Anger as rural homes could be swallowed up by housing development

dailyrecord.co.uk:

West Lothian's 'Garden City' is set to be engulfed by a massive new housing development after the controversial plans were backed by the Scottish Government.Proposals by ID Stoneyburn to build 300 new homes on 44 acres of farmland and woods on the western edge of the village of Stoneyburn and its tiny neighbour Bents were rejected by West Lothian Council last April.The plans attracted dozens of objections, including many from people who live in 'Garden City' - a street of Edwardian cottages in Bents named for the Garden city movement, an architectural movement and urban planning ethos that celebrated the importance of sustainable living and green space.Garden City was built in the years before the First World War as part of a scheme which aimed to make good quality housing affordable to all classes.The green space surrounding the area will now disappear after part of the plan was supported by a Reporter appointed by the Scottish Government's Division of Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA).Planning officer Wendy McCorriston told this week's meeting of the Development Management Committee: "The Reporter determined the plan was appropriate in terms of character and would fit in"The Reporter, Gordon Reid, agreed with the developers' argument that West Lothian had not set aside enough land for housing demand.

He did not accept the councils argument that the introduction of the new planning guidelines NPF4, which come into force this coming Monday, would validate the council's argument.Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick told the meeting the land supply argument was "nonsensical".He added: "This argument about housing supply.