Murray set to submit new plans for village

Published on Monday 7 December 2009 08:42

SIR DAVID MURRAY has unveiled revised plans for a massive development at Ratho Station in a bid to win approval at the second attempt.

The original plans for 200 new homes, a care home and a community centre were knocked back, because they would infringe on the green belt and land earmarked for a new Royal Highland Showground.

But the former Rangers chairman's property firm, Murray Estates, has now scaled back the plans and is set to submit a new planning application.

The revised scheme would use a smaller patch of land, which would not infringe on the area earmarked for a showground car park if the facility was to move across the road to Norton Park.

The changed boundary means that there would only be room for 180 homes. Murray Estates' new plans would also see the location of the proposed community facility and care home being swapped around.

Jestyn Davies, managing director of Murray Estates, said the new plan was "fully endorsed" by the local community.

"The new application alters the layout and density of housing units to some degree, whilst retaining all of the previously outlined community benefits proposed, including a new or extended primary school, a new community centre, an improved village centre including more open space, and a new access onto the A8 with right and left turn to the east of the village.

"The principal change to our plans is a reduction in housing units from 200 to 180, which we have unfortunately had to implement to allow space for a possible future showground car park."

A pre-application presentation is to be made to councillors at a planning meeting on Wednesday, and it is expected that a full application will be submitted within months.

The Royal Highland Agricultural Society Scotland (RHASS) had been planning to move across the road to a new facility at Norton Park, next door to the Murray site, as its existing site is needed by Edinburgh Airport as part of its expansion plans.

However, the airport has delayed its plans, and the RHASS expects to now stay on its current site until 2020. Despite that, the new plans do not encroach on land earmarked for its car park.

And developers say that they are in a position to move ahead with the scheme in the current climate if approved.

"Our proposal remains commercially viable despite the reduced housing numbers," said Ms Davies. "Critically, what Murray Estates is proposing for the village is deliverable and will enable its regeneration."