Opposition premature

Sir, The opposition to the prospect of a timber loading facility at Imachar expressed in Malcom Kerr’s recent letter to the editor is somewhat premature, given that a planning application has yet to be submitted and therefore the details of the proposal and the rationale behind it have still to be made available.

For the time being, the prospective applicants are only seeking to establish the level of environmental information which would be required by the planning authority and their consultees in the event an application is made.

Once any application has been submitted, the planning authority would place the project details in the public domain and would invite comments from third parties to which they would have regard in their decision-making.

It is not appropriate for third parties to seek to ward off a project at its inception before due process has even been commenced. We have a planning procedure which has been specifically constituted as a public one, so that representation on matters material to the decision can be properly advanced in response to the full detail of whatever is on the table.

I have no doubt that when the time comes, North Ayrshire Council in reaching any decision will weigh in the balance the requirements of the timber sector against the need to protect the environment, having had regard to all representations received, both for and against.

Yours, J Robin Dixon, RDS Forestry Ltd, Tarbert.