PLANNING permission is being sought for a £30 million housing development in a West Lothian town in which a third of the premises will be affordable homes.

The proposal at Crawfield Road in Bo’ness has been submitted to Falkirk Council by AWG Property and Mactaggart & Mickel.

It totals 225 houses, with 75 affordable homes, which will be prioritised for local people. Housing for disabled people may also be delivered, in response to local demands.

Developers say the project will create additional local expenditure of around £1.5m per annum which will support 30 full-time jobs in retail, leisure, hospitality, education and other service-related businesses, with 35 jobs in construction of the homes.

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The development will incorporate significant open space and landscaping areas for the benefit of the wider community, which could potentially be used for allotments, community orchards or for sporting activities, such as trim trails and children’s play areas.

An area has also been allocated for potential community use and new paths, cycle routes and links will be created.

Developers will also try to improve the safety of Crawfield Road, with suggestions given to the council for traffic calming measures, reducing speeds and making the road safer.

One benefit will be that existing issues regarding flooding will be addressed through new drainage works, which will route discharges to existing burns, alleviating problems on Crawfield Road and neighbouring properties.

The development is aimed at addressing a shortfall in the housing land supply within the Falkirk Council area.

It was previously identified in the council’s draft Local Development Plan as being suitable for residential use and was regarded as “best for long-term growth of the town”.

A spokesperson for the developers, said: “We are delighted to be submitting this planning application for this £30m development following extensive community engagement.

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“There is a recognised shortfall in Falkirk Council’s five-year housing land supply and a need for further housing sites to be approved, particularly when it comes to delivering affordable housing.

“This site goes some way to address the considerable demand there is in Bo’ness for more housing.”

The spokesperson added: “Indeed, the feedback from our community engagement indicates that more than half stated that there was a need for more housing in the local area and recent sales by other housebuilders indicates that a majority of buyers are local.

“Prior to lodging a planning application we engaged extensively with the local community, ensuring that we are delivering a development that is appropriate to the housing requirements of Bo’ness. Our proposals will also serve to enhance the local area and address some of the outstanding issues that exist around flooding and road safety.”