Falkirk Council is preparing to grant planning permission for a new social housing development on vacant land that once held the Newcarron Co‑op, its café and pharmacy. The scheme would deliver 78 affordable houses and flats on a site left empty after the Co‑op was demolished in 2020 and smaller retail units were built on Ronades Road.
What is proposed
The applicant, developers Mactaggart and Mickel, say consultations with the community informed the final designs. All the homes will be classed as affordable housing, and the mix will include properties designed for wheelchair users.
The council report notes plans are in place for the homes to be delivered in partnership with a registered social landlord, Wheatley Homes, with funding via Falkirk Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Programme.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total homes | 78 |
| Pedestrian/cycle link width | 3 metres |
| Parking for medical centre patients | 18 car spaces, 2 motorbike spaces |
Access, connections and conditions
Among the features intended to improve local connectivity is a new three‑metre wide pedestrian and cycle link, designed to encourage walking and cycling and to tie into the wider path network. The scheme also includes a proposal for a new crossing point on Carron Road, although that element has not yet been finalised.
Planning permission is recommended subject to a number of conditions. These include the completion of the new crossing and provisions to ensure that access to Carron Medical Centre remains available throughout construction. The developers must also provide the specified parking spaces to serve people attending the medical centre.
“No response to this request was received, despite repeated requests.”
The planning officers’ report records that NHS Forth Valley was invited to request financial contributions related to the development but did not respond to the council’s requests.
Local context and impact
The site has stood vacant for several years since the demolition of the Newcarron Co‑op in 2020, while Carron Medical Centre has continued to operate from the edge of the plot and is not expected to be affected by the development. Delivering 78 affordable units on a town‑centre brownfield site will increase the local supply of social housing and provide accessible homes for residents with mobility needs.
- All units to be affordable housing, with wheelchair‑accessible properties included.
- Provision of a new pedestrian and cycle link to improve active travel options.
- Parking and access safeguards to protect the operation of Carron Medical Centre during construction.
If members approve the recommendation, the development will proceed once the specified conditions are met and any outstanding details, such as the Carron Road crossing, are resolved. The partnership with Wheatley Homes and use of the council’s Strategic Housing Investment Programme indicates public funding and a social landlord model will be used to deliver the homes.
The proposal transforms a long‑standing vacant town‑centre site into housing aimed at meeting local need, while planners have sought to balance new development with maintaining access to health services and improving pedestrian and cycle links in the area.
