Green light for thousands of new homes, schools and library in Stirling: first images

A £650 million development that is set to bring more than 3,000 homes, two new schools and community facilities to Stirling has been given the green light.

Durieshill is located less than a mile south of Stirling. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Council officials have granted planning consent to housebuilder Springfield Properties to push ahead with its latest “village” development, at Durieshill, which is located less than a mile south of Stirling.

It marks the firm’s largest development to receive planning permission to date and is also one of the largest projects of its kind to have been approved in Scotland.

The site covers an area of 593 acres and is expected to take more than 20 years to complete, with building work undertaken in phases.

An impression of what the Durieshill development will look like. Image: Contributed

With a development value of some £650m, the new village will have a mix of private, affordable and private rented homes. It will also include community facilities such as a primary school, secondary school and library, a 30-unit care facility for the elderly and commercial units.

Springfield said that it now expects to enter into a final agreement with Stirling Council, which will contain certain planning obligations, and to commence work on site by late autumn 2020. The first homeowners are likely to move in during 2022.

Delighted

Innes Smith, chief executive of Springfield Properties, said: “We are delighted that Stirling Council have approved our proposals for Durieshill. It’s a huge achievement that marks a significant milestone in the journey to create a new village close to Stirling.

Another impression of what the Durieshill development will look like. Image: Contributed

“Durieshill will have everything a community needs to flourish and be a place people are proud to call home. It will include highly energy efficient homes for everyone from first time buyers to downsizers. There will be a mix of tenures with private housing, affordable housing and private rented sector housing extending the possibility of becoming a householder at Durieshill to all.

“In the heart of the village there will be a community campus with a primary school, a secondary school and other community places like a library. There will be businesses like cafes, shops, dentists, hairdressers, a post office or a pharmacy. There will be play parks, public art, planting, tree lined streets and benches. It will be the place where people live, work, learn, exercise and socialise.

“Durieshill will be a beautiful country village with more than half of its area as woodland, community landscaping, allotments and pocket parks.”

News of the go-ahead came just a day after the group flagged an increase in completions and revenue across the business and said it was set to benefit from a “period promising greater market certainty”.

The builder, which has been growing rapidly through acquisitions, geographic expansion and joint ventures, said it was on track to report first-half revenue growth and gross margin improvement in line with management’s expectations.

Releasing a trading update, Springfield said it had entered the current financial year in a strong position, experiencing good growth across the business, “supported by sustained market drivers”.

It noted that its village developments were progressed well, with a key attraction being the addition of further amenities for residents. This included the opening of Perth’s Bertha Park High School and a sports centre in Elgin.