Calls for Village shops policy to be revamped

Jun 20 2012 by Shona Mitchell, East Kilbride News

EAST Kilbride residents and businesses are being urged to make their views on the Village known to the council.

In recent years, several applications for new businesses, which have breached the council’s policy of having 60 per cent of units in the area as retail, have been granted.

This has led to much anger from residents of the Village, as well as East Mains Community Council, who have gone as far as reporting the council to the ombudsman for breaking their own policy.

At a planning committee last week, during which a further two applications which breached the policy were granted, EK West councillor Graham Simpson called for the council to revamp the policy.

Councillor Simpson, depute chair of the enterprise services committee, said: “We have had a number of applications in the years since this policy was devised which have gone against it and been granted.

“The council is now going through a process where it is identifying key issues for its next local plan and I have argued that the Village should be one of those issues that needs looked at.

“That view was accepted by planners, so I think it is now up to people – businesses and the public – to make their views known.

“We need a successful Village and we need it to be diverse. One of the concerns has been that there are too many restaurants and take-aways.

“It's good when any business wants to open in East Kilbride but clearly we don't want the Village to be solely one thing.

“What I said to the committee was that we need a sensible policy for the Village that actually works.”

l What do you think about the planning policy in the Village? Email shona.mitchell@trinitymirror.com