By Brian Allison, local government reporter

A £50 MILLION village development which will see well over 200 new houses built on the western outskirts of Dundee was given the go-ahead by city councillors last night.

The development quality committee unanimously approved an application by Gladedale Ltd for 194 detached homes, 21 terraced houses and 15 flats on a 51-acre site at South Gray Village, Dykes of Gray Road.

Although objections to the proposal had been submitted to the council, no-one turned up at the committee to speak against them.

Welcoming the committee approval, the company said work is now expected to begin on the site early next year.

Managing director of Gladedale (North East Scotland) Ltd, Jason Wallace, said, “We believe this is an exciting development which will bring a variety of much needed housing to the west of Dundee, ranging from two-bedroom apartments up to five-bedroom detached houses.”

In a report recommending approval of the application, the council’s planning and transportation director, Mike Galloway, said it related to the second of three villages proposed for the western gateway to Dundee.

“There is a village core with terraced houses and flats around a central village green,” he said.

“A shop is proposed in the ground floor of one block facing the green.”

Mr Galloway said all of the detached houses have a minimum of two parking spaces and all but 22 have a double garage, the remainder having single garages.

“The development has approximately 15 acres of public open space comprising open grass areas and informal woodland,” he continued.

“This is approximately 29% of the gross area of the site.”

Three objections were received from local residents citing issues such as the density of the development, the potential impact on neighbours, road capacity and road safety and education.

Mr Galloway said the developer would be making contributions to the provision of education facilities in the area and the Dykes of Gray Road would require to be upgraded before construction of the village could start.