Stepps public meeting to listen to views on proposed housing development

The public meeting will be held in St Joseph's Church, Cardowan Road. Photo: © Stephen Sweeney, www.geograph.co.uk

A recent similar event drew a large attendance and members of the project team will be available to answer questions from residents on Tuesday, November 26, from 12.30pm-4.30pm at St Joseph’s RC Church in Cardowan Road.

Miller Homes intends to seek planning permission for a residential development of up to 250 homes, with 25 of these being in the affordable housing sector.

A spokesperson for Miller Homes said: “Miller Homes is pleased by the initial interest expressed by the local community in its proposals for Dorlin Road, Cardowan, and we welcome the interest in our community engagement process.

“We will be holding a second public consultation event on November 26 at which local residents and community bodies will again be able to see our proposals and be able to comment in full – we strongly encourage everyone with an interest in the land to come along.”

A number of local residents have said they are opposed to the development as they feel it threatens Cardowan Community Meadow, the last remaining open land in the village which is popular for activities such as walking, cycling and play as well as having diverse wildlife in need of protection.

Annmarie Quinn, a member of the Cardowan: The Last Field campaign group, says 468 people have responded to surveys they have carried out in the community with 98 per cent opposed to the plans.

She said: “There are a lot of concerns over the loss of health, wellbeing and mental health aspects of losing this land.

“One resident, Mr Stones, called the field a ‘community lung’ and people are very afraid of the future if this greenbelt land is turned into housing. This is a community in crisis at this point.

“We have been coming together and raised a number of great alternative uses for this land including orchards and beekeeping.”

Miller Homes currently has 23 developments in central Scotland including Rowan Grove in Cardowan and a forthcoming development on the site of the former Stoneyetts Hospital in Moodiesburn.