Collision course at Dalmilling
Council bosses have been warned they face more mutiny over plans to shut a golf course.
Plans to scrap Dalmilling – first revealed by the Post last month – were finally admitted this week.k.
The project, which h would see houses and a park replace the municipal fairways, will now go before the public.
But council leader Douglas Campbell, driving a second attempted closure of the course in eight years, was told he risks a huge backlash.
Cllr Campbell said the plan could give families in North Ayr a facility to rival Belleisle.
He insisted: “At present the children from Newton and Braehead have to get on a bus and go there.
“That is the pitch I want to be making here.
“Dalmilling may be good for golfers but that is not the case for the rest of the community.”
Cllr Campbell, who said 1500 fewer rounds had been played on Dalmilling last year, insisted the topic is now up for debate.
Along with land in Loans, Muirhead and Monkton, the site forms part of the council’s proposed house building for the future.
But ward councillor Ian Davis said: “Dalmilling may not be high on the list of tee- off times but it plays a crucial part in the community.
“Many local residents have no desire to see it removed, regardless of the fact they have no interest in golf.”
And he added: “The feedback I’m getting on the doorsteps is that the council will face another huge backlash over this.”
A public consultation on all proposed development plans across South Ayrshire will now take pl place.
Conservatives had w wanted the projects at Da Dalmilling, Loans and M Muirhead removed fro from the table.
Bu t t h e i r b i d wa was voted down by SNP, Labour an and independent me members, who said it wa was vital to hear from the public first.
I Ian Cavana, member f for Ayr North, said: “I stood in front of 200 golfers the last time we tried to shut Dalmilling.
“If we are talking about an affordable housing option here I would be more inclined to tick the box this time but until there is more meat on the bones I could not back this.”
Bu t f e l l ow ward c o u n c i l l o r, L a u r a Brennan- Whitefield, said: “The health outcomes of people in Ayr North are not great. This may go some way to alleviating that.
“The important thing is we see what the people want.”
Independent councillor Alec Clark said: “I have some concerns but this is going out for consultation and it will be interesting to see what comes back from our towns and villages.”
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