26-00398-PP 124 High Street, Irvine
North Ayrshire Council · 26 August 2026
Back to Planning Committee — 26 August 2026 and its agenda
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 26th August 2026 Planning Committee Locality Reference 26/00398/PP Application Registered 10th June 2026 Decision Due 10th August 2026 Ward Irvine West Recommendation Approved with no Conditions __________________________________________________________________ Location 124 High Street, Irvine KA12 8AH Applicant BoyleSports (UK) Proposal Change of use of from vacant Class 1A unit to betting shop to include external alterations ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Description Planning permission is sought for the change of use of a vacant 2 storey retail unit as a betting office. The betting office would occupy the ground floor of the building facing onto High Street. The main access into the premises would be from the existing entrance on High Street. There would also be a rear access leading to the public car park at the back of the building. The unit has a floor area of some 625 square metres. The proposed internal floor plan indicates that there would be a customer area on the ground floor only. This would be situated towards the front part of the building, facing High Street. The rear part of the building would be used for toilets, staff areas and a store room. There would be a link corridor to the rear of the building, giving access to the public car park. The first floor of the building would not be used other than for providing access to the roof deck where two air conditioning units and two satellite dishes would be mounted onto a concealed external wall that is hidden from public view.
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The proposed external alterations and repairs would include the following: Front elevation - remove redundant fascia and install 18mm plywood fascia of the same size; - remove redundant tiles on pilasters and plinth, and affix dark grey porcelain tiles in their place; - clear, repair and repaint shopfront frame in blue colour; - replace entrance doors within existing frame and fit new glazed doors in blue colour; - repair broken windows at first floor level; - clean and repaint masonry Rear elevation (ground level) - Form new door opening and install fully glazed door and side pane in blue colour; - Form timber screen around raised service bay using vertical slats; - Remove redundant signage The application is accompanied by a supporting statement. This puts forward the applicant's justification for the proposal, reviews planning policy, provides the planning history of the building and marketing activities. It notes that the proposed operating hours are 08:00 - 22:00, seven days a week. The statement concludes that the proposed use would contribute to the function, viability and vitality of Irvine town centre through the re- use of a long-vacant prominent building, resulting in employment opportunities both directly and indirectly. The statement argues that the proposed frontage alterations would be attractive and active; that there would be no adverse effect on the amenity of neighbouring occupiers; that under 18s would not be permitted entry; that no alcohol would be served nor would the consumption of alcohol be permitted within the premises. The application site consists of a vacant two storey retail building facing onto High Street which extends almost the full depth of its plot to a rear service road at the edge of a public car park. The building has a flat roofed design and dates from the 1960s. Other than the front elevation, the building is finished in red brick. The front elevation has a modern glazed shopfront with clerestory windows above. There is a fascia sign above the clerestory. The current shopfront dates from 2007 following a fire. The upper floor of the front elevation is finished in smooth grey concrete blocks inset with three large windows. The building adjoins a three-storey office building occupied by Gallagher Insurance to one side, with a ground floor retail unit to the other side (occupied by Semi-Chem). The red sandstone upper floors of the Semi-Chem retail unit are vacant, with the dormer windows on the slated roof boarded up. On the opposite side of the street is the Irvine Job Centre, which is adjoined by other commercial uses and the recently renovated Kings Arms Hotel building, which will provide 6 residential flats once complete. Woolworths occupied the building since its construction during the 1960s until its relocation to the Rivergate Centre in 2003 (and eventual closure in January 2009). Following Woolworths' relocation, the clothing retailer Happit took on the lease until its closure in 2010. Since then, the building has been largely vacant other than for a brief period when it temporarily reopened as a second-hand clothing retailer from late 2023 into early 2024. The building has therefore been vacant for most of the past 15 years.
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On 9th March 2023, planning permission was granted to change of use of the building to form a restaurant with function suite and fitness gym (ref. 23/00088/PP). The permission was not implemented and lapsed on 9th March 2026. In terms of the adopted Local Development Plan (LDP), the application site and surrounding area is within Irvine Town Centre and Irvine Town Centre Conservation Area. The application requires to be considered in terms of LDP policies 3 (Town Centres and Retail), 9 (Conservation Areas) and Strategic Policy 2 (Placemaking). Consideration in terms of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) is also required. 2. Consultations and Representations Neighbour notification was carried out in accordance with statutory procedures. In addition, the application was advertised in a local newspaper. Three objections were received from planning consultancies on behalf of local businesses, the grounds of which are summarised below: 1. The proposal would result in an overconcentration of betting shops within the town centre. Response: Whilst there would be a total of four betting offices within High Street and another in Bridgegate, there remains a mix of other uses nearby and across the town centre as a whole. Similar businesses locating near one another is not uncommon in town centres. 2. The proposal would result in the unjustified loss of a Class 1A retail unit within the town centre and make limited contribution to the vitality and viability of the Town Centre. Response: Justification for the proposed change of use has been provided. The premises have been available to let for Class 1A (retail and service) uses for over 15 years. Planning permission was granted in 2023 for a Class 3 and Class 11 use. See Analysis below. 3. The proposal would be harmful to the character, appearance and amenity of the town centre and conservation area. Response: Not agreed. The building is harmful to the character, appearance and amenity of the area in its current condition. It is proposed to undertake a programme of external repairs and repainting to improve its appearance, including the replacement of the broken windows at first floor level. It is not considered that the proposed use would of itself result in adverse amenity impacts. See Analysis. 4. Effect on health and wellbeing. Response: The total number of betting offices in Irvine has reduced over the past 15 years. It is considered that the run-down condition of the building has a detrimental effect on health and wellbeing due to the lack of use for most of the past 15 years. See Analysis. 5. Safety and security concerns due to the internal layout.
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Response: Internal layouts are not material planning considerations, and the planning authority has no locus over the internal layout of any unlisted building. Nonetheless, security measures would be installed by the applicants as part of the proposed refurbishment works. Such measures would include CCTV and active monitoring of doorways by staff and the use of an audible doorbell alert at the rear door. Consultations Irvine Community Council - objects on the following grounds: i. An active footfall generating Class 1A retail frontage would be lost from the High Street; ii. There are four licensed betting offices nearby, three of which are in the High Street; iii. There are also two adult gaming centres nearby; iv. The application site is within a data zone that as ranked as being within the most deprived 5% of data zones in Scotland. An additional betting office would be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the community it serves; v. The application should therefore be refused. Response: See Analysis. NAC Active Travel and Transportation - As this is a town centre development no dedicated parking is required. Public parking is available nearby at this location. Response: Noted. 3. Analysis The vacant building is located within the town centre of Irvine. Policy 3 of the adopted LDP states that "our town centres are the social and economic heart of our communities, providing jobs, homes and employment. Appropriate development within our town centres has the potential to improve their vitality and vibrancy. This can also ensure that investment in our communities is directed in a way that is most beneficial to residents, employees and visitors to our towns." The proposal to re-use the vacant unit in the manner proposed would contribute to the 'town centre first' principle through new investment in existing premises. It is not considered that the proposed change of use would harm Irvine town centre. There are two other betting offices nearby (Ladbrokes and Paddy Power), another further along the High Street (William Hill) and one in Bridgegate (Betfred). It is considered that all four contribute to the vitality, viability and street frontages of the town centre. They generate footfall and maintain the fabric of their respective buildings. It is not considered that betting offices dominate the streets they are located in, nor harm the character or amenity of the area. At the application site, the absence of any use is harmful to the High Street, largely resulting from the run-down appearance of the building and lack of activity. The building has been marketed over a long period of time. A previous attempt to attract a restaurant and a gym to the building has failed. A second-hand clothing retailer has also failed to attract sufficient custom to survive. The premises are large in scale with a deep floor plan and a narrow street frontage. It is therefore difficult to sub-divide into smaller units. There appears to be no demand for Class 1A (shops and services), Class 3 (food and drink) or Class 11 (assembly and leisure) uses at the premises, possibly due to the
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location, size and form of the building. High Street is no longer a prime retail location within Irvine, and has declined as a shopping street over many decades. A relatively large High Street building that was developed for Woolworths in the 1960s when the shopping environment was fundamentally different evidently no longer meets the demands of modern retailers. It is therefore considered that, had there been any demand for Class 1A or Class 3 use, the building would not have remained vacant for over 15 years. It would be unreasonable not to consider these background factors. Since the building has been vacant for over 15 years, other than for a brief period, it is considered that the proposed change of use would address a long-term vacancy, result in much needed building maintenance, generate employment and contribute to the vitality, viability and amenity of the High Street. Notwithstanding the concerns expressed by the objectors to the application, the proposal is therefore considered acceptable in terms of Policy 3. The external proposals to the building would not alter the character of the conservation area. The proposed shopfront alterations are largely cosmetic, but would enhance Irvine Town Centre Conservation Area as result of the repairs and maintenance that would be undertaken to bring the building back into use, such as renewing the fascia, cleaning windows, gutters, repainting, etc. Although the building is of no special architectural or heritage interest, it nonetheless forms part of the continuous building group on the east side of High Street running northwards from Bank Street to Eglinton Street. It is therefore a valuable building in terms of its contribution to the Irvine townscape and its unique sense of place. The proposed use is considered appropriate for a town centre conservation area location. The proposal is therefore acceptable in terms of Policy 9. In terms of the Placemaking Policy, it is noted that there are various commercial premises within Classes 1, 2 and 3 as well as sui generis uses such as public houses, hot food takeaways and betting offices within the High Street. There are no residential premises within the application building nor on either of the immediately adjoining buildings. Air conditioning units would be installed at the rear and at high level within a fully enclosed area. It is considered that the standard of amenity which would be achieved would be acceptable for a town centre location, and a significant improvement upon the current situation. It is further considered that the proposal would contribute to the aims of the Placemaking Policy in terms of supporting Irvine town centre, making a vacant building more welcoming, safe and pleasant for customers, residents and the wider public domain without harming the amenity of the area. The proposal also demonstrates the adaptability of the building at a location which is easy to access on foot, by public transport and by car. Converting an existing town centre building to uses which would attract footfall would be resource efficient as compared with new build. The proposal is therefore satisfactory in relation to Strategic Policy 2. National Planning Framework 4 Of particular importance to the proposed change of use is Policy 27, which seeks to "encourage, promote and facilitate development in our city and town centres, recognising they are a national asset. This will be achieved by applying the Town Centre First approach to help centres adapt positively to long-term economic, environmental and societal changes, and by encouraging town centre living."
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Policy 27 intends town centres to be "vibrant, healthy, creative, enterprising, accessible and resilient places for people to live, learn, work, enjoy and visit." Part a) of Policy 27 states that "Development proposals that enhance and improve the vitality and viability of city, town and local centres, including proposals that increase the mix of uses, will be supported." Part c) states that: "Development proposals for non-retail uses will not be supported if further provision of these services will undermine the character and amenity of the area or the health and wellbeing of communities, particularly in disadvantaged areas. These uses include: i. Hot food takeaways, including permanently sited vans; ii. Betting offices; and iii. High interest money lending premises." There is clearly a balance to be struck between the need to support town centre adaptation and resilience on one hand and uses which could undermine character/amenity or health/wellbeing on the other. In this particular instance, it is noted that the application site has been largely disused since the closure of Happit in 2010, other than for a short time in 2023/24, a period of over 15 years. In its vacant and deteriorating state, the building is harming the amenity of Irvine High Street and the character of the town centre conservation area. Despite a lengthy marketing period of more than a decade, there is no evidence of demand for a Class 1A use. (Class 1A includes shops and a wide range of other services which would be appropriate for town centre locations). Given the scope of alternative uses which would be possible under the current use class, it is reasonable to consider alternatives. As noted above, planning permission was granted for a restaurant/gym during 2023 and was again marketed with the benefit of this consent (enabling a Class 3 or Class 11 use either in combination or independently of each other). As such, there is no evidence that there is any effective demand for a Class 3 or Class 11 use. The proposed change of use offers an opportunity to bring an alternative use to a long- term vacant building which is no longer required for retail purposes, as evidenced by over 15 years of disuse. It is not considered that the proposed betting office would "undermine" the character or the area nor the health and wellbeing of the community. It is noted that six betting offices have closed in Irvine during the past 15 years, three of which were in the town centre, the other three being in outlying housing areas including Bourtreehill and Girdle Toll. As noted above, there are currently four betting offices in the town centre. The long-term vacancy of this building has resulted in adverse visual impacts to the High Street with the accompanying sense of desolation, a lack of any activity or regular maintenance and an absence of employment. Notwithstanding the objections to the proposed change of use, it is considered that the proposals would be an positive way to sustain this large 1960s building and contribute to the future of Irvine's historic High Street. There is a wide mix of uses across Irvine town centre, including over 300 commercial units, only four of which are currently used as betting offices. Irvine town centre serves a large catchment population beyond the immediate settlement, including much of mainland
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North Ayrshire. Within this context, there is insufficient weight to justify refusal of the application on the grounds of community health and wellbeing. It is not within the remit of planning to control or limit the number of betting offices in a given area, nor the number of retail shops. Gambling is also subject to other regulations outside of the planning system. Nonetheless, as noted in the supporting statement, the applicant has a "safer gambling" policy to support the health and wellbeing of its customers. In addition, under 18s are not permitted entry into gambling premises. As such, it is considered that, on balance, the proposals accord with Policy 27 of NPF4 in that the proposed change of use would "enhance and improve the vitality and viability" of Irvine town centre by facilitating the re-use of a long-term vacant building at a sustainable High Street location in North Ayrshire's principal town. As noted in NPF4, town centres are national assets and require ongoing support to enable their adaptation both now and in the future. A vacant building cannot be described as "vibrant." The proposed change of use offers a positive opportunity to address the matter and enhance a deteriorating building with much needed repair and renovation works. If approved and implemented, the proposed use would generate footfall and employment. Finally, it should be noted that, under the Town and Country (General Permitted Development)(Scotland) Order 1992 (as amended), there is a permitted change between the proposed use and Class 1A or Class 3. This means that, should the proposed betting office use be granted and implemented, the premises could revert back to Class 1A or Class 3 at a later date without the need for planning permission. There are no other material considerations. In conclusion, having regard to planning policy in relation to the specific circumstances of the case, it is considered that the proposal would accord with the provisions of the development plan. Planning permission should therefore be granted. 4. Full Recommendation Approved with no Conditions Allan Finlayson Chief Planning Officer For further information please contact Mr A Hume Planning Officer on 01294 324318.