Loans WON’T be zoned for housing
Plans for wildlife field look to be dead in water
A strong campaign to save the sanctity of the village of Loans is set to end in victory.
Villagers - and residents across the greenbelt in Muirhead - mounted a stiff rearguard action after a bid to get it zoned for housing.
For the first time it emerged a developer WAS behind the plan, rather than, as was insisted, South Ayrshire Council officers just selected it as a prospect.
Senior SNP councillor Craig Mackay said on Tuesday it was now “highly unlikely” it would make the next stage.
And he told Troon Community Council : “No decisions have been made and we are not out of the woods yet with the Muirhead-Loans site yet.
“But on the basis the available land pretty much matches what we need for new housing over the next five years, there should be no need for any release of greenbelt sites.
“It is highly unlikely it will be built on.”
We revealed the secret plan for the soggy 30 acre field in October, which would link the medieval clachan to the town of Troon.
It sparked an emergency meeting of Loans Community Council and the public packed out Troon Community Council meetings.
And at the time town councillor Peter Convery said: “That ground is sacrosanct and it should never have been suggested for the local plan.”
Planners were promoting the sight, saying the “layouts of both settlements turn their backs twoards each other at the moment and this doesnt create an attractive approach to either of them.”
Councillor Mackay said the house sites currently available “pretty much” matched the demand.
And he revealed South Ayrshire Council has now taking a slightly different approach from the developerled schemes.
He added: “Brownfield land will be prioritised even though that is not as lucrative for developers.”
Councillor Mackay also revealed a developer had been circling on the Loans site - despite insistence from council officers there was no developer.
He said:”Planning officers gave assurances there was no developer.. but there was.”
The breakthrough has been hailed by David Chalmers, chairman of Loans Community Council.
He said: “It is obviously encouraging hearing Councillor McKay’s statement that development be allowed on the greenbelt between Loans and Muirhead is unlikely to be adopted in LDP2.
“We will, of course, anxiously await SAC’s verification of this which we understand will not be until nearer the end of this year.
“Every praise should be given to the overwhelming response given by the residents of Loans and Muirhead - a 367 signature petition and 246 letters - which clearly demonstrated the level of feeling against.”
South Ayrshire Council said the process to publish the new Development Plan was still active.
A spokesman said: “There are a range of issues that are suggested, discussed and determined. This is a very thorough process to ensure that all stakeholders are given due consideration. As a result, we’ll only be able to give assurance of what is included in, or excluded from the proposed plan when a report is considered by the Council later this year.”