A MULTI-million pound proposal to build 90 houses in Airdrie Road, Carluke, was recently refused by South Lanarkshire Council.
But applicants Maritsan Developments Ltd, the land owners, are appealing against this decision to the Scottish government.
Stewart Toy, the Lanark-based agent for Maritsan, is understandably upset that the council has refused the development amid concerns about building on greenbelt land.
"It was extremely frustrating when the council refused our application," Mr Toy said. "We actually made our appeal on April 7, before they made the decision on April 15.
"The council say that our development would go onto green belt land.
"But that is the same as all the other sites the council has identified for their own sale.
"We have put forward a very good case in our appeal to the Scottish Ministers.''
He added: "Alex Salmond has done us a favour by stating his desire to increase the amount of house building in this country. I am very hopeful that we can still achieve the outcome we want."
Mr Toy expects Scottish Ministers to announce whether or not Maritsan's appeal is successful later this summer.
The developers are dead keen to build on a site consisting of a former petrol station, disused railway line and agricultural land.
However, the project is not without its opposition. Concerned neighbours penned seven letters of objection to the council.
They are worried about building on greenbelt land and feel that the new estate would add more traffic to an already problematic area. Given the amount of housebuilding already going on in Carluke – objectors don't see the need for yet more new homes in the town.
They also fear that that traffic problems would be caused by the close proximity of site access and the existing roundabout. And given Carluke's expansion over recent years, there are concerns that infrastructure could be struggling to cope with the increase in households, including schools, roads and the health service.
However, Maritsan argue that the most prominent part of the development site is brownfield; costs associated with remediation of this land requires development of the adjoining greenfield land.
The developers have pinpointed a need in the Structure Plan to identify greenfield housing release of 500 units in the Carluke area; and development of this site would deliver housing land in the short term.
Maritsan feel that the proposal would round off development on the northern edge of Carluke and approval would not prejudice the assessment of further sites to address shortfalls in housing land supply.
The applicants have indicated that access would be via a new roundabout on the A73 through the former petrol station.
Councillors refused Maritsan's application – which was lodged as an outline proposal – at a planning committee meeting in Hamilton on April 15.
They felt that the proposal contravened policies within the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Joint Structure Plans, Lower Clydesdale Local Plan and South Lanarkshire Local Plan.
These plans stress the importance of safeguarding greenbelt land, and restricting the spread of built up areas and their encroachment into the countryside.