Falkirk Pineapple visitor centre 'unjustifiable' say angry residents

05.12.2022 - 20:11 / dailyrecord.co.uk

A planned visitor centre close to the famous Dunmore Pineapple will just be a "cafe and farm shop" used to justify a housing development, angry residents have said.

George Russell Construction has applied for permission from Falkirk Council to build the visitor centre near the historic attraction.

The proposed centre would be cross-funded by the construction of 82 new houses, stretching for two kilometres on what is currently part of Airth Mains Farm - something many local residents say is "unjustifiable and unwanted".

Read more: Falkirk set to charge for garden waste uplift and scrap glass collection in shake-up

The company says the centre will be a welcome addition to the eye-catching landmark, which has no facilities for visitors.

But the objectors say the Pineapple is cherished by the local community for its tranquil, woodland setting and the development would change its character completely.

George Lawrie, who lives in Airth, said: “Let's stop calling this a 'visitor centre for the Pineapple'. It is a privately owned, for profit café/farm shop which will do little or nothing for the local community.

"The fact that we are all being asked to accept the loss to our valuable countryside environment to a now much expanded enabling development, extending two kilometres from the site, is simply unjustifiable and unwanted by the majority of local residents.”

Previously, councillors backed plans for a visitor centre and 22 bungalows to fund the development.

But they also wanted to see improvements to the roads - including a new roundabout on the A905 - which led the developer to withdraw the initial plans and quadruple the number of houses that would be built in order to fund the project.

With a decision expected to be made