Road safety and school capacity issues have been flagged up in a cautious welcome for development proposals centred around the former Sunnyside Hospital.
The sprawling site and substantial buildings which were once home to Scotland’s largest psychiatric facility were snapped up earlier this year in a locally led deal.
The 26-hectare site was put on the market by NHS Tayside following its closure in 2011.
New owners Montrose-based Pert Bruce Construction Ltd and Edinburgh’s FM Group have now brought forward a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to Angus Council, setting out the ambition of a mixed use development including housing, business and leisure class uses.
A development brief for the site has already been prepared by the local authority and it has also identified a number of buildings which it would like to see retained.
They include Sunnyside’s main block, Carnegie House, the Booth House nurses home, chapel and Home Lodge.
The council’s development plan indicates the release of around 265 houses, with 140 in the first phase period to 2021, with the remainder to follow within five years.
In a report to development standards committee councillors, head of planning and place Vivien Smith set out a number of areas which are likely to be considered key area in relation to the determination of a subsequent planning application for the site.
Land use acceptability, compatability and sustainability, the impact of development on existing infrastructure and open space provision were all included.
The report said other issues may emerge through the publicity and consultation process surrounding the development proposals, but the authority has already determined that an environmental impact assessment is not required.
Development standards vice-convener and Montrose councillor Bill Duff said: “As local member, for me the issues are school capacity and roads access, particularly on to the A937.
“That needs to be carefully thought out but I am sure that the roads service will have that in hand.”
Councillor Lynne Devine added: “I wonder if we can ask the developers to incorporate certain designs of houses.
“We are wanting people to have homes that they can live in for the rest of their lives and I hope that will include a percentage of bungalows for them to be able to stay all on one level.”
