January 24 2025

Clackmannanshire Council, as applicant and landowner, is pressing ahead with a contentious wellbeing hub and school for children with complex needs on the western fringe of the town, overruling concerns that its location would make it inaccessible to many.

Critics of the development include Alloa Community Council, who observed that the business park site was disadvantageous to people living in the south and east who do not have access to a car. Nevertheless, Clackmannashire's principal planner recommended the application be approved subject to the provision of a new bus service to the town centre and active travel routes.

Justifying the decision to pursue an out-of-town location, a 30-minute walk from the centre of Alloa, planning specialists Gray wrote: "The scale of the development in terms of a new sport/leisure and teaching campus and the land required to create a vibrant and exciting new place inside and out is a significant constraint to a town centre first location.

"The proposed site measures circa 6.48ha whereas town centre sites measure up to 2ha and would also need to be shoe horn fitted into any available site."

The project is being managed for Clackmannanshire Council by hub East Central Scotland with Robertson, jmarchitects, Blyth & Blyth and BakerHicks.  

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