Latest news with #StirlingCouncil
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
No buildings involved in any future plans for Bannockburn battle site stresses councillor
Trotting track plans for the battlefield land were recently rejected by Scottish Government ministers - but Stirling Council and Historic Environment Scotland are looking at new joint venture for the area. A Stirling councillor has insisted that any tourism project on a controversial area of Bannockburn already rejected for a trotting track won't involve any buildings. At a recent full meeting of Stirling Council, SNP councillor Gerry McLaughlan asked the council's leader, Labour's Cllr Gerry McGarvey, about the possibility of the local authority entering into a joint venture with the National Trust for Scotland on the fields near the Battle of Bannockburn centre. Developers behind the trotting track proposals had already been refused permission by Scottish Ministers who said their project would impact the Bannockburn battlefield. The NTS had been one of the most vocal critics of the track plans, which the harness racing community argued were their last hope of safeguarding the sport in Scotland. News that the council and NTS could then be contemplating their own collaboration for the area was met with astonishment by some who were in favour of the track, prompting Cllr McLaughlan to seek to clarify what the latest aspirations for the land involved. He posted: 'The proposals that I hope the council and the National Trust will consider involves no buildings - buildings. 'This has now been clearly identified as green belt, a battlefield site and as such will remain parkland. 'If the proposals are a success it will also give access to people living in the area to green space. 'With nearly 3000 houses being built in the area over the next decade, I am delighted that this space has been protected. 'This [trotting track] proposal was opposed by local people. In the south of Stirling with 3000 new homes planned, generating at least 6000 new cars, is it so wrong to want green space maintained. 'Any proposal that maybe considered will have no new buildings on the site. It will be forever parkland. 'The Heritage Centre is a major tourist attraction and we should look at every opportunity to improve it and to continue attracting new visitors to Stirling. 'The land is greenfield, I will not support any building of any kind on that land. Hopefully that is clear enough.' At the full council meeting, council leader Cllr McGarvey had told Cllr McLaughlan he was happy for officers to enter into discussions about the future of the field with the Trust but warned that the sensitivities of the site would have to be taken into account, particularly given the decision by Scottish Ministers. Cllr McLaughlan, however, suggested the decision could be a positive element in terms of setting parameters, added: 'I've already spoken to the National Trust and to the action group that fought the original decision and opposed it and it would be good if we as a council showed a willingness to support work with the National Trust and to work with local people to open that field in particular up to some green space that people in south Stirling can use. 'I'd hope we can get some support from the council leader for that.' The trotting track plans had been recommended for conditional approval by the Scottish Government's appeals report before Ministers vetoed the move and called the application in. Harness racing experts had argued that the track application, lodged by Mr H Muirhead for land west of New Line Road and south of Fairhill Road, was vital to safeguard the future of their sport. But the proposals also attracted strong objections from those concerned about protection of the battlefield and views from the nearby Battle of Bannockburn Centre and rotunda. In their decision, Ministers said they disagreed with the reporter's findings 'that the proposed development would not have significant effects on the battlefield or listed buildings and that it accords overall with the development plan.' The Ministers added: 'The proposed development would introduce new development and urbanisation into one of the few remaining undeveloped parts of the battlefield and it would have a significant adverse effect on the character of the battlefield, its setting and sense of place.' They also said it would 'detract from the prominence' of listed buildings.
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Latest plans lodged for old Stirlingshire police station
The Bridge of Allan office has been closed to the public since 2014 as a result of force budget cuts. Fresh plans for the site of Bridge of Allan's former police station have been lodged. Alastair Heron has submitted an application to Stirling Council planners for two semi-detached townhouses on the land off Henderson Street. The police station has been closed to the public since 2014 under police budget cuts. Situated in the Bridge of Allan Conservation area, it neighbours several C-listed properties. Since the purchase of the site in 2018, there have been two planning applications for semi-detached houses with the first withdrawn due to being deemed an overdevelopment of the site. The second was approved but has since expired. In documents submitted with the latest proposals, agents for the applicant said the 2025 plans were 'largely based on the 2019 approved plans, with more contemporary elevations, along with an enlarged floor plan to the rear'. They added: 'The design is for two semidetached, two-and-a-half storey family houses, the proposed is to be of complementary scale to the neighbouring properties. 'The houses are laid out over three levels. The ground floors consist of a living room, cloak room WC, a kitchen dining living space, with sliding doors out to a patio area, and a utility room. 'The first floors consist of a master bedroom with walk in wardrobe and an ensuite shower room. Accessed off the hall is another shower room, a store cupboard, a study and a bedroom. The second floor is to have two bedrooms and a bathroom, along with additional storage under the rear eaves. 'The proposed building is to have all windows positioned on the north/street and south elevations. 'The proposed development site is similar in width to many of the other properties located on Henderson Street. The intention is to produce a building which ties in with its surroundings, in terms of width on their respective sites. 'The proposed development site is surrounded by Victorian villas, many of which have been subdivided into flats. It is our intention to orientate the building parallel to Henderson Street, with the main elevation of the building set back from the street.' The existing access is to be relocated in the centre of the north boundary, providing a 6m wide entrance with an 8.8m wide turning area with two parking bays. The agents added: 'The proposal represents a sustainable and appropriate redevelopment of a derelict addresses the climate, makes effective use of land, contributes to the delivery of high-quality homes and enhances the character of the conservation area.'
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Industrial estate in Stirling village could get 12 new business units
The Doune site on a former industrial estate could make room for a dozen industrial and storage units. Expansion plans for an industrial estate near Doune have been resubmitted to Stirling Council planners. RTA Building & Construction Co Ltd are seeking permission to build industrial units and storage units on land south of Lochill Industrial Estate and north of Kilmadock Cemetery in the village. The proposals also include other works including drainage engineering, fencing, structural planting and creation of hardstanding areas and documents submitted with the application also suggest an element of 'visitor orientated businesses'. The latest application is a resubmission of a previous bid made last year, which was withdrawn for revision. The documents add: 'The site is located on the southern side of Deanston, adjacent to Doune. The site lies to the east of the A84(T) Trunk Road and to the north of the B826. 'The site has operated as an industrial site for more than 50 years and has slowly grown over the years to accommodate additional industrial operations. 'To the north of the site is the existing Lochill Industrial Etates to the east of the site is the Ashmill caravan storage site and Ashmill caravan site and to the south and west are small woodlands.' The existing access road to the industrial estate would provide the main access to the development site, but changes would be made to the access road to provide a continuous six metre carriageway into the industrial estate from the end of a 7.3m wide section. The development site is allocated in the Stirling Council Local Development Plan (LDP) for Class 4 (business), 5 (industry), 6 (storage and distribution) and visitor orientated businesses. Agents for the applicants added: 'The site allocation within the Local Development Plan and the site's current usage have established its location as a viable industrial site in a semi-rural location. 'The development proposals are for a total of 12 small industrial units and a communal kitchen/toilet unit at the existing Lochill Industrial Estate, Doune, Stirling. The Lochill Industrial Estate currently has a number of businesses operating from the Industrial Estate including RTA Building & Construction, Doune Woodyard, McTurks Yard, Safeleg, and Nicol Properties. 'In addition to these industrial businesses, the Industrial Estate also provides storage of materials for RTA Building & Construction. 'The development proposals will provide appropriate vehicle and cycle parking provisions for the units. In addition, the proposals also include a small extension to the existing builder's storage yard on the northern side of the development site. 'The site lies to the east of the A84(T) Trunk Road and to the north of the B8032. The site has operated as an industrial site for more than 20 years and has slowly grown over the years to accommodate additional industrial operations. 'Given the site's semi-rural location, there are some limitations in relation to access to sustainable modes of transport such as walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport facilities. While these are available in the area this is balanced out by the semi-rural nature of the site and its appropriateness for industrial use away from residential development. 'Vehicular access to the development will use the existing Industrial Estate access road which will be widened to 6m as part of the proposals. The existing junction onto the B826 will be used and with some management of the existing trees on the eastern side of the access the sightlines specified by Stirling Council can be achieved. 'The traffic generation from the proposed development is minimal and will have no impact on the safe operation of the local or Trunk Road network.' Stirling Council planners are expected to make a recommendation on the application in due course.
Daily Record
16-07-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Concerns raised over quality of online classes being used in Stirling schools
The online system is being used to deliver Advanced Higher classes to pupils, with worries including the quality of the courses themselves and the use of volunteers to deliver them. Concerns have been raised about the quality and effectiveness of an online system delivering Advanced Higher subjects to Stirling secondary school pupils. Education chiefs say the the programme has a number of benefits, including allowing a greater range of subjects to be accessed through the virtual hub and breaking down barriers caused by clashes in school timetables. However, an SNP councillor has raised a number of issues over quality and how it is implemented, including that it is delivered by volunteers - a factor some staff are said to be increasingly unhappy with. At a recent full meeting of Stirling Council, Councillor Brian Hambly had asked what changes were planned to improve the acceptance and delivery of online Advanced Highers by volunteers in the coming academic year. In response, he was told: 'From the academic year 2026/27 onwards, the intention is to move from the current two to seven Advanced Higher courses online. 'These will focus on specialist subjects that schools often struggle to provide due to low pupil uptake or a lack of access to qualified teachers. 'By delivering these courses online we aim to ensure that all pupils have access to a broader and more equitable range of Advanced Higher options, regardless of their school's size or staffing. This will also enable high performing students to sit more than the traditional four/five courses each year. 'Stirling Council Schools Learning and Education Service is working towards delivering high quality online Advanced Higher courses. This initiative builds on a strategic vision for digital learning and professional development, ensuring equitable access to advanced education for all learners. 'Next school session the launch of the Online Learning Leadership Academy is planned. The new initiative will offer a Career-Long Professional Learning (CLPL) programme tailored specifically for practitioners leading and delivering online learning. 'The CLPL programme will be closely integrated with a newly formed Pedagogy Leads working group, which aims to support practitioner development of a consistent, high quality approach to learning, teaching and assessment. 'Stirling Council will continue to collaborate with other local authorities - building on existing relationships with Falkirk and West Lothian - to share best practices and drive innovation in online education across council boundaries.' However, Cllr Hambly said: 'When brought to the children and young people committee in 2024 not all elected members were convinced by this proposal, however four Advanced Highers were delivered online 2024/25 in the school year. 'The anecdotal feedback so far from staff and student alike has raised concerns about the quality and effectiveness of this delivery method, and as is pointed out, there is two for this year and seven for following years to be delivered this way. 'While teaching staff raised concerns over the loss of quality there's not a lot of confidence in any gains in equality. 'This delivery method is to continue with volunteers as there is no provision for such in the SNCT handbook nor is it covered by teachers' terms and conditions.' Cllr Hambly the asked children and young people convener Cllr Danny Gibson [Labour] that, as the 2025/26 academic year had already commenced, to confirm what action he had already taken to provide assurance that the decision would not lead to industrial action and that high quality teaching would be maintained. Cllr Gibson replied that he would be happy to provide further feedback following the meeting, adding: 'This is a Labour administration and I'm more than happy to ensure the best industrial relations that we can and what those circumstances are.' The two Advanced Higher subjects earmarked for the online system this year are Business Management and Computing Science. Each Advanced Higher is delivered by a lead teacher through Google Classroom, Google Meet and a termly in person meeting. The council's own online portal states: 'Online learning naturally encourages the development of vital independent learning skills – taking initiative, managing time, digital literacy, and problem-solving. These aren't just academic skills; they're essential abilities for tackling the demands of higher education and the modern workplace. By engaging with Advanced Highers online, learners will be better prepared for the self-directed learning expected at university and in professional life.' It adds: 'By providing a central and dependable digital platform, we're enabling staff to further develop and use their digital skills in delivering the curriculum. This not only improves the quality of teaching and learning in the online environment but also encourages the sharing of good practice and resources across Stirling Council schools, leading to continuous improvement.'
The Herald Scotland
14-07-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
NHS board warned of potential legal action in delays row
Information Commissioner David Hamilton wrote: 'I remain concerned with the performance figures to date. NHS Forth Valley's latest statistics for June 2025 indicate that 39% of all initial responses are late.' 'I am equally concerned with NHS Forth Valley's performance in relation to responding to reviews on time.' Under Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation, public authorities are required to provide requested information, such as internal documents or copies of emails, to interested parties within 20 working days. The Commissioner went on to tell the NHS board it must reply to 80% of requests within the statutory timeframe by September, and more than 90% by December. NHS Forth Valley includes the area surrounding Stirling. (Image: Stirling Council) Mr Hamilton added: 'If NHS Forth Valley fails to reach these targets in the timeframe stipulated, I will take enforcement action. 'If an authority fails to comply with an enforcement notice, I may certify to the Court of Session that the authority has failed to comply. "This is a highly unusual step, and one that we have never had to resort to in the context of intervention work, but I will have no hesitation to issue an Enforcement Notice if I do not see a significant improvement in FOI performance in the timeframes stipulated.' The Commissioner had met with NHS Forth Valley chief executive Ross McGuffie in March, but escalated his intervention after 'significant' improvement was not observed. Mr Hamilton noted: 'I hope this serves as the wake-up call that NHS Forth Valley needs. Their FOI response times over the last 18 months have been terrible. 'There can of course be reasons for glitches in performance, but this has been far too prolonged. It is up to the Board to grasp the issues and to properly resource and support its staff in fulfilling these statutory duties.' Read more: First Minister John Swinney to meet with Donald Trump during Scottish holiday 'Rats and rogue landlords': Why student renters are fighting for a fair deal Inside story of the fight over the future of Scotland's largest power station The news comes a week after another health board, NHS Fife, was forced to reveal the cost of an ongoing employment tribunal involving nurse Sandie Peggie, who was suspended amid a row over sharing changing facilities with a transgender doctor. After an appeal by The Herald and other newspapers, Mr Hamilton rejected the board's claims that revealing the figure, £220,500, could aid Ms Peggie's legal team and endanger staff. He subsequently ordered the authority to 'to carry out adequate, proportionate searches" and respond to requesters within one week. The board quietly published the sum on its website last Monday. NHS Forth Valley has been contacted for comment.
