Fresh calls to halt Craighouse plans

FRESH calls have been made to abandon the Craighouse redevelopment plans, amid a new survey that shows nine out of ten local residents are against it.

SNP politician Jim Eadie said he had carried out his own residents’ survey and, of the 200-plus households who responded to the survey, 90 per cent were opposed to the current proposals by the Craighouse Partnership.

Anger has steadily grown against the developer in recent weeks after plans showing 116 homes on the site, rather than the original 110, were revealed.

However, it insists its plans are not financially viable unless the new homes are built – and that its own survey tells a different story. Mr Eadie said: “The survey results make it absolutely clear that there is very widespread opposition to what is proposed by the Craighouse Partnership.

“Many of the responses acknowledge that redevelopment of the existing buildings at Craighouse would preserve them for future generations to enjoy. However, the message from residents is that the loss of green space for new-build is too high a price to pay.”

However, the Craighouse Partnership has dismissed Mr Eadie’s claims, stating that in their eyes they “do not reflect wider public opinion” and that during their own recent round of public consultations they spoke with double the amount of local people.

A spokesman said: “While we respect the survey and the views of those who have participated, we believe it represents a small and self-selecting sample of people.

“The survey was sent to 1212 local residents, and had a low response rate – only 17 per cent of people who received this survey responded, which equates to 200 people. We had more than double that response rate during our public consultation process and our results show a more balanced level of support for project.”

The Craighouse Partnership also went on to question the timing of Mr Eadie’s survey so close to an election.

A spokesman added: “It is disappointing that such an important issue is being brought to the fore in the run- up to the council elections.

“We have had regular contact with Mr Eadie since the project was launched and, to date, he has not shared any of these views with us. Nor has he given us the benefit of any briefing on the feedback he has received from these surveys prior to publishing it in the media.

“It would appear he is suggesting there is no need for new development. This is simply not an option for the seven important Grade A-listed buildings, which in the absence of a long-term solution will be under serious threat of dereliction.”

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