Waste yard extension at Dunsmore Brothers, Burnhead Road, Larkhall

“Change of use of open space to yard space Site Address:”

“Site Description 2.1. The application site is located off Burnhead Road, between Larkhall and Shawsburn. The site is approximately 1.9 hectares in area, which includes Dunsmore Brothers existing waste management facility and the area of land they are looking to extend into.”

“The additional land partly includes the site of a disused landfill which has now naturalised over, an extensive area of woodland and areas of both Low and High Coal Risk. The site is located in the green belt as designated in the adopted South Lanarkshire Local Development Plan 2 (SLLDP2).”

“Relevant Planning History 4.1. The site has no previous planning history. However, the area in which they wish to extend is owned by South Lanarkshire Council and the applicant has been in discussions with the Estates Service. Estates have suggested that any decision on the application for the additional land would be conditional on all relevant statutory consents being in place.”

“NPF4 Policy 8 Green Belts seeks to encourage, promote and facilitate compact urban growth and use the land around our towns and cities sustainably. The policy is twofold, part (i) sets out circumstances where various types of development in the green belt can be considered acceptable and part (ii) looks to protect the green belt and states that reasons must be provided as to why a green belt location is essential and why the proposal cannot be located on an alternative…”

“In terms of Local Development Plan policy, the application site lies within the green belt and is subject to assessment against Policy 4 - Green Belt and Rural Area of the adopted SLLDP2. The policy states that the primary function of the green belt is for agriculture, forestry, recreation and other uses appropriate to the countryside.”

“Biodiversity Policy 3 of NPF4 outlines that local developments should conserve, restore, and enhance the biodiversity value of a site. The applicant has not submitted a biodiversity statement and, given that a significant area of woodland would have to be cleared for the extension, it is considered that a biodiversity statement should have been submitted providing biodiversity mitigation measures.”

“Other Material Matters The site is within an area that has both low and high coal risk and part of the northern end of the site which has naturalised was formerly used for landfill purposes. As such, a coal mining risk assessment and a contaminated land assessment should have been submitted for assessment with the application. The details provided by these…”

“Consultations 6.1. Roads, Transportation and Fleet Services (Development Management) – have objected on grounds of lack of information relating to staff numbers and no parking layout. Response: Noted…”

“Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) – no objection. Response: Noted…”

“Representations 7.1. Following the statutory period of neighbour notification and advertisement, no representations have been received.”

“P/26/0321 for Change of Use of Open Space to Yard Space at Dunsmore Brothers, Burnhead Road, Larkhall A report dated 3 August 2026 by the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) was submitted on planning application P/26/0321 by [the applicant] for the change of use of open space to yard space at Dunsmore Brothers, Burnhead Road, Larkhall.”

“The Committee decided: that planning application P/26/0321 by [the applicant] for the change of use of open space to yard space at Dunsmore Brothers, Burnhead Road, Larkhall be refused for the reasons detailed in the Executive Director’s report.”