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Bannockburn Community Council
Minute of Meeting
04 April 2024
Bannockburn Community Centre
Present: T Cattigan, I Dawson, L Masterson, J Reid and Bob Miller
Apologies: R McLachlan, L Watret and W McEwan
Attendance: J Blair, Cllr Hambly, Cllr Brisley, Sharon Marklow (Service Manager –
Planning & Building Standards, Stirling Council) and Neil Martin (Persimmons Officer)
Residents: Jennifer McPhail and Nan McPhail
1. Approval of previous minutes- Minutes proposed by T Cattigan and seconded by J
Reid
Councillor Hambly asked for an amendment to be made from the last minute under
Elected Member Report, point 5: The SNP & Green amendments were discussed at full
council.
2. Matters Arising
a. BCC has been successful with their funding application for the bases for the new
benches. BCC are meeting Land Services next week to install these.
b. BCC have requested that some funds from the sale of the Going Local Office
should be used to update the Community Centre. It was suggested that solar
panels and electronic points for cars would create long terms savings.
c. The Council confirmed there will be no bedding in large gardens by Council.
BCC also got confirmation the planters are not being moved to Plean. Garden
areas are getting removed, if the community do not want to take this on. BCC
suggested that the community have option to buy a dedicated hanging basket.
d. A member of the community has requested assistance with the installation of a
defibrillator in the Hillpark area. The Ladywell church has agreed for the
defibrillator to be on the wall, however a CC member highlighted the possible
closure of the church. The defib requires a safety box priced at £425. BCC have
agreed to fund this if the Council can confirm this is possible, as it is out with the
area.
e. The Rugby club volunteers to attend the next BCC Meeting to discuss the
Christmas Lights and switch on. The CC are looking for volunteers for switch on
and provide the buffet.
3. Reports- External
a. Police Scotland:
i.
No report received.
b. Elected Member:
i. Councillor Brisley noted the Scottish Government settlement was lower than what
finance officers had predicted and although the FM stated there should be a freeze
on council tax, which they would fund, it came with new commitments and actually
meant a cut to our core funding. The final budget agreed had many cuts to
services that will affect communities however no libraries will be closed this
financial year, but there will be consultation as to how to operate library services
in the future.
ii. A puffin crossing is proposed for Bannockburn Primary School. It is proposed that
all work should be complete by July 2024.
iii. A number of issues have been highlighted regarding the community centre. The
surveyor who looked at the building saw no priority issues, mostly just cosmetics.
iv. The path from Cowie to Bannockburn was funded through the City Region Deal
and should be completed by this financial year.
v. The Telford Bridge is continually being monitored. Officers and experts have not
come up with a solution that they can be certain will cure the situation and not
cause further, more serious issues.
vi. A survey of all garage sites will be undertaken and a plan drawn up to make
improvements.
vii. Councillor Brisley has highlighted the change of process to submitting enquiries;
all queries should be agreed at a meeting first, then submitted through the
community council enquiries mailbox. If a member directs their enquiry straight to
an officer, it has to be immediately directed to the correct mailbox. This is to
prevent duplication of various officers chasing up the same enquiry.
viii. Councillor Brisley noted it is very demoralising at times, especially when I see
some of the negative comments on the Bannockburn social media pages
regarding council staff and elected members. Some of the comments are from
Community Councillors, which does not help to foster a positive working
relationship.
c. Community Development Officer:
i.
No report received.
4. Reports- Internal
a. Secretary: Copy of all updates received was forwarded and discussed with CC
members (as above in matters arising).
b. Treasurer: The treasurer highlighted all balances were ok and there was nothing
major to report.
c. Planning: Nothing to discuss.
d. Bannockburn House:
i.
The car park works are now on hold until May at the earliest due to house
being taken over by filming.
ii.
iii.
A new operations manager has been recruited and will start on the 1st
May 2024. This is funded by the William Grant Foundation.
There are ongoing works on the City Region Deal to develop the café,
event space, volunteer hub and traditional workshops.
iv. The tattie project is back this year, with tattie bags to collect from the car
park. There will be no access to the house. A date is still to be
confirmed.
5. Community Council Business
a. Neil from Persimmons confirmed the site was allocated in the Local Development
Plan years ago and was approved by SC in November 2022. Persimmons secured
detailed planning for Phase 1A and resubmitted a new plan for Phase 1B which
moved the school area. The school layout is a current draft from SC and will sit
where the golf centre was. The school had to be moved due to the discovery of the
mine shafts, houses are able to be accommodated around these.
b. The school is planning to be opened by August 2026.
c. A MUGA and sports equipment will go in near the school.
d. Approval was given for contractors to start earth works and getting the site ready for
the builds. There are 6 phases in total with another 2 landowners involved (Touch
and Strafford Trust).
e. Each phase of development will have 25% affordable housing from 2 beds up to 4
beds.
f.
Phase 1 will also include flats.
g. They are hoping to start building the new junction on the A91 soon which will be a
fully signalised junction with a temporary 40mph speed limit. SC will further this to a
permanent 40mph limit once transport consultants have been involved.
h. The junction on to the Glasgow Road will be implemented by the time 300 houses
are sold.
i.
j.
The increased noise generation from A91 will be mitigated by acoustic walls/fences.
A Bannockburn resident asked if the herras fencing can be removed – Neil will
investigate and report back.
k. The CC noted that there is now no play park planned for Bogend Rd. Sharon will
investigate this and report back as it was in the original LDP. The community
expressed they’re annoyance of the lack of communication regarding any changes
to the plan.
l.
Sharon to find out who owns Catscraig area. BCC suggest allotments here.
m. Persimmons own Bogend Rd grassy area. No houses can be built on it as it is
regarded as open space, there can be a play park developed in the future.
n. Persimmons can’t built on the golf course piece of land as it is a green belt area. If a
planning application comes through to change this, the community needs to put in
submissions to the Council to keep this green belt. All information will then be
forwarded to an Independent person who will gather all evidence and make the
decision.
o. Cllr Brisley highlighted the Local Place Plans done by Community Councils are
really important, Sharon noted the SC team can assist you but can’t do it for you.
p. Neil noted the first foundations will be laid in summertime 2024. The pre-sale
process has already opened.
q. A factoring will be in place to maintain the landscape, plant trees/bushes and update
landscape treatment. If there is an issue, residents should engage with the factor to
raise concerns.
r.
Councillor Hambly noted his concern about the placement of trees. Neil confirmed a
landscape architecture had been brought in to include this into plans.
s. Neil confirmed the properties will be gas powered. Phase 1 and 2 will be high
efficient gas boilers, have increased insulation to comply with 23 regulations and
solar panels.
t.
Cllr Hambly asked for a joined up approach between Stirling Council, Persimmons,
Bannockburn House to deliver a safe active travel link, for example a heritage trail to
make the walk from the development to Bannockburn House safe. Stirling Council
are looking into this.
u. Stirling Council are in dialogue with Transport Scotland to discuss Granada
roundabout. This is priority work however it is a long process to get all parties
involved. A transport assessment will be carried out undertaking the impacts of the
development and mitigate any impacts this might have. SC are looking at every
road, junction and road capacity around about Stirling area.
v. Sharon has asked if the community found this meeting useful and how often would
they like to meet with both herself and Neil. BCC to discuss this at the next meeting
and let Sharon know.
6. AOB
a. It was noted that there have been children playing on the roof of the Community
Centre.
7. Date, time and venue of next meeting
a. Thursday 2nd May 2024 from 7pm at the Bannockburn Community Centre