Two East Ayrshire community councils taking differing views over controversial £60m eco-therapy park proposal
dailyrecord.co.ukTwo East Ayrshire community councils have taken differing views over a new bid for the £60m Barony eco-therapy park.Surveys to support the application have also been described as ‘confusing’ by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) which has submitted a ‘holding objection’ to the application.
The site sits almost halfway between Auchinleck and Ochiltree.Auchinleck Community Council last month gave their unanimous approval to the project, which has centred on a row between wildlife campaigners and the developers over rare species and habitats on the old colliery site.
However, Ochiltree and Skares Community Council says it will not support the proposal until it gets assurances over a number of issues, including recommendations made by other bodies, such as the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Buglife.
In its submission to the planning application, the community council states: “Ochiltree & Skares Community Council, whilst understanding the possible economic advantages to the area, also note there are significant concerns relating to the scale of the development and its subsequent impact on the nature conservation and amenity value of the site."The group says the application will have to meet all of the requirements of planners, would require more adequate information on the suitability of the site and that the developers would have to pay ‘due regard’ to the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Buglife regarding their concerns that the ‘biological integrity of the site would be severely compromised if the current plans were implemented.”The community council add that the two organisations ‘point out that the ‘indicative plans’ totally lack detail regarding mitigation’.
Read more on dailyrecord.co.uk
