Make Ayr a better place
Before South Ayrshire Council even thinks of revisiting their deeply flawed Riverside site plans, questions of governance in South Ayrshire should be addressed.
With some councillors openly endorsing the plan, possibly against protocol, what pressure was put on Ms Mullen’s planning department to pass a plan that I am told failed on basic principles?
The idea of offices on the site was a decision by councillors favouring the Riverside over less sensitive and even brownfield sites.
At last Wednesday’s meeting, the council official responsible for the project and all office space simultaneously argued for the consolidation of council offices whilst articulately explaining the benefits of remote or “flexible” working.
Hers was hardly a persuasive case for the proposal.
And at the meeting much was made about the heights required to meet modern office standards.
On that point alone the site is unsuitable if we are to have a building of appropriate mass.
So why did this project progress as far as it did? Was it in the best interests of the people of Ayr or someone’s vanity project?
If there was no pressure on officials, questions must arise about Ms Mullen, head of planning, who at one point suggested if the plan was to be passed they would then revisit the masterplan!
That is not due process. This said after the architects denied recycling whilst arguing for recycling as a professional virtue, and Ms Mullen admitted to a site visit whilst disingenuously avoiding saying it was indeed Keppie’s other site at Dumbarton.
At the meeting, some speakers invoked the Bard.
Some may recall the current “bard” one Billy Connelly. Some 50 years ago some 200 of us crammed willingly into the Loudoun Hall to hear his gloriously ironic lament for the decline of Dunoon. “Why don’t they come back to Dunoon?” The lyric that stuck in the mind is “Why this swinging resort, this switched on scene, has three pubs, two cafes and a fag machine!”
This is the fate of Ayr if the council does not raise its game now, away from being a venal self serving administration and focus on making Ayr a place that people want to live in and want to visit.
Day tourism and developing town centre housing is the economic future of Ayr.
Not office buildings that yield no rent. There is no proven demand for these offices, nor is there a business case to be made for more council space in what remains ( just) a fine Victorian townscape.
Last Wednesday was a wake- up call to the council and for the philistines in their number who amongst other things advocate the demolition of the inconvenient, but aesthetically pleasing, Station Hotel. The electorate spoke last Wednesday, and the people want to put Ayr’s heart and soul at the top of the agenda.
They deserve a council that accepts that challenge.
John Dunlop, 19 Wellington Lane, Ayr, KA7 2DA
Waitingtimes Have just seen your article on waiting times, my husband is waiting for an MRI scan and has been told that routine scans currently have a waiting time of 25 weeks at Ayr Hospital.
Slightly outwith the standard of six weeks. This is a terribly long wait, the equipment is there, the hospital is open 24 hours a day, why can’t evening and weekend appointments be given? South Ayrshire resident
Carparkcharges Says Gran’paw to Gran’maw “Whit dae ye say
Dae ye fancy a caur run Tae Auld Ayr the day
It looks as if it’s gonna be fine The Sun is oot
An we’ll hae a braw time “
Says Gran’maw tae Gran’paw
“Well we’ll need Tae leave early For a’ the “Free places”
Will be fu’ sharely”
He says “Hoo ? whit dae ye mean ? There’s aye plenty places
Ony time we’ve been. “
Says she tae Gran’paw
“Well, no this time
Ye’ll sharely need Tae pay Or you’re sure to get a fine “Says he Tae Gran’maw
“Whit maks ye say That ?” Says she “I heard it an
Ah wis telt it wis a fact
The Cooncil it seems
Had a bit o’ a plan
Tae reduce the “FREE “spaces Am tellin ye man! “
Says Gran’paw “Well, Since today it’s jist you an me An’ nae Gran’weans Tae treat For a change ye see
This time we’ll go doon
On the bus tae Ayr
An use oor bus pass
So, no even a fare
Nae money for petrol Or tae park the caur We’ll hiv an ice cream As we sit by the. Shore
Wi a’ this money we’re Savin Then lunch is oan me We may even manage A. FISH an CHIP TEA ! Helen Liddell by email