A planning hearing resulted in North Lanarkshire Council refusing to grant permission for a major housing development in Croy.

The application, jointly submitted by Dullatur Golf Club and Hallam Land Management,  was for planning permission in principle for a development of up to 650 homes on a 37-hectare site at the club. The site is zoned as greenbelt making the application contrary to planning policy.

The proposals included a provision that 25 per cent of the homes built would be in the form of social housing, more than the 20 per cent usually required by the council.

The plans attracted a strong response, with more than 200 objections including from MSPs Jamie Hepburn and Gillian McKay as well  as Stuart McDonald when he was still the local Westminster MP.

Planning officers also recommended denying permission for the development, on the grounds that it was contrary to local policies, would depart significantly from the development plan and that there was no need to make this green belt site available for housing.

The council also received several expressions of support for the application from people who believed it would create new affordable homes as well as jobs in construction, improve facilities and a new community hub, and council services would be improved through taxing the new residents.

Gary Smith of Hallam Land called the application one of the most important in recent years at a time when the Scottish Government had declared a housing emergency.

He added that his company had partnered with Dullatur Golf Club in 2019 when it became apparent the club needed a long term strategy to survive, and this led to the application being submitted, saying his team had worked “incredibly hard” to produce a plan which would bring wide  benefits to the area including up to 163 affordable homes, road improvements at Craiglinn Roundabout and more than £600,000 to improve local secondary schools.

Mr Smith also claimed the local economy would benefit by an estimated £211 million over the construction period,  the creation of 572 jobs, and additional council tax of around £1.1 million per year in addition to new residents spending more than £12 million each year on local retail and leisure.

He promised there would also be significant investment in Dullatur Golf Club, safeguarding its future and more than 100 jobs linked to the club, and that if approved the initial homes would be completed by summer of 2026, adding that the number of major planning applications in North Lanarkshire had dropped significantly since 2022 meaning that rejecting this proposal would lead to continued under-delivery of housing.

Dullatur Golf Club’s captain Frankie Bannachan also called on the council to support the application. He said that members had backed the plans at the club’s previous annual general meeting. He said had been operating for 128 years but in 2018 membership had declined to its lowest point making its future uncertain. Traditional funding options were not available so alternatives had to be found, and the best course of action appeared to be reconfiguring one of the two 18-hole golf courses.

He added that the club is proud to play an important role in their area and hosts several local businesses, making it a thriving community hub.

“This is not just about golf. We are a multi-use facility which serves a much broader purpose,” he added, highlighting upcoming programmes and partnerships with schools which reflected a commitment to being an accessible and inclusive organisation.

He also said that in addition to providing much needed homes the development would allow the club to complete much needed improvements such as modernising the clubhouse, courses and services.

“This is entirely about securing the future for Dullatur, for everyone who uses it and everyone that depends on it,” he added.

The first objector to address the hearing was Craigmarloch Community Council chairperson Naomi Kennedy. She said that local infrastructure was struggling to cope with current demands, and that the community council had taken an active interest since learning of this proposal, carrying out extensive research and consultation.

She said that North Lanarkshire Council had informed the community council that no further changes could be made to Craiglinn Roundabout as there is no room for development and the cost would be prohibitively high at more than £5 million.

She also queried why the application would be considered when the site is green belt, the purpose of which is to protect open spaces and prevent urban sprawl of the type proposed.

She also referred to similar applications, including one proposing a major development in Shotts, had been rejected by the council and subsequent appeals had failed.

“Green belt land is designated for a purpose and we as a community council will continue to uphold that principle and will work to ensure that the land in contention remains as green belt in the next local development plan,” she added.

She went on to say that despite some reports to the contrary Cumbernauld did not have a shortage of housing land, and sufficient land was allocated in the local development plan

Ms Kennedy also said that a petition against the development had attracted 2,524 signatures.

The objectors also disputed the status of the golf club as a community hub, referring to it as a “private, elitist club” and claiming recent developments had in fact reduced its role in the community.

Following debate Councillor James McPhilemy (Labour, Cumbernauld South) moved for refusal, being seconded by Councillor Adam Smith (SNP, Cumbernauld East) on the grounds that the application was an unacceptable development in the green belt.

Council leader Jim Logue (Labour, Airdrie Central) moved to grant the application, saying the housing crisis meant there was a need to encourage housing development, and no opposition to the application had been raised by any of the council’s statutory consultees including the roads and education departments, adding that the proposals did comply with the bulk of planning legislation. He was seconded by Councillor Andrew Duffy-Lawson (Labour, Motherwell North).

The motion to refuse the application was passed with 44 votes versus 14 and a single abstention, but the applicants retain the right to appeal via the Scottish Government.