Greenbelt destruction given red light

Plans to build a shopping centre on greenbelt land may get the red light in Newcraighall in Scotland this week.

Local planning chiefs are recommending that new retail units are not built on the land and so local councillors are expected to refuse planning permission to the firms involved.

The land has been deemed unsuitable for such a use and questions have also been asked regarding the possible effect of the new retail park on Edinburgh, which is presently seen as the magnum opus of the Lothians'' shopping destinations.

Alan Henderson, the city''s planning leader, told the Scotsman newspaper: "There is insufficient demonstration that there are no other suitable opportunities within the catchment to accommodate the proposed floor space."

Some business authorities believe that the land has previously been earmarked for business use and so to use it for retail space is unacceptable.

Newcraighall is seeing some innovative building work at the moment because one design duo is converting a former tea factory into an indoor skate park.


© Adfero Ltd