Stirling Council’s Planning Panel has approved an application for a family entertainment centre on a site near Cowie at a meeting last Tuesday.

Local businessman, Paul Tortolano, has spent years searching for the right site to build a family laser and soft play centre in Stirling. The centre will be built on farmland near Greenyards Nurseries and the Bannockburn bus depot. It will include a play area, two recreation areas and a large seating area as well as a 118 space car park.

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The application had originally been recommended for refusal by council planners because of concerns about the access road in terms of its visibility and they also felt that lighting would detract from the rural character of the area. However, planning panel members who visited the site unanimously approved the application believing that any negative impacts would be outweighed by the benefits the new centre will bring to the area.

Planning Panel Chair Alasdair MacPherson said: “The development of this family facility on a brownfield site is to be welcomed. It will be of great benefit to local people offering new recreation opportunities, and will also offer improved tourism facilities bringing new visitors to Stirling which can only be good for the economic development of the area.”

(GK/KMcA)