Scrap £ 30m Riverside plans

It is hard to envisage a proposal more abhorrent to the aesthetic of what the late Dr John Strawhorn called one of the finest medieval towns in Scotland than South Ayrshire Council’s pending proposal for the Riverside site.

Far from realising the once in a lifetime opportunity this proposal is shallow, crass and tasteless.

1) Inappropriate mass - whatever justification the architects may have the top floor dominates all around it and diminishes both the Town Hall and the Auld Brig.

2) Inappropriate finish - plate glass and facing brick? Really? There has been no attempt whatsoever to respect the local vernacular. Ayr’s wet and frosty climate surely almost guarantees a life of facing brick and pointing repairs for the local taxpayers.

3) Out of time - this proposal comes from the same brutalist modern school of thought that gave the town the appalling Littlewoods building: The Commercial Union building in Beresford Terrace: the council offices in Burns Statue Square and the telephone exchange and post office in Boswell Park. It is as if Nikolaus Pevsner never existed.

4) Unsympathetic - the proposal is utterly unsympathetic to the adjoining buildings, the riverside and the historically important Auld Brig.

5) Incomplete - the proposal should encompass the entire site. Or at least it must lay down the guidelines for the rest of the development. Given the site is owned in its entirety by the council’s LLP, there is no reason why it does not. This piecemeal approach shows perhaps the real motivation and certainly a lack of ambition on the part of the proposers. It runs the real risk of a disjointed development which will diminish the Gateway to the town

I doubt many have any objection to the building of an office block on the site per se. but this proposal is not visually acceptable on any level whatsoever.

The fact that this proposal has got this far is a damning comment on the councillors, of the council’s management of the town and their many advisors.

The decline of this once fine town needs visionary leadership. Not this philistine nonsense.

This proposal is not even adequate. Modification is not acceptable. It should be dismissed in its entirety. John Dunlop, 19 Wellington Lane, Ayr

UnitedAyr After a crucial win at Airdrie at the weekend the League 1 Championship is now in sight for the ‘ Honest Men’.

There is still some work to do though and I know that nobody in the dressing room at Somerset Park will be thinking further that Saturday’s home game against Stranraer, who will be tough opponents. There is a slim chance, should results on Saturday go our way, that we could clinch the title this weekend. How fitting that would be as this team truly deserve to be promoted as Champions but, if it’s not this weekend, then hopefully the next, or maybe even the next.

Having had Ayr United in my blood for almost six decades, I can safely say there have been more downs than ups along the way but, that makes situations like this all the more special. I will let the historians reflect on our previous successes, but it has been a long time since we have had a side so totally committed to scoring goals and entertaining the spectators.

To score 120 goals in a season in professional football is remarkable by any standard and hopefully we’re not finished yet. We have had our defensive lapses but I say to all those people, who over the years said they wouldn’t be back at Somerset until they had something worth watching, where have you been?

Well, it’s not too late. Get yourself down to the famous old ground for the next two home games, make a noise, and suck that ball into the net. The Manager, the players, the staff, the volunteers, and of course Lachlan Cameron have worked very hard for this opportunity to make a wee bit of history for our Club.

Do your bit and help make it happen. See you there!

David Miller, Barassie Litter gettingworse

I hate litter, and was horrified recently to see the amount that has gathered on the verges on both sides of the B7024, Maybole High Road, particularly for the first mile or two out of Alloway.

I don’t remember it being as bad as that previously.

I sent an online message to Ayrshire Roads Alliance, asking if they are responsible for maintaining this road, but have not received a reply.

Maybe in the course of your campaign you can clarify who has responsibility for these verges, and shame them into doing a clean- up.

Good luck with this, and your pothole crusade.

Angela McAllister, Ayr Gladthecasewaswon

I have just read the story regarding May Hendry and I’m glad she has won her case

What I can not accept that Donald Morrison appears to be able to get away with this.

How can a professional practice get away without any recompense.

I’m sure many of his patients would also condemn his actions .

Mr G C Gray