Grahams Dairy have submitted plans to build 800 houses on Airthrey Kerse, joining Bridge of Allan with Causewayhead.

Worried local residents have created a Facebook page for people who want to help defend the village from the threat to its identity. The site lists reasons against the development including high flood risk, loss of green belt and a strain on the infrastructure of the village.

http://www.facebook.com/SaveBofA

On the Facebook page, campaigners have listed ten points opposing the development...

1. Green Belt Destruction - The views across the Kerse are beautiful from any angle, from the top of the Wallace Monument to the beer gardens of the Birds and Bees and the Meadow Park. They define Causewayhead and Bridge of Allan. Loosing that space would be awful.

2. Flooding - SEPA classify the kerse as a high flood risk. The developers have paid an engineering firm to contradict SEPA and say that the risk is low. Who would you believe?

3. Infrastructure - Bridge of Allan cannot cope with 800 new houses. Parking in the village or at the train station would be impossible and traffic on the A9 even more congested. Our roads are not cleared in the winter as it is - how will the council cope with the added burden?

4. Village Character - Part of Bridge of Allan's charm is in its rural setting. This development will join it with Stirling and make it all part of one urban sprawl.

5. Low Necessity - Population in Scotland is not forecast to rise and the housing market is stagnant. We don't need that many new houses. There is a real risk that building will start and then stall, leaving the kerse a half-developed eyesore. An over supply of houses will make it very difficult for existing residents to sell if they need to.

6. Poor Amenities Planning - The developers make much of a promised park, loch and allotments but the loch will be filled only with rain water, so will stagnate and stink in the summer. The allotments are on contaminated clay soil - no use for growing anything. The reality will be a very poor substitute for the natural green space we all enjoy today.

7. Loss of the Highland Games - With the highland games' car park turned into housing, Bridge of Allan will lose its famous event.

8. Local Opposition - Stirling Council's own survey found that over 90% of respondents were against development around the village. Are we all to be ignored?

9. Economic Damage - Bridge of Allan has a beautiful rural setting, which attracts tourists to the hotels and students to the University. Replacing this with urban sprawl will make the village less attractive to tourists and the University less attractive to students. This will damage the local economy and cause job losses.

10. Inappropriate Motivation - This development is not motivated by a desire to enhance the local area. It has been proposed by a dairy who want to sell their land and use the profit to grow their business. The move will certainly enrich the Grahams Family Dairy, but at an unacceptable price to the rest of the community.

What do you think of the plans? Post your comments and have your say here on s1bridgeofallan