Three Corner Field in Doune

At the Doune Community Plan workshop, we were joined by a number of guest stands. One of these was Moray Estates, discussing the potential for housing development at the three corner field north of Doune. In this guest blog, Doune Estates Manager Rory McLeod sets out the context for those who couldn’t make it to the workshop.

For those who attended the Community Plan Workshops in Doune in November, you will probably be aware that Moray Estates are looking to promote the “Three-cornered Field” site, to the North of Moray Park, for development in the next Local Development Plan. The plans that we shared at the community events were those we produced in 2011 during the planning “charrette” that we ran in Doune. At that event, Moray Estates agreed not to promote this site in what became the 2018 Local Development Plan for Stirling, on the basis that the community wanted time to feel the impact of the new housing at Doune Riggs.

We feel that the impact of the development at Doune Riggs has been a mostly positive one. It has ensured that the school roll at Doune Primary has been supported, local services and businesses will have benefited, and the new residents appear to have integrated well into the community.

We know that Stirling Council will be looking for new housing sites for the new Development Plan in order to encourage the sustainable development of the Rural Stirling Council area. It is highly likely that the need for sites will include rural villages such as Doune. We feel that the “Three-Cornered Field” site is best placed to address future housing growth over the next decade or so particularly as it is the only site close enough to the village centre to encourage the pedestrian links which will limit car based movements to daily needs.

The plans that we presented in 2011 and have re-presented now are certainly not set in stone. We suggest that the housing style and the type of street layout could be similar to our development at Tornagrain near Inverness. Tornagrain has used vernacular housing styles, a mix of sizes and tenures, shops and workplaces on a street layout redolent of traditional highland towns and villages. We feel this could also reflect the historic features of Doune. That said we’d be very happy to arrange a specific event setting out further details of what we propose and to provide an opportunity for comment and discussion. If this would be of interest please let Rory McLeod know.

The plans produced in 2011 can be viewed on our website www.morayestates.co.uk under News. Further details about Tornagrain can be found at www.tornagrain.com and Rory McLeod can be contacted at rory.mcleod@morayestates.co.uk