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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Kevin Dyson

Range of 160 new council houses near Ayr Racecourse are given green light despite objections

Planners have given the go ahead to a huge council housing estate adjacent to Ayr Racecourse.

A range of 160 bungalows, two-storey houses and three-storey flats will be built on the former Mainholm Academy, now the John Pollock Centre, off Mainholm Road.

The council's regulatory panel gave the development the go-ahead despite a number of objections, largely related to a second access road at Gemmell Crescent.

The proposal includes vehicle and pedestrian access to the site, creation of public open spaces (including central residential green) and a landscaped walking and cycling path along the racecourse edge.

Most objectors said they understood the need for housing.

However, a number stated that the addition of an access road from Gemmell Crescent was dangerous, arguing that it is too narrow to be used as an access, has poor sight lines and would encourage a 'short cut' to the nearby Tesco supermarket.

One objector, Mr Barry Small, stated: "I have no problem with the housing development but the link road onto Gemmell Crescent is not necessary and will cause chaos on a curved road with zero sight lines, cars parked outside houses and no pavement on one side of the road.

Proposed Mainholm Road houses. (South Ayrshire Council)

"There is a care home with vulnerable residents that have to cross the road twice to get to Tesco and children playing.

"How this hasn't been considered is beyond belief."

Another objection came from Stephen and Andrea Whyte, of Gemmell Crescent, who have only recently moved to the street.

They said: "We are new residents in Gemmell Crescent and are both saddened and shocked to see the plans for our new quaint, quiet street that will be our forever home.

"As previously mentioned by other residents, we can see the need for new housing, however, 100 houses plus flats would have a devastating impact on both views and noise."

Other issues include parking, loss of green space, noise and additional traffic, loss of view, devaluation of houses and a claim that the three-storey flats that form part of the development were out of keeping with existing properties.

The report says that the layout of the estate will 'ensure ease of pedestrian movement', with a network of footpaths providing direct walking routes between areas within the development.

A cycle/footpath is proposed along the southern and western perimeter of the development and this will provide an attractive recreational walking route adjacent to the racecourse between Mainholm Road and Gemmell Crescent.

Ayrshire Roads Alliance did not provide any objection in relation to the appropriateness of Gemmell Crescent, and planning officials stated that the potential impact of the three storey flats was not significant due to their distance from other properties.

The report adds that those flats are a similar size to the former Mainholm Academy building.

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