By Lucy Ashton

OUTLINE plans have been revealed for a new housing development near Cardross – along with details of two public events at which local residents will be able to give their views.

Argyll and Bute Council planning officers have received a pre-application notice (PAN) from housing giants Taylor Wimpey for the site at Murrays Road, immediately to the west of the village and once part of Alistair Rennie’s farm.

Documents submitted to the local authority so far do not detail how many houses could be included as part of the proposed development, or how many will be classed as affordable housing.

However, a document lodged with the council as part of the PAN submission shows a development site of a significant size, stretching from the A814 all the way south to the Helensburgh to Dumbarton railway line.

The PAN documents describe a “residential development to include access, roads, open space, landscaping, drainage and other associated works”.

The public will be able to find out more about the plans at two consultation events, both of which are being held at the Geilston Hall in Cardross.

The first will take place on Wednesday, September 25, and the second on Tuesday, October 29, with each event running from 4pm until 8pm.

Planning officers have also been invited to give their own thoughts on the proposal through a ‘screening of application’ notice which has also been submitted to the council.

Plans for the site at Geilston Farm. (Image: Open Optimised Environments/Argyll and Bute Council)

A checklist as part of that notice said: “The development is proposed on land that is adjacent to the existing Cardross settlement with the settlement predominantly comprising residential neighbourhoods equivalent to what is proposed.

“The scale and context of the site are not out of scale with this existing environment.

“It is proposed to develop the site to provide residential use. The proposals are compatible with adjacent and nearby existing uses.”

Taylor Wimpey was chosen in January 2021 as the construction firm for a major development of more than 300 homes at Helensburgh Golf Club, though three and a half years on – and two and a half years since a planning application for the work was submitted, alongside hundreds of supporting documents, a decision has not yet been made.

Taylor Wimpey is also responsible for the development at Hermitage Grange, on the site of the old Hermitage Academy building at Colgrain.

Members of the public will not be able to submit comments to Argyll and Bute Council on the Cardross proposal until a formal planning application is submitted.

To view the plans and documents, visit the council’s planning portal at publicaccess.argyll-bute.gov.uk and use the reference numbers 24/01391/PAN and 24/01392/SCREEN.

Top picture: Sleepy Cardross may soon have a large housing development on its outskirts.