The site of one of Scotland�s biggest housing developments, just outside Stirling near the village of Plean, is now on the frontline of planning battles that are set to take place nationwide.

JULIA HORTON and DAVID ROSS

"I have heard that there will be an industrial estate between the roundabout and these fields in the front, with a primary school over there, where all the houses will be as well."

Everywhere William Turnbull points to as he describes his understanding of the new Stirling "super-village" is currently a vision of lush green countryside.

As he stands in front of his five-bedroom house in his eight-acre garden, complete with an ornamental bridge over a pond, cows graze peacefully in the fields.

It is hardly surprising that, like many residents in the area, Mr Turnbull is opposed to the plans to transform the land into a new town the size of Dunblane with up to 2500 homes, plus schools and other amenities.

A consortium of developers was so against the idea that it appealed to the Court of Session to quash Stirling Council's plans. But on Thursday law lords ruled that the council's controversial proposal can go ahead.

So now the area known as Durieshill, which lies just outside Stirling near the village of Plean between the M9 and the M80, will be home to one of Scotland's biggest housing developments.

With a leading housing charity warning yesterday that cuts to government funding to councils for affordable housing jeopardise the government's own targets, the site is now on the frontline of planning battles that are set to take place nationwide.

For, while most people understand the need for more affordable housing, many do not want developments built on their doorstep.

Mr Turnbull, a 59-year-old newsagent and bachelor, said: "I absolutely loathe the thought of it. I have spent 10 years here building my house with my own hands.

"I know the way forward is to have low-cost housing because first-time buyers are struggling but why here?"

He added: "I think they wanted the monkey off their back and building 2500 houses here takes the pressure off them."

Like other objectors he is concerned that the council has not thought through the plans, particularly with respect to traffic.

"I can leave here at 9am now and traffic will be stretching from the Pirnhall roundabout for half a mile down the Denny road. You have to sit there until someone lets you out. The roads are going to be a nightmare."

There is no escaping the fact that houses will have to be built somewhere. But across the country housing associations are struggling to find more private cash to shore up the gap left by the government's reduction in funds of up to two-thirds.

Lochalsh and Skye Housing Association has to deal with housing pressure points such as the village of Plockton on the mainland and the Sleat and Waternish peninsulas on Skye.

According to James Stephenson, the housing association's senior development officer, the latest cut will almost certainly mean that Skye and Lochalsh's budget will only be half of what they enjoyed last year.

He added that the current housing market conditions and the level of government expenditure it would be inconceivable that any targets could be hit. "The latest information we have is that around 400 affordable houses are needed in our area. This year we should complete 74 new affordable houses, up from 49 last year but, all but 10 of these were started last financial year.

"The rate at which we can provide more, much-needed affordable housing, in the future is likely to be serious curtailed by both the current level of government funding and due to the changes afoot to the housing association grant mechanism."