A bid to build almost 160 houses in Forfar will go to appeal with the Scottish Government after it was refused by Angus councillors.
In April, Muir Homes said it was “astonished” the Westfield plan was rejected by the area’s planning committee.
Development standards committee members unanimously followed the recommendation of officials to refuse the application.
Revised scheme
It was a re-drawn proposal for farmland beside the A94 Glamis Road after an earlier 136-house scheme was withdrawn at the 11th hour.
But the fresh blueprint was criticised for design failings and the location of a playpark near the busy road.
The sloping site sits opposite Orchardbank business park.
At the planning meeting, Muir said the council report contained “sweeping statements” about the application.
The firm has now lodged the detail of its appeal with Scottish Ministers.
A Reporter is due to be allocated to the case.
Allocated site for housing
Muir Homes said: “The principle of residential development on the appeal site is not at issue.
“Indeed, the council acknowledges the strong public interest in providing homes on allocated land…to meet local housing land requirements.
“There are no technical reasons for refusing permission.
“The development has been carefully designed in light of the site’s characteristics and constraints rather than slavish adherence to supplementary guidance which is more suited for dense urban developments.”
At the March planning meeting, one councillor highlighted the development’s potential impact on the A90 Lochlands junction.
Transport Scotland did not object to the Muir plan.
But Montrose SNP member Bill Duff suggested Muir would get off “scot free” from contributing to an upgrade of the junction on the Forfar bypass.
Lochlands is the only bypass crossing which is not grade-separated.
Muir say they have built more than 300 homes in Angus in the past two decades.
In addition, the firm constructed council offices at Orchardbank as well as the Guide Dogs for the Blind training centre and petrol station.
What happens now?
The appeal is ready to be allocated to a Reporter in the Scottish Government’s planning and environmental appeals division.
Angus Council has until July 25 to submit its response.
Members of the public can make their representations until August 1.
Any representations received by that deadline will be passed to the planning authority and Muir Homes for their comments.
