Briar Homes, which last year secured approval for 39 houses on land around the C-listed Lyoncross House off Aurs Road, sought the extra tree removals to meet Scottish Water’s drainage requirements. The revised plan also allows for the retention of 10 trees that were originally set to be cut down.

Council planners recommended the change be approved, but more than 40 residents lodged objections. At a planning meeting, Independent councillor Annette Ireland moved to refuse the proposal, while Conservative councillor Paul Edlin backed approval. With the vote tied, the decision fell to committee chair Councillor Andrew Morrison, Conservative, who used his casting vote to grant permission.

The original housing plan, approved in March last year against the advice of council officials, had already raised concerns over the absence of affordable housing, the potential impact on the Dams to Darnley Country Park, and the loss of established trees. Officials also argued the project was not part of the Barrhead South masterplan, which had already allocated sufficient housing capacity.

Cllr Ireland, who was absent from the original decision due to ill health, said she was “really shocked” the homes were approved, citing solid planning grounds for refusal and warnings from the education department about limited primary school places. She urged councillors to “protect the environment and the amenity of what is left” following the initial decision.

A council officer told the committee the developer was acting within the rights of their planning permission and had been unable to keep the original drainage layout after talks with Scottish Water. The approved drainage plan requires underground attenuation tanks, which store excess rainwater, to be installed at the lower end of the site’s access road.

Officials explained that this location was the only option acceptable to Scottish Water, but it meant the removal of the 16 additional trees. In response, the developer had sought to retain other trees that had previously been approved for removal in order to “create a balance.”