Decision due on 500-home Falkirk scheme

Planners at Falkirk Council are being asked to approve a mixed-use scheme that could deliver £120m of investment and create about 500 homes.The application for planning permission in principle by Hansteen Land is for 55.6ha of land located at Gilston Park, Polmont. The development is due to be considered by councillors on the planning committee on Wednesday 16th February.The masterplan makes provision for additional contributions approaching £8m that would go towards local education, affordable housing, transport infrastructure – including upgrades to junction 4 of the M9 and local junction improvements. It also proposes new and improved bus services and a site for new healthcare facilities if this is sought by NHS Forth Valley.This area has already been allocated as the mixed-use Gilston Strategic Growth Area / Eastern Gateway Strategic Business Location within Falkirk Council’s adopted Local Development Plan. The scheme has also received the backing of Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce.The proposed new mixed-use neighbourhood will provide employment and commercial land, around 500 homes (including 25% affordable housing), areas of parkland and a new neighbourhood centre with potential for retail and community use.Previous planning proposals for the site were unable to attract large scale business users and so Hansteen is now seeking approval for a revised mix of uses. This includes about 2.5ha of land for new or local businesses, start-up business enterprises and workshops. Hansteen said that around 80 direct construction jobs and 70 indirect jobs will also be created for every year of construction and, once established, Gilston Park is expected to support about 300 full-time jobs.New areas of connected parks would be established, with Gilston Burn forming a key focus of the new neighbourhood. A central sustainable urban drainage (SUDS) pond and associated ecological habitat areas will be provided, with a boardwalk forming part of a new path network.