Objectors to a plan for nearly 150 new Arbroath homes fear it will put unbearable pressure on local roads and schools.
And they are urging councillors to consider brownfield sites rather than prime farmland when the bid is considered next week.
But the Scotia Homes scheme for Arbirlot Road West has an approval recommendation from officials.
They say the Crudie Farm fields are already zoned for housing.
And the council’s transport and education departments are confident local infrastructure will cope.
First phase
The 146-house development would cover a site of just over 12 acres.
It is on the north west boundary of the town and Muirfield Primary School sits to the south.
The application is the first stage of a five-phase project for a site totalling more than 70 acres.
The farmland is allocated for housing development in the Angus local plan.
“The local development plan is more than five years old and available information suggests there is a shortfall in housing land supply in east Angus,” planners say.
Existing brownfield sites are not sufficient to meet the shortfall.
Education officials predict the development will add around 33 primary and 30 secondary school children to local school rolls.
Muirfield primary currently has 242 children and a capacity of 335 pupils.
And Arbroath High School also has room to spare in a pupil roll of 886 against a capacity of almost 1,100.
The approval recommendation includes a condition requiring a £745 payment for each house towards improvements at Arbroath Sports Centre – a total of almost £110,000.
And roads bosses want to see a three-metre wide cycle track created along the site boundary with Arbirlot Road West.
Noise limits would be imposed during construction to protect nearby residents.
Objectors’ concerns
The Scotia plan has attracted 18 letters of objection.
Key criticisms include the extra traffic generated from the site and other housing being developed at East Muirlands Road.
And one objector says the full development of the site will push Muirfield primary and Arbroath High well over their pupil limits.
They predict Muirfield’s 335-pupil roll could be breached by the time the third phase of housing is complete, and could rise to over 400 youngsters.
Opponent Mark Gilmartin adds: “Traffic on Arbirlot Road West has for several years now been a concern.
“With cars parking all along the road it becomes a single lane where you can wait behind parked cars for some time.
“School mornings are a major issue in the area, with parking wardens and traffic police in regular attendance.
“We will now have hundreds of commuters joining the road around school time. It poses a huge risk to the safety of young children in the area.”
Development standards councillors will make a decision on the application on Tuesday.
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