Housing plans which will more than double the size of a Perthshire village have won support from councillors.

Local developers A&J Stephen and I&H Brown want to build up to 650 houses on the southern edge of Luncarty. The firms said the project will create jobs, deliver wider benefits to the local economy and address a need for affordable housing.

It is estimated the scheme, across 100 acres of farmland, would increase the population size from 1,600 to nearly 4,000.

Councillors on Perth and Kinross Council’s planning and development management committee followed the advice from the authority’s planning officers to approve the masterplan.

In her report, interim quality manager Anne Condliffe said: “The expansion of Luncarty is a longstanding proposal.

“The site is well placed to deliver a sustainable community, serving as a well-connected satellite settlement to Perth.”

She said: “The proposal will provide a significant contribution toward meeting the projected population growth of Perth and Kinross. It will also help assist funding of significant community infrastructure improvements that will benefit Luncarty and the wider area.”

John Stephen, managing director of A&J Stephen, stressed that the proposal complied with the Tayplan and the Local Development Plan. He proposed building at a rate of around 25 homes a year.