SOUNESS TACKLED ... Rangers & Scotland legend slammed over plan to build houses on Tory's green belt land ... backed by tycoon Ann Gloag and an ex-bankrupt ... but critics say development will destroy nature and damage health
RANGERS legend Graeme Souness and a former bankrupt are behind a multi million-pound bid to build thousands of houses on green belt land owned by the family of a late Tory minister.
The ex-Scotland star and his son Fraser Souness, 36, want planning chiefs to agree to the major EuroPark development beside the M8 motorway in Lanarkshire.
Their business partner is one-time bankrupt Scott Gillespie, 43, a member of the Gillespie mining dynasty who went bust owing £60million.
Campaigners have vowed to block EuroPark which they say would destroy three square miles of green belt.
Michael McBride, secretary of Cairnhill Community Council, said: "We'll fight tooth and nail to prevent the loss of what is effectively a country park. This development would lead to pollution and urban sprawl."
The land - between the villages of Carnbroe and Calderbank - is owned by two daughters of former home secretary and Margaret Thatcher ally Willie Whitelaw, who died in 1999.
A Sunday Mail investigation can reveal that the sisters, Pamela Graham and Mary Coltman, struck a deal with a company called Orchard Brae Ltd who last week submitted plans to North Lanarkshire Council.
Orchard Brae - controlled by the Gillespie and Souness families - hopes to win permission for 2600 homes along with shops, educational and leisure facilities, restaurants, a pub, garden centre and hotel.
We also found that Orchard Brae is funded with a loan from another company which is owned by transport tycoon Ann Gloag.
Orchard Brae's directors are Fraser Souness and Gillespie, who was previously bankrupted owing £2m.
Gillespie is the largest of Orchard Brae's 20 shareholders while his wife Fiona owns the second largest stake.
Third biggest is former Ibrox player and manager Graeme Souness, 64, a long-standing friend and business associate of Gillespie's father Graham Gillespie, a former Rangers shareholder.
Graham, 60, previously went bust with debts topping £12million and twice had his bankruptcy extended over claims of hiding assets from creditors.
In total, six members of the Souness family own just over 40 per cent of Orchard Brae.
Details of the deal between Orchard Brae and the two land-owning sisters are secret but if EuroPark gets the go ahead, the profits will likely run into millions of pounds.
Pamela, who lives in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, declined to comment. She directed enquiries to Bob Cherry of property firm Galbraith, who she said "look after all my land up there".
Ayr-based Cherry said: "Mrs Graham and her sister are working with Orchard Brae to facilitate the planning and development.
"Obviously there's an arrangement between the owners and Orchard Brae but that's confidential."
Asked if the sisters would like to defend the plans, he said: "No, I think that's essentially why we're working with Orchard Brae. They're dealing with it."
The revelation that Souness, who was diagnosed with a heart condition at the age of 36, is behind the controversial plans has been met with criticism by campaigners.
They believe his recent appointment as ambassador for the British Heart Foundation charity is at odds with plans to build on green belt in an area which has a poor health record.
Author and geographer Dr Ann Glen, acting secretary of Monkland Glen Community Council said: "It's ironic that Mr Souness is a key backer of these plans given his recent appointment to the British Heart Foundation, which recognises the need for regular exercise and the use of green spaces such as this."
Campaigners say the plans would destroy "irreplaceable countryside", threaten wildlife and cause pollution on "a grand scale".
Maggie Proctor fears the retail development could devastate nearby high streets.
She said: "If the houses plus other developments outlined are permitted, it'll be the ruination of both the green belt here and of the town centres of Airdrie and Coatbridge."
The plans have split local politicians, with SNP MSP Alex Neil accusing the Labour-led council of "crazy decisions" in rejecting previous plans.
Writing in a local newspaper, he said: "North Lanarkshire could become a boom area for housing and jobs if the council stops giving the impression we're closed for business. We need all the investment and jobs we can get."
Opposing the plans are Labour MSP and leadership contender Richard Leonard and Conservative MSP Graham Simpson, who said: "I'm dead against this proposal and have been a long-time campaigner against development of this site. If these plans are approved, it'll all but effectively join up Calderbank to Airdrie and wipe out precious Green Belt."
A pressure group, Save Woodhall and Faskine, will hold a public meeting at Calderbank Community Hall on November 14.
Later in the month, Orchard Brae will stage five public consultations "to undertake comprehensive community consultation", with the first at the Dakota Hotel on November 21.
Members of the Souness family declined to comment, as did Gloag.
But Gillespie said: "We believe that our investment in North Lanarkshire of a total of approximately £410m illionwill create 930 direct jobs.
"It would also create a peak of approximately 2500 temporary construction jobs, helping to support the local and wider area's construction sector.
"Furthermore, we believe there would be significant regeneration benefits in the surrounding communities, equivalent to £8.4million per annum, through a reduction in both unemployment and in homelessness."
First published by the Sunday Mail on November 12, 2017:
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