained over the amount of affordable housing in the area, but residents say most of the latest planned housing is luxury villas.

The council has also attracted criticism over the consultation process. Opponents claim less than 1% of people in Newton Mearns and other towns are aware of the proposals.

One of the sites identified as suitable for building is open fields next to Strathaven Road, Eaglesham. Although the council says the site does not yet have a developer, it was advertised as for sale around 18 months ago.

No extra services are planned, but schools, doctors and roads are already overstretched If these proposals are accepted they will impact on many communities

Samantha Booth, 35, from Eaglesham, is among those fighting the plans,.

She said: “Developing the green belt round Eaglesham will destroy the essence of the village and corrode all the aspects that make it such a desirable place to live.

“It is meant to be a conservation area, but these plans do nothing to “preserve and protect”. The fact there are no extra services planned is also a huge concern, especially as our schools, doctors and roads are already overstretched.”

Jim Swift, councillor for Newton Mearns South, said: “The proposals are nonsensical.

“At worst they are proposing 4000 homes on green belt, that is on top of 3000 already approved but not yet built. That’s a 19% development for which there is no need and no demand.

“There are no amenities planned either, except for one tiny primary school. All East Renfrewshire schools are full.

“Plus, 50% of the roads in the local authority already need resurfaced and there are huge congestion problems around schools at certain times. What will it be like with an increased population of 19%?

“If these proposals are accepted they will impact on many communities but Eaglesham, in particular, will be severely hit. It will be surrounded and the village will lose the community feel it now has, which will be a tragedy.

“The real nasty side of this is that, thanks to the supplementary planning guidance and the rule about 25% affordable housing, the developers can more or less do what they want.”

Affordable housing as defined by the Scottish Government includes social rented homes, usually managed by a registered social landlord.

An East Renfrewshire Council spokesman said: “The Main Issues Report is the main consultative stage in redeveloping the local development plan.

“The aim is to stimulate discussion about how East Renfrewshire should develop over the next 20-plus years.

“We have consulted for 12 weeks, with an extension of one month, to make sure as many people as possible have a chance to have their say in this important consultation.

“Residents can be assured nothing has been decided and there will be further opportunities to have their say.”