Residents’ anger at Brodick construction site disruption
Local residents in Brodick say non-stop traffic to and from a building site is making their lives a misery.
Construction is now well under way to build 34 council houses at Brathwic Terrace in Brodick, the first in 30 years by North Ayrshire Council.
However since construction work was allowed to resume construction traffic has been coming and going every day, including Saturdays, and well into the early evening, despite a pledge it would be limited to just two days and during school hours.
There is just one way into the site at the top end of Springbank via the narrow and twisting Brathwic Place and Brathwic Terrace which is lined with housing. Earlier calls for a construction road to be built to the site were rejected.
One of the biggest nuisance is the dumper trucks which ply gravel and rock to the site every day from Market Road. As one resident said: ‘I really don’t know where they are putting it all but on some days it is non-stop.’
Another complaint involves the ‘mess’ which has been made to an access road at the site leading to three chalets by the laying of underground pipes and also of ‘incessant noise’ from the site. (See letters page) The way into a popular walk for dog owners has also been blocked.
And despite an earlier pledge from the council that: ‘Construction firm Ashleigh (Scotland) Ltd will endeavour to ensure minimal disruption for surrounding residents,’ few say this is happening.
The council say there will be a gradual increase in labour, plant and materials being delivered to the site as works progress, with the initial works comprising earthworks, new road construction and the ‘SUDS’ features.
A spokesman for North Ayrshire Council said: ‘We are in regular communication with the developers Ashleigh (Scotland) Ltd and are content that all procedures are being followed correctly and care is being taken to minimise disruption.
‘It was agreed that larger deliveries would be restricted to Tuesdays and/or Thursdays. Any sizeable deliveries outwith those days would be stored at the terminal, and transported to the site in accordance with the agreed restrictions. This does not, however, extend to more general deliveries or movement of materials as this would cause disruption to the ongoing works.
‘While we are unaware of any significant issues in relation to noise or mess, both ourselves and Ashleigh will continue to monitor this.
‘In the meantime, we apologise if any inconvenience is being felt by local residents – any large development such as this will undoubtedly bring some level of disruption and while every effort is being made to ensure this is kept to a minimum, we believe the delivery of much-needed new homes on Arran will be well worth it.’
The 34 new homes will be the first council houses built on Arran in decades and will provide some much-soughtafter modern, affordable, energy-efficient homes.
The £6.5m project, supported by £2.38m of Scottish Government grant, will provide amenity bungalows, general needs houses and homes suitable for wheelchair users.
Parking restrictions will be put in place every Tuesday and Thursday to allow site deliveries. Cones will be placed on affected streets to signify when parking is restricted and removed when residents are free to park again.