Allanwater Homes submitted a planning application for 46 homes on a site off the town’s Blairforkie Drive in February this year.

Around 300 objections have since been lodged with planners including from Dunblane and Bridge of Allan community councils who have expressed concern about its potential environmental impact as well as increased road traffic and pressures on infrastructure.

Campaign group Save Blairforkie Greenspace has also been set up to oppose the plans.

Allanwater Homes this week lodged an appeal with the Scottish Government planning and environmental appeals division (DPEA) on the failure of Stirling Council to determine planning permission.

In a submission to the DPEA, Geddes Consulting, on behalf of Allanwater Homes, said the appeal should be upheld and planning permission granted, pointing to Local Development Plan (LDP) policies and Scottish Planning Policy (SPP).

It states: “The Housing Land Supply Statement demonstrated, based on the Housing Land Audit 2020, that there was a shortfall in the supply of housing land in Stirling and the housing land requirement will not be met by 2027. That position has worsened following publication of the Housing Land Audit 2021.

“The shortfall in the effective housing land supply is significant and will not be addressed over the development plan period.”

The statement added: “LDP Policy 1.5 Green Belts and LDP Policy 2.10 Housing in the Countryside should be assessed as being not up-to-date for the determination of this appeal as they are the counterparts of the housing allocations policy in the LDP which has failed to deliver sufficient housing to meet the requirements of the development plan.

“Limited weight should be applied to LDP Policy 1.5 Green Belts and LDP Policy 2.10 Housing in the Countryside in the determination of the planning permission application.

“The appeal proposal does not conflict with any other relevant LDP policies, as summarised in this appeal statement and set out in the planning statement and other supporting documents.

“There are no objections to the appeal proposal from consultees and, subject to appropriate planning conditions and Section 75 legal agreement, the appeal proposal accords with all relevant development plan requirements.”