Save Airthrey Kerse

We only just managed to squeeze into Stirling Council chambers this afternoon to hear the debate on whether a local businessman, Graham Dairies, should be allowed to build 600 houses on Airthrey Kerse, a flood plain and part of the Greenbelt that separates Stirling from Bridge of Allan.
 
Such is the public opposition to this development that officials turned a blind eye to Health and Safety regulations, which limit the number of members of the public to a 100 in the chamber.  We were among the extra ten that managed to get in but others were left outside feeling very frustrated.
 
 Why didn’t the council choose a bigger venue? After all they did it with Park of Keir, which was held in the Victoria Hall, Dunblane.
 
 
It soon became clear nobody favoured the development except farmers who
who sold milk to the dairy.
This follows on closely after the recent Park of Keir campaign, mirroring many of the same issues- joining two distinct communities together, Greenbelt etc., except that this is potentially a massive development which would totally change the nature of our area.
 
The Save Airthrey Kerse campaigners made a very eloquent case and we all felt proud of them.
As for the developer his case was not helped in the summing up when the son, and heir apparent, stepped forward.
His reputation as a playboy with a penchant for fast cars, women and throwing out legal threats to those who dare to object did little to ingratiate himself to a community already hostile to this huge development which has just seen the worst floods in its history.
 
Stirling Council will make their decision at the next  meeting in a few weeks time.
Lets hope they make the right one and reject it – like they did with Park of Keir.
 
It’s personal greed versus the local communities – again.

Blipfoto-Stirling Castle overlooks Causweayhead, Airthrey Kerse and Bridge of Allan.