New units will see over 40 trees chopped down

More than 40 trees look set to make way for five new commercial units being built in Springkerse.

- KAIYA MARJORIBANKS

Stirling Council planners have conditionally approved plans by Cullross Ltd for the two-storey units and associated parking on land south of Abercromby Court off Kerse Road.

The site is north of the A905 and south west of Kersemill (from where access would be gained) and is bound to the west by Arnold Clark car showroom and to the east by vacant land.

There are 74 semito early-mature trees, mainly close to the boundary, with a tree survey report assessing that 41 of these would have to be removed, 22 of which - mainly Scots pine, pedunculate oak, sycamore, silver birch and willow - were considered to be of “moderate to high quality” despite a lack of “proactive” management.

The remaining trees were included in a tree protection plan, including use of a construction exclusion zone.

In their decision, council planners said: “This is a considerable amount of tree loss though the tree survey considers these not to be heritage, significant or dominant trees within the locality and their removal would have negligible impact in terms of landscape and amenity.”