PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS at the Moray Council will next week have their first look at proposals to create around 2500 new homes in the south of Elgin.
Springfield Properties has provided the local authority with their overall plans for a 506-acre development that when complete will create three separate ‘villages’ from Linkwood on the east of the town over the A941 to the edge of the Elgin Golf Club.
The plans take in the much-lauded new Sports Centre and primary school – while a second school is included in the Springfield ‘masterplan’ to cope with an expected influx of families moving into the area.
Announcing that the masterplan will go before councillors next week, Springfield chairman Sandy Adam said that his company had been involved in creating 1000 homes in Elgin’s southern expansion. Now he says the new plan will signal the growth that was originally planned by Moray Council – as well as providing the long awaited Moray Sports Centre.
He added that work on the site, if approved, could begin as early as next year, saying that the infrastructure for the massive project would include road improvements such as an access road from the A941 to the A96 at the east of the town.
The first phase, that would include the Sports Centre and school, could be completed by 2018 with the homes in place by 2030, with future phases in the overall plan looking to be concluded by 2045.
Planning officials will recommend that members given their backing to the masterplan, with the report going before the committee described as a significant long term expansion.
Principal planning officer Gary Templeton says in his report: “The proposals have evolved from the stakeholder workshop through an iterative process with the delivery of a new primary school for the south of Elgin and the proposed Moray Sports Centre being the key drivers for progressing the masterplan.
“The proposal to establish a new primary school in south east Elgin was strongly supported through the recent consultation carried out by the Education and Social Care service with 91% of respondents supporting this proposal.
“The potential educational benefits of a new school have been recognised by Education Scotland, including support for the full delivery of Curriculum for Excellence in purpose-built accommodation which is accessible and inclusive to all learners.”
Details of the proposals being put to the planning committee can be downloaded here.