Kilmadock

Community

Plan

Doune

Deanston

Buchany

Argaty

 

Quick guide to Community Poll questions

This guide goes through the questions in the final consultation for the new Community Plan, and explains the reasoning behind them. More detailed context can be found in the full draft plan, which can be read/downloaded here.

The plan has been drafted based on the contributions the community made to surveys, workshops and meetings. The purpose of the Community Poll is to see if the community agrees with what has been drafted. Only proposals that have majority support in the vote will be included in the final version of the plan.

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Instructions

To read a section, click on the title or the arrow icon on the right-hand side of the page.

Volunteering and community projects (Q1)

Q1. Do you agree that:

  • the voluntary efforts of individuals and groups makes the community a better place to live, work and visit; and,
  • that volunteers and any new projects with community backing should be supported
Volunteers do an awful lot for the community. When approaching funders to support their activities, it is often useful to be able to demonstrate that their efforts are appreciated by the community.
Historic assets and places (Q2–5)

Q2. Do you agree that:

  • care and maintenance of buildings is needed to restore the historic village centres of Doune and Deanston conservation areas;
  • private owners should be encouraged and supported to make improvements, and Stirling Council should set out investment plans for buildings in their ownership; and,
  • improvements should be made to streets and pavements to enhance the historic setting of Doune and Deanston’s historic village centres.
The condition of historic buildings in central Doune and Teith Road in Deanston was mentioned a lot in the Community Views survey. Without action in the next ten years, this situation will only get worse.

 

Q3. Do you agree that: 

  • Stirling Council should review their approach to conservation areas in Doune & Deanston and listed buildings, to proactively encourage energy efficiency improvements and use of renewable technologies that respect each village’s historic character.
People have raised concern regarding planning conditions for improvements (whether energy efficiency or renewables related). For some this was from direct experience, for others it was a concern that it isn’t clear what can and can’t be done.

 

Q4. Do you agree that:

  • the Rescuers of Old Kilmadock (ROOK) group should be supported in their efforts to restore and share the historical importance of Old Kilmadock graveyard;
  • that the Ogham Stone should be preserved, restored and then put on permanent display at Old Kilmadock; and,
  • improvements should be made to paths & signage to make access to the site easier and information boards introduced.
ROOK have been working tirelessly for years to improve Old Kilmadock. The Ogham Stone is an exciting discovery, but they are largely on their own when it comes to fundraising. This question will show the level of community support for their work when approaching funders.

 

Q5. Do you agree that:

  • the former parish church on Main Street should be brought back into positive use;
  • Stirling Council should work with the community to establish what uses of the site are viable; and,
  • if necessary for the long-term safety and benefit of the general public, Stirling Council should either make use of its Compulsory Purchase Order powers or support the community financially to place the site into community ownership.

The former church has been largely vacant since 2008, and its deterioration is an everyday concern for those who live close to it. Different options (including partial demolition) for use were presented at plan workshops, but there wasn’t a strong consensus behind any.

Where there is consensus is that action is urgently needed, and that the site should be doing something positive for the community. We therefore drafted a proposal that calls for action, while leaving options open in how that is achieved.

 

Development (Q6–9)

Q6. Do you agree that:

  • every effort should be made to reopen Deanston Shop; and,
  • as owner of the premises Stirling Council should support the community in any efforts.
There were good understanding of the reasons why Deanston Shop had to close last year. It is sorely missed, and in a village the size of Deanston it should be possible to walk to a shop. While the same shop offering as before isn’t viable, there has to be a way found to open some sort of shop for the village.

 

Q7. Do you agree that:

  • any future (residential or business) developments should not compromise the rural village characters of Doune and Deanston.
In the Community Views survey, the “not too big, not too small” character of both villages was often mentioned. In the context of potential future development, some expressed a concern that this might be lost.

 

Q8. Do you agree that:

  • as planning authority, Stirling Council should work with the community on creating a masterplan for Doune & Deanston that;
  • establishes the need for future housing and business developments;
  • determine suitable land for said development; and,
  • considers the impact that future development will have on allotment demand, climate mitigation, facilities for play, local energy demand, recreation & sport, path networks, public transport, school & childcare provision, traffic and water & sewage capacities.

There was mixed views on future development. Many had questions about the various impacts that it has. It’s also not clear on the need for future development. There are low business unit vacancy rates in the community. For housing, it is Stirling Council that has the information and responsibility to set out the case. Looking back on past developments, there was an impression that consideration for development just focused on one specific site, not the impact on the whole village.

We’re therefore proposing that Stirling Council lead a masterplan that brings all these considerations together along with potential sites, so the community can make a reasoned consideration, and then have clarity on development for several decades to come.

 

Q9. Do you agree that:

  • in the next Local Development Plan, Stirling Council should specify areas of green belt on the peripheries of Doune and Deanston villages; and,
  • the exact locations for any green belt designation should be considered by a master-planning process.

The new National Planning Policy asks planning authorities (Stirling Council in our case) to consider the need for any green belt designation. There are no designated green belts currently.

In the context of retaining a rural character (Q7) and uncertainty about future development (Q8), we are proposing that Stirling Council look to designate green belt areas in their next Local Development Plan.
Children and young people (Q10–12)

Q10. Do you agree that:

  • Doune & Deanston Youth Project provides a vital service to the community’s young people and their families; 
  • to secure the charity’s long term future, the existing ageing building in Moray Park should be replaced with a new Youth Hub; and,
  • their capital fundraising efforts should be supported.

The current DDYP building is made from second-hand portacabins. The building is reaching the end of its life, and its size puts a limit on the number of young people it can work with. Without a new building in the long-term, DDYP won’t be able to continue its existing operations.

The trustees and youth workers at DDYP have been working hard to make a new Youth Hub a reality. They have planning permission, land ownership and are now preparing for their building warrant. What is missing is capital funding. Feedback on funding applications have asked that they demonstrate widespread community support for the project.

 

Q11. Do you agree that:

  • young people of all ages need modern and safe places to play with their family and friends; 
  • ageing equipment in Deanston’s Teith Road and Leny Road playparks should be replaced; and,
  • an area for play should be created in the west of Doune.
The condition of play equipment in Deanston was consistently raised. It’s also important that playparks are close to where people actually live. Analysis of walking distances showed that the west of Doune are over a five-minute walk from Moray Park. 

 

Q12. Do you agree that:

  • our schools should be supported to make improvements to their playgrounds as places for learning, sport and play.
Pupils and parents of both primary schools suggested improvements that could be made to their grounds. We’re asking if the wider community support efforts to do so.
Natural places (Q13–14)

Q13. Do you agree that:

  • it is important to conserve, restore and enhance biodiversity locally; and,
  • we should encourage opportunities to manage land in ways that support this.
We received lots of ideas in how outdoor and greenspaces could be improved to support biodiversity. These range in size and location. As they are just ideas right now, the specific detail will always depend on who is doing it when. Therefore we’re asking if the community agrees with initiatives like this in general.

 

Q14. Do you agree that:

  • community groups should be supported to continue with their community tree planting and management activities.
Both Doune Community Woodland Group and Kilmadock Climate Action are involved with the management and planting of trees and have ambitions to continue or expand this.
Renewable electricity (Q15–17)

Q15. Do you agree that:

  • the existing Braes of Doune site should continue operating as a windfarm in perpetuity.
The new National Planning Policy (NPF4) states that “areas identified for wind farms are, however, expected to be suitable for use in perpetuity”. The current planning consent for Braes of Doune windfarm will run out in the next ten years. The detail of any renewal will come in time from the windfarm operators. At this time, we’re asking if the community agree with the principle that the area used of the windfarm should continue in perpetuity.

 

Q16. Do you agree that:

  • new energy projects with a capacity over 50kW should deliver community benefits in line with Scottish Government good practice principles.

Large renewable energy projects often deliver community benefit funds to the areas impacted by them. This is the case with Braes of Doune windfarm which provides funds annually to KDT for distribution by the windfarm trust (Braco, Callander and Dunblane also receives funds). 

 

The Scottish Government have good practice principles of community benefits for renewable energy developments, these are voluntary. This question asks if the community agrees that larger energy projects should deliver a benefit fund to the community equivalent to £5k per MW capacity per year.

 

Q17. Do you agree that:

  • all households and businesses should be supported to take advantage of small-scale renewable opportunities on their properties.
National support schemes for homes and businesses interested in small-scale renewable installations exist. These however are not guaranteed, and some communities also run their own locally orientated support schemes. We’re asking this in case support at a national level changes.

 

Building heating & energy efficiency (Q18–20)

Q18. Do you agree that:

  • households and businesses should be supported to reduce the community’s energy demand for heat by making their buildings more energy efficient; and,
  • that technical support on what is appropriate for particular buildings is as important as financial assistance.
The price we pay for energy is, for the most part, outwith our control. But the amount of actual energy used depends on the fabric of the building. The more energy efficient, the less energy is required in the first place.

 

Q19. Do you agree that:

  • all homes and businesses will need tailored support if our energy sources for heat are to be decarbonised.

Many of the net-zero options can be technically complex, or expensive to install. Existing financial support will be required for years to come, but technical support is important too. Similar to Q17, existing national support schemes are never guaranteed. This proposal has been drafted to lobby for support to continue, or Kilmadock specific support (particular for conservation areas). 

 

Q20. Do you agree that:

  • the feasibility of district or communal heating networks in Deanston and Doune villages should be explored as a potential way of decarbonising local heat demand.

Heat networks distribute thermal energy from one or more sources to consumers, either in one building (communal heat network) or more than one building (district heat network). More common in northern Europe, Scotland has 1,080 heat networks in operation. A key benefit of heat networks comes from the ability to centralise energy production, bringing greater efficiency for all and the potential to purchase energy in bulk, this can keep energy costs down.

Deanston village, with its distillery, was identified as a potential heat network by the Scottish Government in 2022. This proposal asks for support in looking into the feasibility of heat networks in Deanston and Doune villages.
Public services (Q21–22)

Q21. Do you agree that:

  • organisations delivering public services should actively work with Kilmadock Community Council on matters of importance to the community.
Kilmadock Community Council do a lot for the community (running the Moray Park toilets for example), but a large part of their work is lobbying public bodies on behalf of the community. Not always, but sometimes, this can be challenging. This proposal will show that the community wants public bodies to be working with KCC on improving the community.

 

Q22. Do you agree that:

  • NHS Forth Valley should review their seasonal vaccinations policy and conduct vaccination clinics locally in Kilmadock.
NHS Forth Valley’s policy on seasonal vaccinations changed, meaning that areas classed as “accessible rural” (within a 30-minute drive of a settlement with 10,000+ population) no longer have local clinics. The result of this is that hundreds of people making minimum 20-mile round journeys for vaccinations. This proposal asks for the policy to be amended so that some mass vaccination clinics are provided locally.
Walking & cycling (Q23–24)

Q23. Do you agree that:

  • a new bridge should be built over the River Teith to provide an accessible active travel connection between Doune and Deanston; and,
  • that Stirling Council and Transport Scotland should form a working group with Kilmadock Community Council, Kilmadock Development Trust and Community Action for Deanston to deliver this project.
This calls for a footbridge over the River Teith. We’ve not included a specific location as there are a number of options. In plan workshops we collected pros and cons for two different general locations, deciding between them will be down to design, technical and cost factors that we don’t know yet.

 

Q24. Do you agree that:

  • it is important to join up local paths to create a network of connected routes;
  • making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle locally; whether for everyday journeys or leisure.
Many people remarked that many paths are ‘out and back’, and that improvements would create more circular routes. KDT commissioned a paths consultant to review the feasibility of different ideas suggested, and this highlighted nine projects that could be delivered to create such a network.
Buses (Q25–27)

Q25. Do you agree that:

  • there should be a regular bus service between Dunblane town centre and Argaty, Doune and Deanston.

We asked at plan workshops if people had a preference between a ‘dial a ride’ style service, or a regular service. The response was overwhelmingly for a regular service. The proposal has been drafted in a way to keep options open of how it could be delivered.

 

Q26. Do you agree that:

  • Stirling Council, Midland Bluebird and Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park should work in partnership with communities in the Trossachs & Teith ward to improve the current 59 bus and,
  • the improvement priorities are reliability, increasing the number of services and the affordability of them.

This proposal asks that different stakeholders work with us and neighbouring communities to work out ways that the current bus service could be improved, to hopefully get more people using it.

 

Q27. Do you agree that in Deanston:

  • a shelter should be installed at the Teith Road stop; and,
  • a permanent bus stop with shelter should be created on Cotton Row.

Some relatively simple things, but they won’t happen unless we can demonstrate there is community support.
Parking (Q28–29)

Q28. Do you agree that:

  • Kilmadock needs a public network of electric vehicle chargers that can serve both residents and visitors.
We currently have no public vehicle chargers in Kilmadock. This means we are falling behind in comparison to other communities, so we need to catch up and then get ahead. A third of homes in Doune and Deanston villages rely on street parking (i.e. can’t install a charger at home), so having a network of options will quickly become a necessity. 

 

Q29. Do you agree that:

  • presently, demand for off-street parking in Doune exceeds supply;
  • unless demand decreases, the need for electric vehicle charging by households or businesses without their own parking will exacerbate the issue; and,
  • while there are no easy options, Stirling Council should work with the community to find a solution to provide adequate off-street parking in the centre of Doune.
As mentioned in Q29, the need for people to charge vehicles is going to increase demand for off-street parking in coming years. There are limited sites to do this. At plan workshops we presented some of the different site options of where additional off-street parking could be accommodated. The pros and cons between them were finely balanced. The proposal asks Stirling Council to work with the community to find an adequate solution for off-street parking, including visiting coaches.
Roads and traffic (Q30–36)

Q30. Do you agree that in Doune, Deanston & Buchany:

  • a concerted effort is needed to enforce their speed limits—actively by Police Scotland and passively by vehicle activated signs.

Lack of speed limits enforcement (actively or passively) was raised a lot. This proposal will show support for dealing with this.

 

Q31. Do you agree that in Doune:

  • the speed bumps on Balkerach Street should be removed; and
  • that a zebra crossing should be introduced on Balkerach Street.

The speed bumps were installed when the road was 30mph. Now it is lower people living close experience untoward noise and vibrations, and some of the bumps are slowly decaying. The community council have been lobbying for years for their removal, this will show that there is wider community support for this along with creating another safe crossing in the centre of Doune.

 

Q32. Do you agree that in Doune:

  • the existing zebra crossing on Main Street should be changed to a signalised puffin crossing.

Many people suggested that the existing zebra crossing is upgraded to a crossing with traffic lights (known as a puffin crossing). This proposal seeks support for this.

 

Q33. Do you agree that in Doune:

  • King Street and Queen Street should become one-way streets running west to east.

Many people suggested changing these streets from both being two-way to just one-way. This would remove a blind junction from King into Main street, and keep traffic flowing where this off-street parking.

 

Q34. Do you agree that in Doune:

  • Stirling Council and Historic Environment Scotland should work with the community to find ways of making the Castle Road junction with Main Street safer.

When approaching from Dunblane direction, the junction into castle road is 160º. Many vehicles, especially if unprepared for how sharp the angle is, cannot do this in one turn. This causes them to reverse back out into the main road, creating a real safety risk. 

There is no clear option on what could be done to improve the situation, but several ideas have been suggested. The last time the community council raised the junction with Stirling Council, they were told there was no “resource currently” to address the junction. This proposal seeks to show the support from the community for making the junction safer.

 

Q35. Do you agree that on the A84 in Doune:

  • a 40mph speed limit should be introduced from the Thornhill road (B826) junction up to the existing 30mph speed limit; and
  • that the junction with the B8032 (towards Deanston) should have a yellow box junction restriction.

Kilmadock Community Council have been investigating if the change between a 60mph and 30mph speed limit on the southern approach to Doune can be graded with an intermittent 40mph (similar to the A820 approach). This would make it easier to cross to the pavement at the garage, and reduce people speeding at the blind corner ahead of the bridge.

Many people have also shared experiences of getting blocked trying to turn right from the Deanston road by traffic queuing to cross the bridge. A yellow box junction would keep traffic flowing better.

 

Q36. Do you agree that:

  • Stirling Council should formally consider which rural roads in Kilmadock should be classified as “walking & cycling friendly roads” with reduced speed limits.

Many people referenced examples of rural roads in Perth & Kinross or Clackmannanshire that have been classified as “walking and cycling friendly roads”. This proposal asks Stirling Council to look at rural roads in Kilmadock to see if any of these are possible locally.

 

The main proposals and their question number can be viewed on a digital map here (use the + in the bottom right corner to zoom in).

Draft Plan: quick links

Acknowledgements

On behalf of the community and in partnership with Kilmadock Community Council, Kilmadock Development Trust is guiding the process to create the plan. A number of other organisations are supporting the Community Plan development, for more information click here.