Agenda Document Pack - Planning Committee - 24/04/2024
North Ayrshire Council · 24 April 2024
Back to Planning Committee — 24 April 2024 and its agenda
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE Planning Committee A Meeting of the Planning Committee of North Ayrshire Council will be held in the Council Chambers, Ground Floor, Cunninghame House, Irvine, KA12 8EE on Wednesday, 24 April 2024 at 14:00 to consider the undernoted business. Meeting Arrangements - Hybrid Meetings This meeting will be held on a predominantly physical basis but with provision, by prior notification, for remote attendance by Elected Members in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 2003. Where possible, the meeting will be live-streamed and available to view at https://north-ayrshire.public- i.tv/core/portal/home. 1 Declarations of Interest Members are requested to give notice of any declarations of interest in respect of items of business on the Agenda. 2 Minutes The accuracy of the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 March 2024 will be confirmed and the Minutes signed in accordance with Paragraph 7 (1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (copy enclosed). 3 Great Harbour Masterplan, Irvine Submit report by the Executive Director (Place) seeking approval of a masterplan for the Great Harbour area in Irvine (copy enclosed). 4 24/00112/PPM: Site to south of 1 Newhouse Drive Kilbirnie North Ayrshire Erection of residential development of 112 dwellings with associated works including access, parking, landscaping, open space and SuDS (copy enclosed). 1
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE 5 24/00116/CON: Site to south east of Goldcraigs Road Depot, Kilwinning Installation of a battery energy storage system and associated infrastructure with a generating capacity of up to 100MW (a consultation from the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit ref. ECU00004984) (copy enclosed). 6 24/00162/ALO: Mannsfield, Kings Cross, Brodick, Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire KA27 8RF Request for removal of Section 75 agreement from planning permission 13/00329/PP (copy enclosed). 7 Urgent Items Any other items which the Chair considers to be urgent. Webcasting Please note: this meeting may be filmed/recorded/live-streamed to the Council's internet site and available to view at https://north-ayrshire.public- i.tv/core/portal/home, where it will be capable of repeated viewing. At the start of the meeting, the Provost/Chair will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed/recorded/live-streamed. You should be aware that the Council is a Data Controller under the Data Protection Act 2018. Data collected during the webcast will be retained in accordance with the Council’s published policy, including, but not limited to, for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available via the Council’s internet site. Generally, the press and public seating areas will not be filmed. However, by entering the Council Chambers, using the press or public seating area or (by invitation) participating remotely in this meeting, you are consenting to being filmed and consenting to the use and storage of those images and sound recordings and any information pertaining to you contained in them for webcasting or training purposes and for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available to the public. If you do not wish to participate in a recording, you should leave the meeting. This will constitute your revocation of consent. If you have any queries regarding this and, in particular, if you believe that use and/or storage of any particular information would cause, or be likely to cause, substantial damage or distress to any individual, please contact dataprotectionofficer@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. 2
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North Ayrshire Council, Cunninghame House, Irvine KA12 8EE Planning Committee Sederunt Robert Foster (Chair) Timothy Billings (Vice-Chair) Scott Davidson Stewart Ferguson Cameron Inglis Amanda Kerr Davina McTiernan Jim Montgomerie Ian Murdoch Chloe Robertson Chair: Apologies: Attending: 3
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Planning Committee 20 March 2024 At a Meeting of the Planning Committee of North Ayrshire Council at 2.00 p.m. involving a combination of participation by remote electronic means and physical attendance within the Council Chambers, Irvine. Present (Physical Participation) Robert Foster, Stewart Ferguson, Davina McTiernan and Chloe Robertson. Present (Remote Participation) Timothy Billings. In Attendance (Physical Participation) A. Finlayson, Chief Planning Officer and N. McAteer, Planning Officer (Place); R. Lynch, Senior Manager and L. Ingram, Solicitor (Legal Services), M. Anderson, Senior Manager (Committee and Member Services) and S. Wilson, Committee Services Officer (Democratic Services) (Chief Executive’s Service). Chair Councillor Foster in the Chair. Apologies Scott Davidson, Cameron Inglis, Amanda Kerr, Jim Montgomerie and Ian Murdoch. 1. Declarations of Interest There were no declarations of interest by Members in terms of Standing Order 11 and Section 5 of the Code of Conduct for Councillors. 2. Minutes The Minutes of the Meeting held on 2 November 2023 were confirmed and signed in accordance with Paragraph 7 (1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. 3. 24/00083/ALO: Glenview Cottage, Brisbane Glen Road, Largs Mr. Iain McIntyre has applied for permission for the removal of the Section 75 Condition relating to application ref: N/04/00111/PP in relation to Glenview Cottage, Brisbane Glen Road, Largs. The Chief Planning Officer advised the Committee on the background to the request and on relevant Development Plan policies. The Committee unanimously agreed to approve the application with no conditions. Agenda Item 2 5
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4. 24/00114/ALO: Clauchlands View Cottage, Claughlands Farm, Lamlash, Brodick, Isle of Arran Mrs Ann Reid has applied for permission for the removal of the Section 75 agreement from planning permission 06/00498/PP to remove occupancy restriction in relation to Clauchlands View Cottage, Clauchlands Farm, Lamlash, Brodick, Isle of Arran. The Chief Planning Officer advised the Committee on the background to the request and on relevant Development Plan policies. The Committee unanimously agreed to approve the application with no conditions. 5. Urgent Items There were no urgent items. The meeting ended at 2.15 p.m. 6
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 24 April 2024 Planning Committee Title: Great Harbour Masterplan, Irvine Purpose: To seek approval of a masterplan for the Great Harbour area in Irvine. Recommendation: It is recommended that Planning Committee approves the Great Harbour Masterplan (Appendix 1). The approved Masterplan will inform and be a material consideration in the determination of future planning applications for the area; the preparation of the Council’s third Local Development Plan, and in setting out the wider development aspirations for the area. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 The Great Harbour programme is a key project for the Ayrshire Growth Deal in terms of its Tourism Programme, with planned investment of £14m, subject to business case approval. The Programme aims to stimulate further commercial and other investment in the area through Ayrshire Growth Deal investment in facilities within the harbourside area, to promote Irvine Harbourside as a regionally significant destination that will benefit local communities and businesses. 1.2 Irvine Harbourside is identified as a Strategic Development Area within the Local Development Plan (LDP 2), supporting the development of a Maritime Mile along the waterfront by maximising the area’s best place assets, including heritage, location and environment, in order to attract investment to the area and creating an improved connection with the marine environment. The LDP supports its Strategic Development Areas being underpinned by masterplanning, to provide further detail on the programme of interventions within the area and how those contribute to placemaking. 1.3 A draft Great Harbour Masterplan was prepared for public consultation in February 2023, as a framework for future development at Irvine Harbourside. Extensive public consultation has subsequently taken place during March and April 2023, with overall wide support for the proposals. A final draft Great Harbour Masterplan (Appendix 1) has been produced following consultation, with some changes to the proposals to reflect consultation feedback. 1.4 Cabinet, at its meeting of 5 December 2023 approved the Great Harbour Masterplan for onward referral to Planning Committee for consideration. The Masterplan sets a framework to guide future investment and define the quality and character of future changes to the area, providing increased confidence in the programme of development taking place through the Ayrshire Growth Deal and Agenda Item 3 7
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beyond. 2. Background 2.1 The Great Harbour Masterplan refines the strategic vision set out in the Ayrshire Growth Deal (AGD) Outline Business Case (OBC) for the project, as approved by Scottish Government in June 2021, to support the socio-economic regeneration of the area whilst securing its sustainable growth. Investment of £14M, comprising £9M from Scottish Government and £5M from North Ayrshire Council, will support place-making and destination development, based on the utilisation of the area’s best assets and community wealth building and will drive growth through investment and collaboration with key partners. 2.2 The Masterplan will guide delivery and future investment in the following key areas: • Developing the waterfront as place-based destination - The Maritime Mile – creating an appealing waterfront destination incorporating three new activity hubs (Coastal Hub, Marine & Creative Arts Hub and Maritime Heritage Hub), addressing heritage, water sport and play and strengthening the link between the town and coast. • Supporting the regeneration of vacant and derelict land and enabling partners, such as the Scottish Maritime Museum to create facilities that will provide further investment in the area and strengthen local neighbourhoods and 20 minute neighbourhood planning by building on the qualities of the place. This also includes the option for housing development on the site of the former Magnum at Portland Roundabout/Beach Drive. • Promoting new leisure related visitor facilities and developments encouraging new investment in hospitality, leisure and event activity, including enhancing the qualities of the existing Conservation Area and investment in existing buildings and site assets such as the Harbour Masters Office, the Beach Pavilion at Harbour Point and the option for leisure development at the former site of the Magnum at Portland Roundabout/Beach Drive. • Supporting the capacity of the area to host major and community-led events at the Beach Park and at surrounding smaller event spaces, to facilitate local and national events and build on the success of previous events, including local community events and activities. 2.3 The Masterplan consultation process helped to build a consensus on the way forward to allow the Council, community and wider partners to work together to direct investment, secure additional funding and secure regeneration across the area. Details of the feedback are included in the Consultation Report as part of the Masterplan and are covered in Section 5 of this report. 2.4 The vision for Great Harbour is an attractive place to live and work, but also a vibrant visitor destination, celebrating local built and natural heritage with improved access to enhanced blue and green spaces and safe public access throughout. The main elements and phases of improvements proposed by the Masterplan are summarised below and are detailed in the Masterplan document at Appendix 1. Coastal Hub (Phase 1) 8
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2.5 The Coastal Hub aims to create a new major play facility for varied ages and abilities and to define and provide infrastructure for an events space, all within the existing Beach Park. Longer term proposals for this area include the re-use and enhancement of the Pilot House and the re-development of the Beach Pavilion as a commercial café/restaurant and community hub. The play facility is currently being designed and it's estimated that construction will begin on site in autumn 2024 with the aim of being ready for summer 2025. Immediately adjacent to the Coastal Hub a large parking area provides significant parking for the area. Following consultation on the initial draft Masterplan, which indicated that part of the parking area could offer potential as a development opportunity site (subject to replacement parking), this component of the draft Masterplan has been removed in the final draft and represents the only major change to the proposals. This reflects feedback from the consultation, which did not offer clear support to development at this location. Marine & Arts Hub and Public Realm (Phase 2) 2.6 The Marine & Arts Hub will see the creation of enhanced public realm within the central Harbourside area adjacent to the Harbour Arts Centre, Marina View Hotel, Watersports Club, Ship Inn, Courtyard Studios and GRO. This will include a new waterfront space to support outdoor events and to provide better access to marine activities, through upgrading the existing infrastructure. The former Harbour Master's Office (HMO) offers the potential to accommodate new business or social enterprise, focussed on either enhancing the local food and drink or crafts offers. Land to the rear of the building will accommodate additional and some re-located car parking from the Harbourside. It is anticipated this phase will be on site in early 2026. Maritime Heritage Hub (Phase 3) 2.7 The Maritime Heritage Hub will aim to create expanded facilities for the Scottish Maritime Museum with a broadening of its offer through an extension to the Puffer's Cafe building that will host a new gallery for the Museum’s maritime paintings, exhibition and education space, and additional outdoor event space to the front of the building adjacent to Harbour Street. It is anticipated this phase will be on site in mid- 2027. 2.8 The final proposals take into account local priorities as shaped through the public consultations, but also consider, through cross service consultations, the future maintenance burden and associated revenue implications. The proposals have also been considered against deliverability in the current economic climate, legal restrictions including ownership, required consenting and statutory planning processes. 2.9 The Great Harbour Masterplan supports the LDP and national policy, preserving, enhancing and building upon the best place assets, and identifying and strengthening opportunities for the future sustainable growth of the area and the community. The Masterplan constitutes a gateway to further development of the proposals to secure AGD funding drawdown, by identifying a number of economic outcomes and community benefits. Planning Assessment 2.10 Strategic Policy 3 of the adopted Local Development Plan (LDP2) identifies Irvine Harbourside as Strategic Development Area 4. It covers a wider area than the Great Harbour Masterplan which is focused on the Beach Park as a Strategic Tourism 9
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Asset, the residential area of the Harbourside and the approach to the town centre. The Strategic Development Areas policy sets out the key factors to be considered in developing these major areas of change. LDP2 supports ‘the development of a Maritime Mile at Irvine Harbourside by making best use of the Harbourside’s unique location, heritage and environment to create new opportunities for local people and attract new investment into the area. 2.11 A range of uses and proposals are supported at Irvine Harbourside through the policy. This includes new affordable and market rate housing residential development, commercial leisure facilities, improved physical and digital links between the town centre and harbourside, the productive use of vacant land for development opportunities, and proposals that are appropriate for the character of the area, in terms of its edge of town centre location. 2.12 It is considered that the proposed Great Harbour Masterplan is in accordance with the principles of the Strategic Development Area policy for Irvine Harbourside in terms of: • the proposed uses, which include sites identified for housing and commercial leisure opportunities, heritage and environmental improvements and improvements to vacant and derelict land; and • the layout, which includes proposals to improve the public realm connections and public spaces between Irvine Railway Station and Irvine Beach Park and to deliver major play facilities and create opportunities for future events at the Beach Park area. 2.13 Detailed proposals for Irvine Harbourside as part of the Great Harbour Masterplan will be required to demonstrate that there will not be any adverse impact on the environmental quality of North Ayrshire. The detailed proposals would be assessed against the policies of the LDP and the National Planning Framework in any future planning applications. 2.14 National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) was adopted by Scottish Ministers in February 2023, at which time it became part of the development plan for North Ayrshire. NPF4 establishes a spatial strategy that supports the planning and delivery of sustainable, liveable and productive places that reduce carbon emissions, restore and better connect biodiversity; enable better, healthier lives; and a greener, fairer and more inclusive wellbeing economy. It is assessed that the proposed Great Harbour Masterplan aligns with and will help deliver these aspirations. 3. Proposals 3.1 It is proposed that Planning Committee approves the Great Harbour Masterplan (Appendix 1). The approved Masterplan will inform and be a material consideration in the determination of future planning applications for the area; the preparation of the Council’s third Local Development Plan, and in setting out the wider development aspirations for the area. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 10
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4.1 The program of phased delivery and associated Full Business Cases will determine the draw down of the £9m capital funds from Government and expenditure of the £5m Council contribution for the Great Harbour project. Any additional revenue implications of the overall Great Harbour programme and their timings will be considered as each project is developed. Any implications will be factored into the appropriate year’s Revenue Budget process and Medium-Term Financial Plan Update and on completion projects will be subject to a year’s maintenance liability by contactors. This will include maintenance requirements which were identified as a priority during the consultation process. The potential for revenue generation opportunities will be investigated through the project. Human Resources 4.2 The main projects set out within the Great Harbour Masterplan and funded by the Ayrshire Growth Deal and North Ayrshire Council, will be delivered by the Growth and Investment Team with support from other NAC teams. Legal 4.3 If approved, the Great Harbour Masterplan will become a material consideration in the assessment of future planning applications. Prior to the implementation of projects set out within the Masterplan, further consideration is required in relation to property ownership, title burdens and statutory consents. Additional work is being progressed to establish options and processes for addressing areas of concern. Protective Services have advised that The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, also known as Martyn’s Law, is pending UK wide legislation. This will place a requirement on those responsible for certain publicly accessible locations to consider the threat from terrorism and implement appropriate and proportionate mitigation measures. As both the legislation progresses, and the project designs are further developed, consideration will be given to ensuring that the plans, where possible, will help to contribute towards compliance with the new requirements. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 The Great Harbour Masterplan considers social and economic sustainability. As a regeneration and placemaking project, Great Harbour aims to tackle inequalities derived from the area’s high levels of multiple deprivation, through enhancement, improved connections and safe public access to the harbourside, the beach, green spaces, local heritage and new attractions, for the enjoyment of the local community and visitors. Economic opportunities will also derive from the Masterplan. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 The Great Harbour Masterplan recognises the impact of climate change and considers national and local strategies and actions on environmental sustainability and carbon emissions in line with the Climate Change Act 2019, Scotland’s net zero targets and the Sustainable North Ayrshire Strategy. In particular, the Masterplan addresses the following requirements: • the project has been developed based on the Place Standard and 20 Minute Neighbourhood principles with considerations for its whole-life carbon emissions. It promotes the implementation of the PAS 2080: Carbon Management in Infrastructure for infrastructure projects and RICS Whole Life-Cycle Carbon 11
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Professional Statement for building projects; • as a follow up a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal has been undertaken for the project area and provides detailed recommendations for further design and civils works relating to the individual projects and phases of proposed works; and • a Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment has been undertaken for the project’s main development areas and provides a range of recommendations for further design and civils works relating to the individual projects. These findings will be assessed further on a project-by-project basis and will reflect the new NPF4 requirements. Key Priorities 4.6 The Great Harbour Masterplan reflects the Council priorities contained in the Council Plan of wellbeing, communities and local democracy, climate change and a sustainable Council. In addition to the Council Plan and LDP2, the Masterplan supports several other Council plans and strategies, including the: • Vacant and Derelict Land Strategy • Community Wealth Building Strategy • Electric Vehicle Strategy • Sustainable North Ayrshire Strategy • Flood Risk Management Plan • Open Space Strategy • Local Transport and Active Travel Strategy • Local Biodiversity Action Plan. Community Wealth Building 4.7 The Great Harbour Masterplan considers social and economic sustainability through the Community Wealth Building Strategy. In terms of empowering local communities, comprehensive engagement took place with special interest groups such as local heritage and history and outdoor and water activity groups. This has proven very successful and other partnerships will be explored in the future, such as natural heritage and the events sectors. In addition, early engagement was undertaken with several local manufacturers, who may be in a position to deliver some elements of the proposed improvements, particularly around the public realm works. This will be explored further during civils works tenders. 5. Consultation 5.1 The Masterplan proposals are closely aligned with the Local Development Plan and National Planning Framework (NPF4) and build upon community engagement progressed during the Irvine Vision (2016) and the Irvine Harbourside Study (2017). Initial public consultation on the Great Harbour proposals took place over February and March 2022 and the feedback was then incorporated into the Masterplan proposals. The table below summarises the top priorities that emerged from the consultation in 2022 and how these were considered in the development of the Masterplan. 12
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5.2 Further public consultation on the Masterplan took place in March and April 2023. Similarly to the first phase of consultation, it followed a strategy based on the best practice process developed by NAC’s Communities Team and also incorporated ‘lessons learnt’ from the previous phase. A Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG) supported the shaping of the consultation methodology and verification of the consultation information material. The material and a survey were available online for the duration of the consultation and several drop-in events, walkarounds and direct presentations to stakeholder groups were also provided. The material was also displayed at Irvine Library and on the fencing opposite the Harbour Arts Centre with a QR code for direct access to the survey and paper survey forms made available at specific locations. The feedback has been incorporated into the masterplan proposals and the consultation report is appended to the Masterplan at Appendix 1. 5.3 The majority of responses were supportive of all of the various proposals, recognising the opportunity for the regeneration of the Harbourside. There was overall support for improvements to the public realm and access along the Harbourside and for the proposed activity hubs. There was also overall support for the development of the Portland Road site, whilst there was a mix of views as to whether the Waterfront site should be developed for residential. Feedback suggested that there needs to be a clearer definition between what is being delivered through Ayrshire Growth Deal funding and what aspects will require other sources of funding. There was also a level of scepticism that all of the projects could be delivered. The main concerns focused on: • sufficient provision of public amenities, including toilets, along the Harbourside; • adequate traffic management recognising access needs of vehicles towing watercrafts and improving perceived safety for non-vehicle users; 13
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• adequate maintenance; • adequate waste management and introducing recycling; and • protection of place assets, including heritage and cultural assets. 5.4 In addition, the Council has received representation from NPL as landowner at Ardeer, concerned that Ardeer has not been included within the overall Masterplan and regarding the development of the waterfront housing site, which has now been removed from the proposals. 5.5 The Masterplan was also the subject of internal consultations with a range of Council services throughout its development, including Roads, Flooding, Streetscene, Waste, Planning, Regeneration, Tourism & Marine Tourism, Housing, Connected Communities, Property Management & Investment and Biodiversity. 5.6 The development and delivery of the various phases of the Masterplan is ongoing and will involve further community and stakeholder engagement. RUSSELL McCUTCHEON Executive Director (Place) For further information please contact Louise Kirk, Head of Service, Economic Growth, Development & Regeneration, on 07919298217 or via lkirk@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. Background Papers Appendix 1 - Great Harbour Masterplan 14
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Great Harbour Masterplan Developing the Quality of Place within Irvine Harbourside September 2023 15
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2 Great Harbour Masterplan Portland - Beach Drive Housing Beach Park Event Space / Arena Maritime Heritage HUB Community Hub & Restaurant Coastal HUB & Beach Park Maritime Mile Waterfront Beach Park Coast Maritime Mile Waterfront Marine & Creative Arts HUB 16
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Great Harbour Masterplan 3 Executive Summary Irvine Harbourside and the Beach Park and coast are Irvine’s greatest asset. The Ayrshire Growth Deal (AGD) recognised the strength of the asset and its potential to support area transformation, Community Wealth Building, and drive growth and regeneration through investment and collaboration with key partners. The Growth Deal outlined a project with the working title - The Great Harbour – that identified investment in the Irvine Harbourside that supported place-making and development of the destination. The developed proposals are closely aligned with the Local Development Plan and the National Planning Framework (NPF4) and have been advanced through public engagement during March-April 2023 together with earlier engagement on the Coastal Hub (2022) and consultation on the Irvine Vision and the Irvine Harbourside Place-Making Study (2017). This masterplan refines the vision and establishes a masterplan framework to support further local community and stakeholder engagement. Following consultation and engagement, it will be adopted as Planning Guidance setting a masterplan framework to guide future investment and define the quality and character of the varied development elements to be advanced under the Growth Deal (Maritime Mile and Activity Hubs) or though future housing and leisure developments advanced in accordance with the Local Development Plan. Development elements include: • Developing the waterfront as place-based destination - The Maritime Mile – creating an appealing waterfront destination incorporating three new activity hubs addressing heritage, watersport and play and strengthening the link between the town and coast. Funded through the Ayrshire Growth Deal. • Developing the events arena along with smaller event spaces to facilitate local and national events and build on the success of both the Making Waves Festival and smaller local community events and activities. Funded through the Ayrshire Growth Deal. • Building new homes and associated community facilities on brownfield sites, strengthen local neighbourhoods and 20 Minute Neighbourhood planning and build on the qualities of place. Advanced by development partners. • Promoting new leisure and related visitor facilities (gallery /arts /café / restaurant/retail) encouraging new investment in hospitality, leisure and event activity including enhancing the qualities of the Conservation Area and investment in existing buildings and site assets. Advanced by development partners. Engagement on the masterplan highlighted clear support for the place-making and public realm elements and the enhancement of facilities within the various Maritime Mile activity hubs, and also the future development options of either leisure or new housing development to the Portland-Beach Drive site Engagement has helped to identify key local priorities with a clear consensus emerging on the way forward that supports this updated and amended masterplan and will enable North Ayrshire Council (NAC/Council), community and wider partners to work together to bring forward investment, identify new and additional funding and promote the regeneration of the Harbourside. 17
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4 Great Harbour Masterplan 18
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Great Harbour Masterplan 5 Contents Executive Summary 1.0 GREAT HARBOUR 1.1 Developing the Destination 1.2 Historical Land Use 1.3 Building on Special Qualities of Place 1.4 Local Development Plan (LDP2) 1.5 Urban Structure 1.6 Local Character & Urban Grain 1.7 Place/Access/Movement 1.8 Active Travel 1.9 Green Infrastructure 1.10 Public Parking Supporting the Destination 1.11 Community & Services Infrastructure 1.12 Public Consultation & Engagement 2.0 MASTERPLAN DETAILED ELEMENTS 2.1: Maritime Mile 2.1.1 Maritime Mile Waterfront 2.1.2 Coastal Hub 2.1.3 Marine & Creative Arts Hub 2.1.4 Maritime & Heritage Hub 2.2: Harbourside Housing 2.2.1 Portland-Beach Drive Housing 2.3: Leisure Related Developments 2.3.1 Beach Park Event Space / Arena 2.3.2 Harbour Master's Office–Mixed Use tourism & Leisure 2.3.3 Harbour Point – Community Hub & Restaurant 2.3.4 Portland Site Leisure Development 3.0 INFRASTRUCTURE & PHASING 3.1 Outline Delivery Programme 3.2 Partnership Delivery APPENDICES 1 Community Engagement Report 2 Residential Design Guide North Ayrshire Council Supplementary Guidance prepared by Ironside Farrar Ltd August 2023 amended by North Ayrshire Council September 2023 19
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6 Great Harbour Masterplan 1.0 Great Harbour 20
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Great Harbour Masterplan 7 Great places provide strong and appealing locations for people to live, work, play as well as to visit. Irvine Harbourside, in addition to its neighbourhood function, is also an attractive waterfront and coastal destination for local day visitors and tourists. Destinations are increasingly recognised as having a major role in supporting local economies and can have an important role in building successful places and supporting Community Wealth Building. Distinctive, high-quality destinations have the capacity to attract additional footfall, drive new investment, support and sustain existing businesses and jobs, empower communities and support regeneration with positive local benefits over the long term. Destinations that offer sustainable and inclusive growth provide for stronger retained local income, create jobs, sustain local businesses and generate higher levels of local benefits. The Ayrshire Growth Deal approved the Great Harbour as a major regeneration programme for the Irvine Waterfront. The programme seeks to unlock funding to deliver important public goals, including protecting and enhancing the quality of the Harbourside, strengthening neighbourhoods and investing in heritage and waterfront public realm as the catalyst for wider area regeneration. The masterplan objectives are simple. The masterplan looks to enhance Harbourside as a place to live, work, play and visit by investing in facilities that will support local communities and regenerate the area. We will strengthen safe public access, enhance the Beach Park, local biodiversity and greenspace, develop a series of heritage and waterfront attractions, provide new homes within a well-connected 20 Minute Neighbourhood, improve access to the water and support local groups involvement in celebrating a high-quality waterfront, meeting the needs of both residents and visitors. 1.1 Developing the Destination 21
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8 Great Harbour Masterplan Developing the concept of ‘The Great Harbour’ adds a destination element to place-making that looks to raise quality and provide positive memorable experiences based on core visitor attractions (Scottish Maritime Museum / Harbour Arts Centre /Waterfront), distinctive hospitality offers (café/ restaurant), events and supporting visitor facilities (car parking /toilets/ path networks). The visitor infrastructure should be complementary to local neighbourhood enhancements with both elements building compelling reasons to visit and return. The masterplan goal is to make Harbourside a more attractive and liveable place supporting area-wide regeneration and helping to deliver economic, social and environmental sustainability. The Maritime Mile project will enhance the waterfront setting, creating a continuous and attractive public realm connecting the Town Centre to the Beach. This maritime walkway from the station to the Coast is a mile in length and provides access to a range of facilities and numerous points of maritime interest and heritage. Strengthening local neighbourhoods with new housing on brownfield land helps to meet local housing demand in a highly sustainable location whilst also increasing local demand for goods and services. Promoting active travel and safe movement helps reduce car dependency and supports the transition towards Net Zero and a strong 20 Minute Neighbourhood. The proposals for the waterfront are based on quality place-making and the six qualities of successful place-making (National Policy - NPF4) and will require significant investment. Importantly investment needs to deliver economic regeneration outcomes (jobs /homes /business growth / community growth) alongside the place enhancement with new facilities (Play Park / SMM@Gt Harbour / Maritime Mile/ Event Arena) driving additional footfall and place appeal. Initial Appraisals and Issues for consideration within Masterplan 22
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Great Harbour Masterplan 9 1.2 Historical Land Use Irvine Harbourside has a fantastic history and story. Scotland’s largest 18th century port and centre of industry and commerce, Irvine and the Harbourside straddle the longest beach on the West Coast and are home to the Scottish Maritime Museum (SMM) and Boyd’s Automatic Tide Signalling Device historically housed in the Pilot Tower House. Irvine developed as a port from the 16th to the 19th century but experienced terminal decline during the 20th century. The growth of Glasgow as a port in the later 18th and 19th centuries brought a decline in Irvine, although it was sustained by exporting Ayrshire coal. Harbour Street began as a 'causeway' in about 1677, when the town decided to give up fighting the problems of silt upstream and abandon the quays at Marress and their plans to cut through from there to the sea. In that year, they laid stones to create a roadway and organised a quay somewhere on the current site of the harbour. It developed as a 'mixed-use' neighbourhood with industry (hauliers/ chemicals/ glass/ foundries/ engineering works) mixed with merchant/ artisan housing, hotels, local retail etc. (see https://www.irvineHarbourside.org)There was a ship-building yard just to the east at Fullarton, and several iron and chemical works located immediately to the south. Dredging of the Harbour ceased in the 1960’s, with the core user limited to the Nobel / ICI Works at Ardeer. Today the Harbour is an important environmental and leisure asset, with the river and former wharves providing local moorings (circa 40 moorings fully registered and licensed) and providing berthage of historic vessels forming part of the exhibition of the Scottish Maritime Museum. Former industrial areas have been reclaimed to create the Beach Park, providing the whole town with an important greenspace resource and a popular space for events such as Radio 1 Roadshow and Making Waves. The Magnum Sports & Leisure Centre (1976-2016) was the largest in Europe and formed a regional anchor attraction for both leisure and events. 23
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10 Great Harbour Masterplan Contemporary & Heritage Elements within a waterfront setting create a distinctive place quality 24
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Great Harbour Masterplan 11 The proposals for change in the masterplan look to build on the existing special qualities of place, local needs and local community assets. For Harbourside to be ‘all it can be’ it needs to create a more appealing and inclusive sense of place. The Harbourside masterplan seeks to build on: • Distinctive Place Quality Commitment to sustainable quality. High quality, durable and distinctive design solutions that reflect the Harbourside’s character, heritage, materials and create a low maintenance, high quality public realm that is accessible to all. The Harbourside forms an important Conservation Area with proposals planned to protect and wherever possible enhance the conservation value and status of the Harbourside. • People, Activity and Animation Activity and animation are created by people enjoying space, with spaces that support local community, commercial and event activity. A number of local clubs (e.g. Irvine Watersports Club / heritage groups / Coastwatch) provide important local services and have significant local membership. The need to work with local organisations is critical to the public realm, and allows for more open, inclusive use (watersport activity/ waterfront seating/ cafes/ event spaces). • Places for Living Opportunities for developing the neighbourhood and supporting town-living should be celebrated. Homes create life, increase activity and security and create demand for off-season goods and services. The Irvine Development Corporation developments and more recent North Ayrshire Council (Housing) set a successful residential framework with an appealing scale and character on which to build. • Celebrating Heritage & Distinctiveness Heritage helps to anchor the Great Harbour and offers strong local stories (The “Herbour Dauner”/ Heritage Trail/ Tours). A heritage app with links to contemporary offers around local arts, stories, local foods, local hospitality, building a strong sense of participation and exploration that provides a unique narrative around a fascinating place. • Waterfront Appeal Waterfronts have appeal and attract activity whether that be the River Irvine, Irvine Harbour, or the Coast. There is a need to strengthen the quality of the waterfront by removing clutter, enhancing water access opportunities, creating authentic experiences and building the level of activity and events that attract and retain visitors. • Inclusive Connections Building connections (physical/ neighbourhood/ community/ organisation/ activities) is key to creating a more inclusive, active, healthier and wealthier place. This needs to provide safe walking, wheeling and cycling routes and strengthen the core path and cycle network and improve lighting and facility maintenance. 1.3 Building on the Quality of Place 25
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12 Great Harbour Masterplan 1.4 Local Development Plan The Local Development Plan for North Ayrshire (LDP2) sets out the statutory framework to guide development and investment in the area over the next 20 years. The LDP document provides a series of plans and maps to be read alongside the Spatial Strategy. Irvine Harbourside forms part of the “general urban area” / “open space” addressed by Strategic Policy 3: Strategic Development Area 4. Key elements of Strategic Policy 3 note: • Proposals must demonstrate that they do not adversely impact on the environmental quality of North Ayrshire by way of adverse impact on soils, water, air, population, human health, cultural heritage, material assets, climatic factors, landscape and biodiversity (flora and fauna). Proposals may require to be the subject of an environmental impact assessment. • North Ayrshire Council (NAC) will give consideration to masterplans submitted in support of development proposals where they have not been formally approved by the North Ayrshire Council as planning authority, however the information attached to any such masterplan will generally be considered for information only. Masterplans prepared by, or on behalf of North Ayrshire Council, may be subject to strategic environmental assessment where alternative uses are proposed. The adopted Local Development Plan identifies Irvine Harbourside as a ‘Strategic Development Area’ and the Beach Park as a ‘Strategic Tourism Asset’. LDP2 supports the development of a ‘Maritime Mile’ at the Harbourside that makes the best use of the Harbourside’s unique location, heritage, and environment to create new opportunities for local people and that can attract new investment into the area. A range of uses are supported by LDP2 at Harbourside, these include: • new residential development with NAC having recently completed a scheme of affordable housing and a care facility. • commercial leisure facilities, particularly those that enhance or develop the maritime tourism potential of the area including proposals that strengthen links with the town centre; proposals that are in keeping with the character of the area as an ‘edge of town centre’ location, and • proposals that result in the productive reuse of vacant and brownfield sites identified as development opportunities. Alongside the Strategic Development Area policy, the following policies are also of importance to the masterplan process: Place-making: ensuring that all development contributes to making quality places and that all applications for planning permission meet the six qualities of successful places – Healthy / Pleasant / Connected / Distinctive / Sustainable / Adaptable. 26
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Great Harbour Masterplan 13 Building on the Principles within the National Planning Framework (NPF4) The National Planning Framework (NPF4 – approved January 2023) forms part of the Development Plan. NPF4 sets out a series of principles of direct relevance in place making and building stronger and more resilient communities. Key policy areas include planning for climate change, biodiversity and the creation of ‘liveable’ places. The Harbourside offers significant opportunity to create a place with good-quality homes close to local facilities and services applying the concept of 20-minute neighbourhoods; making better use of spaces to support physical activity, relaxation and play, to bring people together and to celebrate culture, diversity and heritage. In addition, measures within the coastal margin can support enhanced biodiversity in accordance with the Local Biodiversity Action Plan. Masterplanning for Mixed Use: A range of uses will be supported at the Harbourside where these form part of a comprehensive masterplan. The LDP2 and NPF4 support: • New residential development, comprising both affordable and market housing. • A range of commercial leisure facilities, particularly those that enhance or develop the maritime tourism potential of the area. • Proposals that strengthen physical links, active travel and public transport connections between the Town Centre and Harbourside to strengthen the Liveable /20 Minute Neighbourhood and enhance place vitality and vibrancy. Enhancement of public transport routes and services will be encouraged with the ambition to see additional public transport services as the destination and the level of residential housing is developed. • Proposals that are in keeping with the Conservation Area status and character and distinctiveness of the area including enhancement of greenspace and biodiversity assets • Proposals that result in the productive reuse of vacant and brownfield land identified as development opportunities and enhancement of sustainable drainage, biodiversity and measures supporting climate change resilience and adaptability. 27
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14 Great Harbour Masterplan 28
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Great Harbour Masterplan 15 1.5 Urban Structure The majority of the Harbourside buildings are in residential use, with terraces being the predominant built form. Much of the housing is modern, competed in 1995/96 by the late Irvine Development Corporation as part of the regeneration of the post-industrial port. Cochrane Street, Linthouse Vennel, Gottries Place, most of Gottries Road, Bimson Row / Bimson Place, Peter Street and a stretch of Harbour Street were all designed during this period. The investment in homes, alongside the Scottish Maritime Museum, Harbourside Arts Centre and WASP Studios have collectively created the identity of the Harbourside today. In 1965 the Secretary of State for Scotland commissioned a report on a potential New Town at Irvine and in 1967 the Irvine Development Corporation was formed (IDC). IDC created a New Town Plan that included the Harbourside. This provided within the Harbourside with new housing, a leisure centre (Magnum) and industrial activity. The Harbourside housing was designed by the Corporation’s architects, George Wren and Roan Rutherford. The housing was simple but elegantly detailed, reinterpreting a Scots harbour vernacular. Mackintosh influences are particularly evident in the Cochrane Street terrace. There is a mix of one and two / two and a half storey property typically with stone or rendered facades and slate roofs. The windows are generally of a traditional sash and case design with smooth render banding surrounds. Many of the properties have additional detailing with rooflines, skews and chimneys all adding to a family of architectural detailing that complement the traditional aesthetics. Subtle variations mean that no two houses are the same, and the use of subtle pastel colour rendering adds to place quality. Irvine Harbourside has been designated a Conservation Area since 2001. Conservation area status recognises the special architectural and historic interest in the assemblage of buildings within the Harbourside and the value of place. In addition to the Linthouse Building, there are a number of Listed Buildings within the Harbourside and the Beach area: Notably the Category B Pilot House, the Category C Harbourmaster’s Office (both outside the Conservation Area), the C listed Marina Inn, and several other Category B and C listed houses further east along Harbour and Montgomery Streets. The Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan has recently complemented investment in Irvine Harbourside, creating a very sympathetic affordable housing infill between Harbour Street and Beach Drive. The development architecturally reflects earlier housing phases (Irvine Development Corporation) creating a distinctive and appealing high quality neighbourhood including a mix of terraced 2 storey and single storey buildings with strong connecting path and footway connections, internal parking and service courts with coordinated colour and architectural detailing. New homes within Harbourside - Laurel Homes New homes Beach Drive by NAC 29
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Great Harbour Masterplan 17 The Harbourside’s character is closely aligned to its heritage and waterfront setting, presenting an appealing assemblage of historic and more contemporary buildings with a unified character created by materials, scale and tight urban grain. The area was designated a Conservation Area in 2001. The predominant building height within the Harbourside is two storeys, with combinations of single or two/two & half-storey buildings adding variety and interest to the streetscape and local skyline. The Linthouse Engine Shop – a Category A Listed Building entirely relocated from Govan during the early 1990s houses the main exhibition, training and educational space operated by the Scottish Maritime Museum – is particularly large in terms of height (roughly equivalent to four or five domestic storeys) and massing. The grain of the local townscape is particularly tight with continuous frontages creating enclosed streets and spaces with limited visual permeability or gaps through buildings. Buildings define the waterfront and hinterland of streets and provide strong active frontages with variable rooflines and heights. Variability of architectural treatment and attention to detailing within a simple and consistent palette generate interest and create an assemblage of buildings built over three centuries and of varying styles that collectively express a single identity, sense of place and welcome. 1.6 Local Character & Urban Grain Irvine Harbourside is a mix of neighbourhoods. The more residential areas (Gottries Road / Dublin Quays) offer quiet streets tree lined streets or courts framed by terraced housing with distinctive detailing. Harbour Street provides the main link between the town centre and coast with a more vibrant, mixed -use character with open aspect to the north and west. The Harbour Street properties with the tight continuous frontages give strong definition to the waterfront and the flat open expanse of the River Irvine and Garnock estuary. Waterfront edges and boundaries are less well detailed with significant clutter created by boundary fencing but with two attractive small pavilion buildings (kiosks), slipway and pontoon moorings adding interest. The waterfront is characterful and active supported by local enterprise and a range of food and beverage, accommodation and arts and creative attractions but with a fragmented and tired public realm that has suffered from a lack of investment and today is characterised by a mix of post-industrial and semi-derelict wharves, hard-standings, redundant security fencing and under-utilised buildings. Harbour Street boundaries often reflect historic operational boundaries (port activity/ quays) or have historically been enclosed to restrict access, provide for secure storage or safety. Water access is limited (slipway / pontoons) with vehicular movement/ parking a strong element of the streetscene. Footways and space to the front of buildings (Ship Inn / WASP Studios / Gro Coffee) are noticeably restricted. Frontage street activity (outside tables / seating/ etc) is also noticeably limited. Busy and vibrant during summer months, Harbour Street offers an appealing street of character with significant opportunity for enhancement. 31
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18 Great Harbour Masterplan 20 Min Walk Isochrone 20 min Cycle Isochrone 20 Min Drive Isochrone 60 Min Public Transport 40 min Drive Isochrone 60 min Drive Isochrone All of Town Centre Al main residential areas Stevenson / Saltcoats / Kilwinning 32
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Great Harbour Masterplan 19 1.7 Place / Access / Movement Streets define the key corridors of movement, with good street design requiring that issues of place and movement are considered together and with place and sustainable travel modes addressed ahead of vehicular movement. There are a number of core routes into the Harbourside and Beach Area, radiating from the Town Centre and connecting with the primary street network (A737). These form multi- user streets albeit with differing considerations relating to the balance of place and movement. These include: • From the Town Centre & Railway Station - The Beach and Beach Park can be accessed through Harbourside via Harbour Street, Gottries Road or Harbour Road, all connecting directly or indirectly to the connecting pedestrian underpass at the Railway station. Harbour Street (Montgomery Street/Harbour Street/Beach Drive) provides a direct waterfront link and is the main active travel (pedestrian, cycle and wheeling) route. • From north via Marress Roundabout – Principal vehicular access to Harbourside from the Town Centre/ Rivergate/ Retail Park areas. Brings traffic in via Victoria Roundabout on western side of the railway. From here Harbourside can be accessed via Harbour Road or along Cochrane Street which leads directly to Montgomery Street- Harbour Street. • From southeast via Portland Road – Distributor Road for the adjacent industrial estates. Visually dominated by industrial units, signage, vacant sites and screening vegetation/ trees. Road signage (Merryvale Roundabout A737) and A737 Heatherhouse Road directs vehicles to Harbourside on this route. • From south via Marine Drive – Route provides a scenic entrance to the area, with sea views, open greenspace, and tree planting which visually screens most of the nearby industrial estates. It branches off the A737 to the south of the Gailes Golf Course and close to the A71 junction. The Ship public house and Harbour Arts Centre are signposted (brown heritage sign) on this route. 33
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20 Great Harbour Masterplan Path Network 34
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Great Harbour Masterplan 21 Irvine Harbourside is well connected by Active Travel routes whether by footway or footpath with a broad network of routes. The principal entrance to Harbourside from the Town Centre and Railway Station is the short pedestrianised street which connects from New Street to the eastern end of Montgomery Street. This follows the historic street alignment prior to the 1970s New Town/ Town Centre interventions, which formerly linked to the Old Irvine Bridge over the River Irvine. The pedestrian link is bridged by both the railway and Harbour Road. Accessibility For All Harbourside and the waterfront are largely at grade with capacity to provide safe mobility for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Improvements to access for those with limited mobility/ disability can be supported with at grade crossings, raised tables and dropped and flush kerb detailing prioritising walking, wheeling and cycling into street design. 1.8 Active Travel Walking & Cycling The primary route, via Montgomery Street, Harbour Street and the River Irvine Walkway, offers a safe and predominantly barrier free link from the Railway Station to the coast. This 1.61km (1.0 mile) connected route passes through a high street / residential / mixed-use area and waterfront and greenspace corridor with supporting infrastructure (lighting/ seats/connections). This route is badged and/or referred to as the ‘Maritime Mile’. The Ayrshire Coastal Path provides pedestrian access from the south along the coast from Troon, although only sections of this are suitable for cycling. National Cycle Network Route 7, however, follows Marine Drive from the A737, then passes through the Beach Park and provides access directly to Harbourside at Beach Drive close to the Portland Roundabout. A wide network of recreational paths, some suitable for cycling, also wind through the Beach Park. • NAC Core Paths include IK 8 Lowgreen Bridge to Irvine Harbour Point / IK10 Harbour Street to Gailes Caravan Park / IK 11A Marine Drive to Beach. • NCN 7 is aligned along Marine Drive, Gottries Road and Montgomery Street. NAC are proposing to revise the alignment, creating a new link to NCR7 along the Harbourside and then across the Beach Park back to NCR7 at Portland Roundabout, which will replace the current on-road section along Gottries Rd. Public Transport Public transport services (Bus/ Rail/ Taxi) are all available within Irvine Town Centre. Bus services connect with regional and local centres with bus stops/stands located along the High Street. Rail services connect to Glasgow Central - Ayr – Stranraer, Kilwinning, Ardrossan Harbour and Largs. Local bus service currently provides limited access to the Harbourside. Services currently include the 21 / 21A service providing a 60– 120-minute service connecting Harbour Street through to Crosshouse Hospital. Harbour Taxis operate from Harbour Street and across Irvine. Walk distances from coast, waterfront and Harbourside allow connections to public transport services on the High Street or Rail Station within 15- 20 minutes. Opportunity exists to promote stronger public transport routes into the Harbourside (level of service and penetration) alongside the development of tourism and further development of Harbourside as a residential neighbourhood. Event based public transport support services will also be important. 35
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22 Great Harbour Masterplan Greenspace Network 36
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Great Harbour Masterplan 23 1.9 Green Infrastructure Urban green infrastructure provides the ecosystem elements within the neighbourhood that support the community in terms of greenspace, parks, play facilities, wider path networks that support the integration of local biodiversity. A good footway / footpath network exists on Harbour Street, connecting to path networks within the Beach Park that, in turn, connects to the Ayrshire Coastal Path and NCR7, offering walking/cycling routes to Troon and beyond. The Beach Park is substantially an open, multi-functional greenspace for informal recreation and events which with its dune system is a both an important recreational and ecological resource. Greenspace: The Beach Park extends to some 50 ha (124 acres) and is managed and maintained by North Ayrshire Council (NAC). The site includes a Boating Pond and to the west the Pilot House and Coastwatch facilities that support safe coastal access, and provide kiosk, toilets and first aid facilities. The Beach Park is well used year around and provides important connecting path routes and access for recreational users and dog walkers. The majority of the area is maintained and natural grasslands with limited shelterbelt style planting connecting with woodland to Marine Drive. Play Provision: NAC has recently completed a small play facility within Beach Drive (NAC Housing). Equipped play parks are also located within housing areas in the recent Dublin Quay development. Less formal play space is associated with the Beach Park in the form of landscape mounds and has also historically included a small skate park and a crazy golf close to the Boating Pond. Informal and creative play activity occurs across the Beach Park and within the coastal margins and beach zones. Boating Pond: The Boating Pond is used during events for Model Boating and a local model Boat Club use the facility. Wider recreational uses are limited. The pond is shallow and has limited flushing and can suffer from blue-green algae during summer months. Wider uses of the pond and improvements to facilities (signage/ lighting / seating / innovative play, outdoor gym) and water access could be considered. Biodiversity: NAC and partners, recognising the policy framework of NPF4 and through LBAP 2019-2031, are seeking to protect and enhance biodiversity across the region through ecosystem restoration, investment in natural capital, improving greenspace and supporting sustainable management of land, marine, freshwater and coastal ecosystems. Target areas relevant to the study area include Greenspace, Coastal Sand Dunes and a wide area of potential under ecosystem regeneration. The LBAP has specific reference to the Girvan to Irvine Nectar Network (Task 3.1 / 3.2 / 4.4) and a number of actions relative to estuarine sites. Public Art & Trails: The Carter and his Horse public art (HAC) celebrates the contribution of carters to the success of Irvine in the 1700s and 1800s. Carters were the hauliers - carting goods from the harbour as far as Glasgow, and carting coals down for loading onto the sailing ships. The Carters remain an active organisation supporting events and heritage in Irvine. The ‘Herbour Dauner’ is a heritage trail from the Station Bridge to the Pilot house marked with 11 ‘Blue Plaques’ and telling a little of the history about people and place Harbourside. Other local walks and trails include the Carter's Trail (Carters & Coastal Culture). The Burns Club organises a summer season of Harbourside Tours. The Beach Park includes the Stone Dragon (reclining dragon sculpture built in red sandstone) that formed part of the Beach Park upgrading and created a viewpoint towards the southern end of the park. 37
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Great Harbour Masterplan 25 Great Harbour offers a range of attractions, events and activity that create the destination and whilst active travel and local community pedestrian access forms a substantive element of the public realm enhancement, parking provision is also important. The Council strongly supports a reduction in non-essential car journeys but equally wants to attract visitors / tourists to the Great Harbour and is seeking to extend and grow the event programme. The objective is to look to re-assign visitor traffic away from busy pedestrian and residential streets (Harbour Street / Montgomery Road /Gottries Road) towards Harbour Road and Beach Drive through new integrated streetscape measures and the introduction of a 20mph Zone, traffic calming and signage. Reducing parking accessed from Harbour Street and providing parking accessed from Beach Drive will allow greater segregation of resident and visitor parking and reduce traffic movement and through-traffic and create a safer environment for residents and pedestrians and cyclists. 1.10 Public Parking Supporting the Destination The existing Harbourside and Beach Park area parking is considered adequate to meet current and future visitor demand with the masterplan supporting active travel and maintaining existing parking levels. Parking can, however, be better provided to ensure pedestrian safety, make key sites more accessible (for all modes), and to allow parking areas to offer hard-standing areas and support for events. The current parking on the River Irvine frontage will be retained. Upgrading parking areas to provide safer and more appealing parking areas through design would enhance the visitor experience without a loss of parking provision. Future active travel and public realm improvements may involve the loss of some on-street visitor parking. Additional parking is therefore identified behind the Harbour Masters Office building. Total parking provision will remain unchanged and will be located as follows: Site 1 Irvine Waterfront Car Park (300 spaces) Enhancement to the existing car park on the Waterfront connecting to the Maritime Mile and the Coastal Hub (Pilot House, Beach Park and Play Park) with good footpath and footway connections across the rest of the site and supporting both major and local events across the Harbourside and Beach Park areas. Site 2 Harbour Point Car Park (35 spaces) Retention of the existing car park at Harbour Point to the coastal side of the Beach Facilities (toilets/kiosk) connecting into the top of the Maritime Mile and the Coastal Hub and providing good access for those with limited mobility, and capacity to access, view and enjoy the coast during off- season/poor weather. Site 3 Boating Pond / Beach Park Car Park (85 Spaces) Upgrading and potential for minor reorganisation/extension to the existing Boating Pond car park. Local car park and parking/ hardstanding to support events (associated coach/bus parking) and providing good access to the Boating Pond. Site 4 Harbour Master’s Car Park (42 Spaces) Ancillary local access will also be provided to the rear of the Harbour Master’s Office with 42 additional spaces and scoping for additional EV charging points according to growing demand. All sites will look to provide cycle parking (NAC Cycle Stands) and with all parking areas offering reserve parking areas for Blue Badge / disability users, as well as the provision of the EV charging points, when possible. Residential parking associated with the potential Portland Beach Drive leisure and/or housing site is allocated separately and would be provided within small internal courts, on-street or within the curtilage of properties. The summary position relative to existing and proposed public carparking within the Great Harbour is as follows: • Existing Parking Provision 420 spaces • Proposed future parking 460 spaces • Residential parking Additional to Visitor/ Local Parking. Provision to NAC Planning Guidance 39
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26 Great Harbour Masterplan Urban infrastructure provides the supporting elements within the neighbourhood associated with movement, access and services. Harbourside developed around a busy harbour with a roads infrastructure that provides local access (Harbour Street/ Gottries Road) with more strategic access (Beach Drive /Harbour Road/ Marine Drive). Land use is mixed and with a history of industrial land-use and large boundary industrial uses (Ardagh Glass) access and services remain important. The majority of the undeveloped land has had former industrial land-uses with potential implications for future use. 1.11 Community & Services Infrastructure Land Ownership: North Ayrshire Council (NAC) are the predominant landowner across the undeveloped areas of the Harbourside. The Irvine Harbour Company (IHC) is part of NPL Limited who own Ardeer and who, as statutory Harbour Authority, have significant control over the harbour, harbour quays/ wharves and related infrastructure. Any works requiring a Harbour Revision Order will require IHC approval. The Harbour Authority requires access to be retained to operational assets. NAC owns and leases to IHC a number of assets including the Public Slipway. Agreements on access / wayleaves may also be necessary with statutory authorities. Crown Estate are understood to be the landowner below the MHW (Mean High Water) and own all land below MLW (Mean Low Water). Flood Risk: NAC has recently completed a Lower Irvine Flood Study (NAC/ RPS) in dialogue with SEPA. The Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) addresses the masterplan area and proposed developments and has been completed to parameters agreed with SEPA taking account of latest forecasts for climate change. The Flood Study confirms areas of flood risk. The Flood Risk Assessment advises that none of the areas considered for residential built development are potentially vulnerable to flood risk (1:300-year events) and can be considered as potential development areas in accordance with LDP2. The full FRA will support any future planning applications for housing and other facilities and assess and report on flood resilience as well as vulnerability classification. Ground Conditions: The majority of the Harbourside area not in residential use by 1960 formed part of either the port or industrial area. Both port and industry involved potentially contaminative land-use with known heavy metal, slag, hydrocarbons and asbestos related contamination identified within the area. The 'Blue Billie' deposits formed local encapsulated deposits of ferric ferrocyanides in the area. Site remediation historically involved encapsulation of waste with all future developments requiring extensive Site Investigation and remedial action. Stripping of soils in all areas potentially forming domestic garden ground is likely to be a minimum requirement. NAC's development at Beach Drive (1.9ha) involved significant site remediation costs. Future applications will include Site Investigation information on a site-by-site basis. Revetments and Waterfront Infrastructure Water-edge structures (revetments /retaining structures/ wharves/ quays) defining the land-water edge may have changed over time leaving a legacy of below ground structures (piles / tie bars/ retaining structures) with implications for development. These are likely to be located on sites with previous development history and on the River Irvine frontage. All development sites will require site investigation and carry risks for land remediation. Below ground structures (tie bars / tension anchors) may introduce abnormal development costs. The Old/Upper Wharf is a large timber deck structure managed and maintained by NAC. NAC have completed an assessment of the wharf condition and note it would require significant investment to stabilise and restore as a part of the waterfront. 40
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Great Harbour Masterplan 27 Street Design The proposals for the Great Harbour look to enhance place quality and specifically to reduce non-essential vehicular movement and encourage public transport and active travel. The design proposals adopt Designing Streets principles putting place before movement reducing speeds through design to make streets more liveable, walkable and safer. Reducing traffic speed (20 mph zone) is supported with active frontages, street and junction geometry, street detailing including promoting multiple points of pedestrian and cycle access and street boundary landscaping. Public Transport Harbourside has good public transport interchanges within 15 –20-minute walk / 5 min cycle times including both bus and rail. Increasing demand for services (Destination Development / Housing / Play and Beach Park activity) could help support stronger public transport provision and an extended bus service to the Beach Park. NAC are keen to promote stronger public transport connections that help support sustainable place and reduce the need for car-based transport. Education & Schools Capacity Consultation and engagement with Education Services around education provision will be required. Local school provision and capacity within the area, will require forward planning and provisions made and secured based on residential phasing and the arrangements for developer contributions. Strategic Roads Connections & Access Harbourside has strong connections to the town centre and public transport interchanges (rail /bus) together with local bus services and connections. Subject to the scale of development proposals an assessment of the strategic junctions on the trunk road network may be required including those identified in the Irvine Bay Transport Protocol of 2015 (eg. Bellfield Interchange, Kilmarnock). Utilities: All main utilities and services are provided within the Harbourside (electricity/gas/water/drainage). Surface water discharges from residential uses are typically attenuated and/ or direct to the estuary. A number of major sewers and outfalls occur within the site that have the potential to impact on development. 41
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28 Great Harbour Masterplan Illustration of some of the boards used at the Public Consultation Event 42
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Great Harbour Masterplan 29 The Masterplan was drafted and reviewed by Council Officers in advance of progressing consultation and local engagement with local groups and communities. A Great Harbour draft masterplan public consultation was progressed in March and April 2023 to ensure the development framework and Ayrshire Growth Deal (AGD) investment in the redevelopment of the Irvine Harbourside aligns with local priorities and meets local needs. The consultation included events within Harbourside (HAC) and by providing copies of the information boards at the Council offices, libraries and community buildings. The consultation material and methodology were developed with the involvement of local community representatives through a Stakeholder Reference Group. 1.12 Public Consultation & Engagement Feedback and Community Responses (Full Report in Appendices) The consultation sought to be as open and inclusive as possible and invited comment and views from across the community. The views were gathered via online and paper surveys during the public events and displays, and also presentations and walkarounds provided to local groups and stakeholders. A total of 152 responses were submitted. In addition, a dedicated workshop was organised focusing on specific issues around access and activity on water and within open public spaces. Workshops were also carried out with young people and hard to reach groups and will continue throughout the next development phases. Main Issues The majority of responses were supportive of all the varied proposals recognising the opportunity for the regeneration of the harbourside and included very constructive advice reflective of local context. There was overall support to improve the public realm and access along the Harbourside and the activity hubs proposed. The site, which attracted the most balanced views regarding options, was the Waterfront site at Beach Drive. Options included leaving the car park area as existing or developing the site for housing at some time in the future and subject to funding being available. The future development options at the Portland site received more support. The main concerns from the feedback focused on: • sufficient provision of public amenities, including toilets, along the Harbourside; • adequate traffic management recognising access needs of vehicles towing watercrafts and improving perceived safety for non-vehicle users; • adequate maintenance; • adequate waste management and introducing recycling; and • protection of place assets, including heritage and cultural assets. Some respondents also expressed a level of disbelief that all of the proposals could be delivered. Changes & Adoption of Local Views into the Masterplan The consultation allowed community groups and residents to comment and feedback on their thoughts and have informed the draft masterplan. The main changes to the masterplan are as follows : AGD Delivered Projects:- • The Maritime Mile public realm proposals were over- whelmingly supported and these proposals along with the Coastal Hub and Play Facility will be addressed as a priority for delivery. Masterplan Elements delivered by Partners:- • Housing proposals for a section of the waterfront between Beach Drive and the River Irvine have not been progressed with new housing limited to the Portland-Beach Drive site. • Housing / Leisure or a Mixed-Use re-development of the former Portland site was supported and all options have bene retained within the masterplan and include for small local convenience retail / support services • Car parking spaces have been retained and the main parking area for the waterfront, Beach Park and Coast has been retained in its current location. • The need for public transport accessibility and active travel (safe walking / cycling routes) has been reinforced within the report. As a result of feedback in order to distinguish between projects funded by AGD investment and those presenting future opportunities, the latter are indicated in this masterplan by a coloured page frame. 43
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30 Great Harbour Masterplan 01 Maritime Mile 02 Harbourside Housing 03 Leisure Related Development 2.0 Masterplan Detailed Elements 44
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Great Harbour Masterplan 31 2.0 Masterplan Detailed Elements Building quality places requires both innovative planning and a creative and coherent design process. The process should be inclusive, forward looking and should build on local history and community aspirations to allow the plan to grow, evolve and be self-sustaining. Urban place-making works when it creates value for both resident and visitor and envisions a quality of place where the whole delivers a value greater than the sum of the parts. Harbourside is an existing community. It includes homes, businesses, the Scottish Maritime Museum, Beach Park and coast and a range of community organisations and activities. The core of the Harbourside is a designated Conservation Area. New investment should further strengthen Harbourside as a place to live, work, visit, learn and play. The masterplan includes provisions to retain existing user and interest groups and looks to work with local interests to unlock further investment that supports participation and creates activity within the site. Sustaining and growing the community needs a balance that supports existing activity whilst encouraging and managing new elements and new investment. An important element of place quality and a positive user experience is site maintenance and management. While the design proposals do seek to adopt a low maintenance approach (stainless steel / non- painted finishes/ durable materials /etc), standard streetscene operations, such as litter collection, cleansing and repairs, will require additional resource alongside existing operations and management. The core elements that the masterplan addresses are summarised below: 2.1: Maritime Mile Investing in the public realm to create an appealing waterfront connection between the Station and the Coast, creating an attractive and appealing waterfront public realm developed around three key destination hubs. 2.1.1 The Maritime Mile Waterfront A high quality and unified public realm along the entire route. Treatment of waterfront elements including the Wharf. 2.1.2 Coastal Hub Building a quality play facility and upgrading existing beach facilities to extend the appeal of the Beach Park & Coast . 2.1.3 Marine & Creative Arts Hub A mix of arts venues, leisure, food & drink outlets and watersports clustered around an events space to create an activity hub. 2.1.4 Maritime Heritage Hub Extending and rebuilding the Puffer Café with an Educational/Arts/Creative space for the Scottish Maritime Museum alongside a refurbished café. 2.2: Harbourside Housing Housing developed on the brownfield site in a strong well connected location, reinforcing 20 Minute Neighbourhood. 2.3: Leisure Related Developments Overlapping with the Maritime Mile hubs (2.1 above). 2.3.1 Beach Park Event Space / Arena Developing the existing Harbourside-Beach Park Event Arena space extending from the Play Park to the Boating Pond and offering the capacity for Irvine to host major national/ regional outdoor events. 2.3.2 Harbour Master's Office – Mixed-Use Tourism & Leisure Developing the Harbour Master’s Office and immediate local area for Mixed-Use Tourism & Leisure Uses (arts & crafts / food and beverage /heritage) compatible with the Harbourside could include small craft based retail, food and beverage and leisure and tourism related small business and enterprise activity and could also operate as a small event and exhibition space and venue for other community/commercial activities. 2.3.3 Harbour Point – Community Hub & Restaurant Developing a hub clustered around the Beach Pavilion working with Coastwatch and others to create a new purpose-built facility providing a range of services for the Beach/ Beach Park and potential commercial café/restaurant operating from the upper floor. 2.3.4 Portland Leisure Development Site Portland offers opportunity for housing or a mixed-use with commercial leisure. Ideas based on a hotel/leisure/watersport/ conference facility have been explored by a private sector developer. This would be an alternative to the site being advanced for housing. 45
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32 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.1 Maritime Mile Maritime Heritage HUB Marine & Creative Arts HUB Coastal HUB & Beach Park including Play The Maritime Mile Waterfront 46
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Great Harbour Masterplan 33 2.1Maritime Mile The Maritime Mile connects Irvine Town Centre with the Coast through a single, connected, high quality public realm, highlighted along its length with points of interest, activity and animation clustered around three core hubs. Each hub makes a distinctive contribution to the experience of the Harbourside, ensuring that the 'Maritime Mile' is a linear waterfront of regional appeal and with the capacity to drive additional local and visitor activity and footfall that supports place-making and regeneration. Central to the strategy for Maritime Mile is the creation of a 'string-of attractions' that draws the visitor from coast-to- town and from town-to-coast facilitating a range of experiences and events. The experiences collectively add up to a memorable visit, encouraging return visits and further engagement with all the Maritime Mile offers. The Maritime Mile will establish a public infrastructure to connect the core attractions and become the catalyst for further private, public and third sector investment. The three key focal points will consist of: • The Maritime Mile Waterfront - creating a single, coherent, and connected waterfront public realm route that provides an attractive and appealing link between the Town Centre and the Coast. Also forms a means of connecting the following three activity hubs. • Coastal Hub (West) – where the river meets the sea, connections to the coast, Pilot House and Beach Park facilities incorporating a major new regional play and event arena within a new park setting. • Marine & Creative Arts Hub (Centre) – a point where direct access to the river is made at the pontoons and an events space can be formed around arts venues, leisure, F&B and watersports activities. • Maritime Heritage Hub (East) – a location where SMM can connect to the river to showcase its heritage vessels, introduce Harbourside's heritage and fully exploit and communicate its maritime connection. A series of connecting public realm and active travel links join these Hubs to each other and connect with the Railway Station/ Town Centre and the Maritime Museum. The legibility of the Maritime Mile route is signalled and strengthened with a common family of materials and detailing. The Maritime Mile strengthens existing assets and develops and extends a range of opportunities, experience, facilities, and activities which build on the unique qualities and place and heritage assets of the Harbourside. These include: • Quality of built heritage & Conservation Area designation • Strong local community with many local groups (Residents/ Heritage Groups/ Watersport/ etc) • Active water-sports club/ marina and pontoon facilities/ slipway - and club infrastructure (IWSC/ISAC) • Arts & Culture offering – at Harbour Arts Centre (HAC) & Wasp Studios including secondary arts/craft retailing including new gallery at the extended Puffer Café operated by the SMM • Established independent local food and beverage businesses of quality • Beach Park open space with strong and growing events programme • Position and connections to the National Coastal Route • Access to one of West of Scotland's finest and longest beach frontages Investment seeks to support new and additional private and third sector enterprise and promote future inward investment in event, tourism, residential and mixed-use development that can add to and strengthen the Harbourside area and provide for its long-term sustainable future. 47
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34 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.1.1 The Maritime Mile Waterfront 48
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Great Harbour Masterplan 35 2.1.1 The Maritime Mile Waterfront The Waterfront is Irvine's strongest place asset and is the primary route connecting the Town Centre, Rail and Bus interchanges with the Beach Park and Coast. The route is aligned from the Rail Station along Montgomery Street to Harbour Street and past the Pilot House to the Harbour Point. The route extends to approximately 1600 metres (1760 yards) with the waterfront pedestrian experience effectively starting at the Maritime Museum / Puffer Café and terminating at the Beach Pavilion with open views to the north and west along Harbour Street. The waterfront needs to celebrate its place qualities and create a public realm that both unites and connects its diverse attractions to create a sense of place that can make the most of its views, capacity for water access, facilities and vibrancy. Critical to this element of place-making will be: • Enhancing the waterfront 'edge' or waterfront balustrade as a quality uniting element to connect the varied places, spaces and activity zones within a single waterfront promenade. • Developing the concept of the 'string of pearls' as three major hubs that carry the visitor through the three hubs - heritage / hospitality / play as represented by the SMM@Great Harbour, Marine & Creative Arts Hub and new Play Facility within the Coastal Hub – Beach Park. • Developing a high quality, and low maintenance, family of street detailing and furniture (bollards / seating / water-edge and boundary details) that adds character and animation to the waterfront experience and enhances the Conservation Area. • Promoting community enterprise activity within 'waterfront kiosks' as summer franchise facilities (coffee / ice-cream/ snacks / etc) or small community spaces. • Making use of innovative lighting to support early evening activity and the evening economy and offer safe active travel routes and add additional character and vibrancy. • Addressing traffic movement on Harbour Street by reducing through traffic, limiting visitor car parking, introducing a 20mph zone and promoting active travel including re-balancing road/parking space to improve pedestrian and cycle facilities and support reduction in short/non-essential trips . • Re-integration into the public realm the areas of industrial dereliction (wharf / laydown areas) and land adjacent to the slipway. • Repainting and addressing the externals to the Harbour Pilot House to allow its incorporation within and upgraded landscape setting as part of the Coastal Hub and secure opportunity for longer-term uses. The Maritime Mile is more than the connecting elements between the activity hubs. It creates the structure around which residents and visitors can enjoy and celebrate the waterfront and it needs to demonstrate that this 'connecting ribbon' has a recognised place value and defines a linear public realm and active travel corridor connecting town and coast where events, activity and hospitality are all part of the experience and the public are encouraged to enjoy and explore. 49
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36 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.1.2 Coastal Hub 50
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Great Harbour Masterplan 37 Developing a Coastal Hub and Enhancing the Beach Park The Beach Park is a major asset for Irvine and the Harbourside with the intent of the masterplan to enhance this space to ensure it better meets the needs of local communities whilst contributing to the destination and adding enhanced facilities for those visiting the coast, beach, and Ayrshire Coastal Path. Coastal Hub masterplan objectives: • Enhance the Beach Park as an open, accessible greenspace and public realm asset • Develop inclusive facilities to extend its value and use for all including improving disability access • Protect the open space and open qualities and flexibility of space for casual and informal activity • Create quality, barrier free inclusive play facilities for all ages and interests • Provide an Events Arena for larger Harbourside events • Make stronger connections with the coast, facilities and other waterfront attractions • Create a Beach Park that is accessible, safe and that encourages exploration and supports active travel • Improve the infrastructure and accessibility (all modes) • Upgrade and improve existing facilities alongside the new facilities • Create an enhanced park with enhanced biodiversity and ease of management. The Coast, Beach Park and Waterfront collectively create a place of appeal, fun and family experiences focussed on the Harbour Point, Beach, Pilot House and connections across the wider Beach Park. Parks and greenspaces are important for physical health and well-being including mental health and contact with natural eco-systems and nature. Making the Beach Park more attractive with the introduction of new play and park facilities should also consider how best to balance the needs for quiet space, informal recreation together with the need to provide for a range of local event activities including seasonal large events such as Making Waves or similar. 2.1.2 Coastal Hub Coastal Hub includes a new Play Park, upgraded Event Space and Beach Park. 51
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38 Great Harbour Masterplan Play Design A major element of the project proposals is the development of a quality play facility within the Coastal Hub. Play is essential to children and young people’s physical, social and cognitive development and the design will look to develop unique opportunities for innovative play experiences. Councils are now required to complete Play Sufficiency Assessments and the new play park will add to both the quality and range of facilities available within the area. Innovative & Inclusive Play Facilities Play facilities help children to establish relationships with other children in their community and have a positive effect on community cohesion. Play has an important role in developing social networks both for children and adults and can have a significant role in community-based regeneration. Today’s children and young people generally have fewer opportunities for outdoor play than previous generations due in large part to increasing traffic levels, concerns about risk, and negative attitudes towards young people. The challenge for play design is to provide the best possible play opportunities, and to create play spaces which will attract children, capture their imagination and give them scope to play in new, more exciting, and more creative ways. The masterplan looks to embrace best practice and adopt the key principles underpinning successful play spaces. 52
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Great Harbour Masterplan 39 These include: • Design: providing bespoke design solutions and limiting standard manufacturer product • Location: securing a good well connected, safe and accessible location with supporting facilities • Local: meeting local needs and serving and supporting local communities • Diverse: provide a wide range of play experiences that combine the use of natural elements • Unsegregated: allow children choice and the opportunity for different ages to play together • Inclusive: are accessible to all users including disabled and non- disabled children • Challenging: offer opportunities to experience risk and challenge • Maintained: are well maintained and are of durable, sustainable quality • Community: support the needs of local community and carers • Adaptable: provide for adaptability and events/semi-organised activity Access to the outdoors also gives children more space to explore, challenge themselves, develop skills and encourages activity supporting health and well-being. The Play Park facility should easily connect with the wider assets of the Coast / Beach Park / Event Arena that offer further informal and incidental play spaces supporting exploration as part of a visit and range of experiences suitable for all age and ability groups. Concept ideas and draft proposals for the new Beach Park Play Park have been part of the project early consultation and engagement. Local communities through the consultation events for both the Great Harbour Masterplan and Play Park have positively supported the need and value of a major play facility within the Beach Park complementing the wider attractions of the coast, beach and Harbourside. 2.1.2 Coastal HUB & Beach Park 53
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40 Great Harbour Masterplan The Coastal Hub a Destination & Gateway to the Beach Park The centrepiece elements of the Coastal Hub will be the Play Park, Pilot House and its upgraded park setting together with the Beach Pavilion providing readily accessible toilets and facilities. The proposals promote wider unstructured play and leisure uses (walking- jogging/ cycling/ skating /climbing /dog - walking /sightseeing) and would readily incorporate innovation around ideas for outdoor gym and play-exercise activity, public arts and trails. Active leisure, trim trails and outdoor gym facilities are being incorporated into the Beach Park. Path connections focus on connections between the Pilot House - Play Park – Beach Pavilion creating safe crossings around traffic calmed access/service roads and car parks. A 20-mph zone with appropriate speed restricting measures and segregated walkways /cycleways form part of the proposals. The Coastal Hub and Play Park will form the initial phase of investment for the Maritime Mile with the intent that this is part of the early contract delivery and is fully operational by 2026. 54
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Great Harbour Masterplan 41 The Beach Pavilion is tired, near the end of its useful economic life and in need of replacement. The proposals look to retain all existing activities and upgrade the facilities under the existing NAC/Coastwatch management arrangement whilst adding a new café-restaurant. This would operate from the first floor with an open extended balcony offering hospitality with view across Outer Clyde to Arran. The Pilot House Point Car Park would be retained. The area around the Pilot House will include a new landscaped park setting that reflects the coastal location and celebrates the heritage of the Irvine Waterfront and Pilot House. Use of boulders, sand and gravels, marine elements and native grasses, native wildflowers and herbaceous materials will create a distinctive palette of materials contributing to local biodiversity. The Beach Park in addition to its local park function has also hosted major summer events (Radio 1 Roadshow / Making Waves). The design development of the park needs to enhance the location for small/medium/larger events. Details of 'Lessons Learnt' and feedback from the Making Waves 2022 Event has been incorporated into the developing design. Proposals for the Beach Park Events Arena are set out below in section 2.3.1. 2.1.2 Coastal HUB & Beach Park 55
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42 Great Harbour Masterplan Coast & Waterfront Access The beach and coastal access between Irvine and Troon are an important asset for recreation and biodiversity with opportunity to enhance both assets. The main recreational walk follows the Ayrshire Coastal Path along sandy beaches, pavements and tracks. The Irvine to Troon section is circa 10 kms and provides a 3 hour walk or 40-60 min cycle. Local environment (grassland /dunes /dune slacks /beach) offer a rich and varied flora and fauna of high visual interest Enhancement and managed access to the beach to control erosion and minimise habitat disturbance may be required in areas of high visitor use (Irvine Harbour Point / South Beach Car Park. Local art / public realm projects provide points of interest on the route. These elements (The Dragon) could be enhanced though additional surfacing, signage and waymarking. Biodiversity Enhancement The Ayrshire Coastal margin and its habitats (sand dune system / salt marsh) are important elements of a geo-environmental ecosystem that protects the coastal margins and provides a natural defence to coastal flooding. The National Planning Framework (NPF4) seeks all developments to protect and enhance local biodiversity with opportunities both within development and in the management of greenspace and open space networks. The Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) identifies priority habitats and species (NALBAP 2019-31) including Coastal Habitats and the four inter-connected elements of: Coastal sand dunes / Coastal vegetated shingle / Coastal Salt Marsh / Maritime Cliffs and slopes. The following task/actions are identified: • Task 3.1: Establish ways in which the Council can measurably contribute to the growth of the Irvine to Girvan Nectar Network (IGNN), which aims to improve pollinator habitat management • Task 3.2: Consider implementation of planting and management regimes developed through Irvine to Girvan Nectar Network and Garnock’s Buzzing projects for vacant land sites and where possible close to coastal habitats such as beach parks. Intensification of activity and improved access to the coast and coastal assets will introduce additional pressures on the coastal margin and sand dune system. This could introduce risks of sand dune and coastal erosion and may require further interventions, public access control and visitor management. Interventions to assist sustainable management and minimise impacts on habitat, dune stability and erosion should be considered in areas of increased public use. Protecting natural systems and providing for ecosystem management will protect habitat and create opportunity to provide for biodiversity. Dune systems are sensitive to erosion with chestnut pale fencing, limited ecological planting and a greater awareness of areas of habitat sensitivity in higher footfall areas would all contribute to habitat protection and enhancement. 56
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Great Harbour Masterplan 43 2.1.2 Coastal HUB & Beach Park Developing the Pilot House The Pilot House was a tidal marker station patented by Martin Boyd and a unique element of maritime heritage. The fifty-foot tower which housed the system was completed in 1906. The system along with the commercial activity in the Harbour declined in the early 1970s and the building stands today as an iconic symbol of innovation. The Pilot House will be a feature element of the enhanced park and support community based activities. The Pilot House needs investment to restore the building as a feature of the park. The building is very small and historically operated simply as a tower or elevated platform to provide line-of -sight for vessels entering the harbour. A number of ideas have been promoted but most important is simply ensuring the building is in good condition, visually attractive and well interpreted as part of the Pilot House Park, with ideally a replica 'signal device' expressing its historical purpose. The building is of historic importance with its unique contribution to harbour pilotage and should be celebrated as a 'unique local place- reference or marker' within the Maritime Mile. The proposal would be to work with the Harbour Authority, Community Groups and others with an interest in maritime heritage to as a minimum externally restore the building and integrate it into the park and to work with local organisations to make a Heritage Lottery Fund application / Your Heritage application to provide a restoration of the rooftop apparatus (Balls / Lights / Eclipsers) re-establishing this small piece of unique local history. A quality park setting, feature lighting and heritage interpretation will offer a foundation as enabling works on which Community Groups and others can look to make further use of the buildings ground floor (and possibly upper reinstated floors) for local community-based activity. 57
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44 Great Harbour Masterplan 58
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Great Harbour Masterplan 45 Coast & Beach Park Arrival & Parking The Coast Hub forms a major visitor destination terminating the Maritime Mile. The Coastal Hub includes the Pilot House, Beach Park Play Facility, Event Arena and together with the beach and coast / coastal walks form a complementary group of attractions. Critically these need to offer good safe and appealing connections with the wider Harbourside and Town Centre and integrate with capacity for active travel, public transport and car-based access. The planning and design for the Coastal Hub has focussed on creating a zone with safe, legible connections meeting the needs of both residents and visitors and encouraging exploration of the area’s wider heritage, place and environmental assets. Vehicular access to the Beach Park would be best signed and directed to use Harbour Road, Portland Road and Marine Drive accessing Beach Drive at the gateway created by the Portland Roundabout. Consideration should be given to restricting through movement on Harbour Street either through seasonal traffic management measures or a permanent street closure at the Marine & Creative Arts Hub. The primary desire lines are along the Maritime Mile within and around the Pilot House and Harbour Point including the Coastwatch facility, and both access to and walks along the coast. Active travel connections into and through the Beach Park and between main points of arrival and the Play Park, Event Arena and current and future Harbour Point facilities are a primary consideration alongside planning for car, vehicular and emergency service access. The masterplan proposes the retention of the existing car parks and car parking capacity to support tourism and event activity and avoid conflicts with residential amenity. It would be hoped that opportunity may exist to improve public transport services within the area as the demand grows. The masterplan envisages a phased transition that will help contribute to the national target to reduce car kilometres by 20% by 2030 providing strong support for active travel, promoting additional public transport connections and looking to ensure car parking reflects the destination requirements whilst not encouraging car-based access. Parking requirements will be actively monitored to align with the development of facilities/attractions and events with the intent of maximising opportunity for active travel modes and extending sustainable travel choice and public transport. 2.1.2 Coastal HUB & Beach Park 59
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46 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.1.3 Marine & Creative Arts Hub 60
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Great Harbour Masterplan 47 The Marine and Creative Arts Hub will look to build on the existing harbour activity addressing, within a pedestrian-friendly and connected area of public realm, the waterfront wharf, slipway and pontoons facilities and all the supporting visitor facilities of the HAC/ Wasp Studios, Gro Coffee and other food and beverage offers (Harbour Master's Office redevelopment). The Hub will form a vibrant activity zone offering riverside access, an event and activity space and strong local services creating a destination at the mid-point of the Maritime Mile. The hub will incorporate a large single surface plaza that will encourage spill-out and outdoor activity from the Ship Inn, HAC Café, HAC Arts & Gallery, WASP Studios and Marine Hotel and link to GRO Coffee and to co -located areas created by the Wharf and the River Irvine Slipway. The main elements will include: • New plaza & frontages– defining a large events/ gathering space supporting food and beverage offerings with attractive river outlook with open views to the floating pontoons, moorings, and marina activity. • The Heritage and Leisure Craft Moorings to the pontoons will be retained and extended whenever funding allows to support water-based activity (heritage moorings / leisure craft) with enhancement to the Community Watersports Slipway –a focus for leisure activity with improved new facilities supporting Irvine Water Sports Club. • Street improvements to create an Active Travel Corridor along the waterfront extending footways and addressing historical clutter and under-maintained waterside edges to create a safe pedestrian environment with new Off-Street car parking accessible from Beach Drive to the rear of the HAC and the Harbour Master's Office. The Active Travel Corridor will connect to the Core Path network and new residential areas. 2.1.3 Marine & Creative Arts Activity Hub 61
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48 Great Harbour Masterplan The Wharf The Wharf is a sectional timber and concrete berthing structure on two levels extending from the Ship Plaza westward to the Harbour Master's Office and extends for some 238 metres alongside the River Irvine. The Wharf forms part of the original deep-water berth of the River Irvine and is currently unutilised and fenced off due to the condition of the timber deck. The first 150m of the wharf is made up of greenheart timber boards supported on greenheart piles and larch timber members. The secondary wall is another 88m metres that is constructed of sheet piles and supports a concrete deck with timber cope beams. The Harbourside is no longer used as a commercial port/harbour for freight or goods and the wharf structure has therefore not been maintained. Irvine Harbour wharf consists of two main sections. The eastern end of the wharf is constructed from a variety of timber boards and struts, which form to a timber board deck. Timber trim boards are installed at approximately 4.0m below the timber deck, to form a retaining wall structure. Rock armour / stone is shown as a sloping revetment to the back of the timber wharf. Front timber piles are found at approx. 1.9m centres along the length of the timber structure. The western end of the wharf is of sheet pile wall construction, consisting of sheet piles continuously, with timber fenders at approx. 2.0m centres. 62
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Great Harbour Masterplan 49 2.1.3 Marine & Creative Arts Hub NAC completed a comprehensive non-intrusive engineering assessment of the condition of the wharf in 2019 (RPS Structural & Condition Assessment). The main findings were: • The timber wharf sub-structure is in generally acceptable/ fair condition • The wharf deck (Chg. 0-150metres) requires complete replacement • Additional works are required to the sub-structure and diagonal bracing together with replacement works for some piles/joist, cope beams and structural members • Refurbishment of bollards/mooring ring/ ladder furniture. The refurbished wharf will retain a significant element of the waterfront heritage, provide a deck for viewing, moorings and water access with the intent of encouraging event and leisure uses including spill-out from food and beverage and gallery/ art studios on Harbour Street. The potential for provision of a further kiosk (see: IDC Waterfront Kiosks) as a service point and outlet on the hardstanding to the frontage of Gro-Coffee would be considered acceptable if commercial operators advised interest. The facility would help provide additional animation of the space during the summer months and supported with outdoor seating create could offer an additional outdoor eating space – subject to NAC Licensing. 63
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50 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.1.4 Maritime Heritage Hub 64
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Great Harbour Masterplan 51 2.1.4 Maritime Heritage Hub An important element of the Harbourside and proposals for the Maritime Mile is the development of the Scottish Maritime Museum’s presence on the waterfront and the ability for marine heritage to support a new vibrant Harbourside setting. The proposals for SMM @ Great Harbour are an important project element of the Ayrshire Growth Deal that can support place-making and regeneration. The Growth Deal funding looks to support a waterfront destination that can transform the tourism and the visitor potential of Ayrshire and the Clyde Coast. The Scottish Maritime Museum share an ambition to celebrate the Maritime Mile with a new visitor attraction building audiences, inclusive participation and education around maritime heritage and arts. The new facility will complement the Linthouse Museum. The SMM is a stand-alone organisation with a national remit to research, collect and curate Maritime Arts as part of Scotland’s maritime heritage. The SMM owns and holds a collection of national significance. The SMM art collection and interpretation of Maritime Arts is limited within the Linthouse Building with SMM seeking to develop a specialist facility alongside the facilities on the waterfront. SMM are seeking to develop a flexible multi-use ‘Community based flexible Exhibition & Gallery Space' creating a new waterfront focus for the SMM and a clear new ‘destination point’ on the Maritime Mile. The main facility will house the gallery, shop, café, and a training/ education space. The facility's new public realm arrangements make a provision for a dry dock/slipway allowing for exhibiting of existing and visiting heritage vessels to become part of the heritage external exhibition and the education and training provision. SMM are also keen to be a hub for wider community and 3rd sector activity and will also look to house community-based organisations within basic workshop units to the rear car-park areas with ability to access toilets and shared facilities / utilities. 65
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52 Great Harbour Masterplan Exhibition Gallery Space The new facility combines elements of gallery, community, education and harbour services sharing many of these functions with the Puffer Building and creating a new inclusive ‘hub’ on the waterfront that supports the maritime arts collection and the remit of SMM whilst also supporting the interpretation of maritime heritage and supporting the SMM’s educational remit together with community programmes and visitor interest. The Gallery Space will add to the facilities and be complementary to space within the Linthouse Building and will provide a single gallery for maritime arts exhibits, exhibitions and community arts projects. The single gallery concept will extend the functionality of the Puffer Cafe facilitate and continue to use Puffer as the services facility (restaurant / café / retail) for the extended project. The extended Puffer/Exhibition space has been designed to provide: • A Puffer Café redevelopment and extension making full use of the waterside location with low level vernacular fisher-shed styled buildings clustered around the amended slipway. • Create a single gallery space of circa 300-400 m2 incorporating reception/ orientation / educational space and toilets. • Retain the low extended form of the Puffer Café building and integrate the upgraded building to create a single multi-user facility. • Create an external public realm, education, training and event space to the frontage connecting into the Maritime Mile. 66
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Great Harbour Masterplan 53 The Gallery element of the building has been designed to provide: • A single gallery with barrier free access showcasing the SMM’s maritime arts collection and visiting maritime history exhibitions. • Indirect northern natural lighting. Objects are protected from unnecessary exposure to UV and direct light, e.g. when the museum is closed. Storage areas are kept dark when not in use. • Temperature humidity control: The gallery aims to maintain conditions which are as stable as possible, within the range 12 – 20°C and 45 – 60% RH. 2.1.4 Maritime Heritage Hub 67
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54 Great Harbour Masterplan Puffer Café - Retail & Café Restaurant Space The Puffer Café will be retained and redeveloped under the proposals to provide a waterfront café-restaurant linked to the gallery but retaining its independence of operation and capable of offering a mix of services (food & beverage / retail / toilets & services) alongside the gallery. The SMM would continue to manage the facility under licence / lease as appropriate. The site will be serviced as existing from Harbour Street with rear parking/servicing. The redeveloped Puffer Café building form will be maintained (height/scale) and be the reference for contemporary new build elements. The collective building assemblage will provide a welcoming and active frontage at the Harbour Street / Montgomery Street junction creating a stronger more positive sense of welcome. The existing scale of Cafe/Retail space (circa 280-300m2) will be retained but redeveloped to provide an open frontage with glazed pivot glass screen walling to the waterside offering access to a deck / outdoor sitting creating an alfresco lunch and dining area. Design development will ensure the site and facility is fully barrier free in terms of less abled/disabled access and that the gallery and educational spaces are flexible and adaptable for a wide range of artistic and creative arts-based events. The external public realm will provide an important smaller event space supporting local events and waterfront activity. The building concept provides a redevelopment of the Puffer Café as a simple vernacular waterfront building with integrated Exhibition & Gallery space. Building scale and height will be similar to existing with Kitchens and service support areas including vehicular loading/ servicing and waste management will be retained to the northern gable area along with staff/site toilet and washroom facilities. Disabled parking provision (4 spaces); staff parking and service deliveries are provided and will be retained to the north of the site. 68
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Great Harbour Masterplan 55 Moorings, Slipway & Docking Pocket The proposals seek to enhance the display of the SMM heritage 'Puffer Collection' with capacity to improve the display, access and educational use of the historic Puffers as a focal point and attraction to the Gallery frontage. Discussions are being advanced with SMM on developing the Slipway to create a Berth Pocket effectively allowing the Spartan/ Kyles to be displayed at quay level. Eg. With Puffer deck level sitting circa 1m above public realm height. A Dry Berthing Pocket would allow one of the SMM's heritage 'Puffers' to be displayed and allow all age groups to both view deck / derricks / wheelhouse and winches and allow the deck /wheelhouse to form part of the outdoor classroom / / training and educational space of the SMM@Gt Harbour. The existing slipway would be re-graded to a shallow inclined plane creating a retained docking pocket/graving dock with vessels winched into the berth on a standard boat cradle. Detail of the proposals are subject to design development with SMM. It is anticipated that other visiting vessels / visiting exhibition vessels could use the space to create additional interest or underpin an exhibition or event. Any additional berthing or vessel exhibition space will be explored during detail design. The proposals are not considered material to the Harbour, and it is not anticipated the works would involve a Harbour Revision Order. The Slipway would no longer function as SMM's primary marine access slip with SMM and other uses utilising the Harbour Slipway on Harbour Street adjacent to the Irvine Water Sports Club. SMM has used both slipways in the past and are satisfied that all SMM needs can be met by the public slipway adjacent to the pontoons. Irvine Water Sports Club (IWSC) is an important local sports club offering a range of facilities to its many members and to visiting users (Membership circa 180 Members). The club has hospitality and training facilities and hardstandings for boat storage /repairs and maintenance along with associated facilities. The IWSC work with wider groups and boat users. Moorings on the River Irvine provide for circa 40 floating moorings and compliment private moorings , fishing boat activity and the SMM heritage vessels. 2.1.4 Maritime Heritage Hub 69
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56 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.2 Harbourside Housing 70
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Great Harbour Masterplan 57 2.2 Harbourside Housing North Ayrshire Council are committed to quality place-making as set out within the Local Development Plan (LDP2) and as further reinforced through the adoption of the National Planning Framework (NPF4). Strategic Policy 2v sets out a commitment to placemaking to ensure the delivery of Local Outcome Improvement Plan priorities (LOIP) that looks to make North Ayrshire safer and healthier by ensuring that all development contributes to making quality places. New housing will be expected to contribute to and enhance the quality of place and to build on the design references of the Irvine Development Corporation and more recent NAC Housing. The policy framework safeguards and looks to enhance place and environmental quality through the quality of architecture, neighbourhood planning and avoidance of unacceptable adverse environmental or amenity impacts. A key element of the policy is that all housing and neighbourhood developments meet the six qualities of successful places that is further supported through the NPF4 around climate change, biodiversity and the creation of ‘liveable’ places Quality places and place-making requires engagement, sensitive designed and positive partnerships for delivery. The quality of local neighbourhoods and homes affect quality of life, civic cohesion and impacts on housing choice and opportunity. Strong sustainable and inclusive communities are shaped by quality places where people want to live, work and invest in both now and in the future. Placemaking, high quality sustainable development and support for net zero are all key components of good design. Irvine Harbourside needs to be designed to be sensitive to the context and environment and make a contribution to the quality of life of the community by ensuring homes are well planned, well connected, inclusive, safe, and built and managed to offer equality of opportunity with good local services for all. Scottish Planning Policy and the key policy documents of the National Planning Framework (NPF4); Designing Places, Designing Street, Liveable Neighbourhoods; Policy on Architecture for Scotland, and the Climate Change Act sit alongside and are closely referenced to the North Ayrshire Council LDP2 key policy documents. 71
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58 Great Harbour Masterplan Key Principles A Placemaking Approach A people-centric place that is specifically designed to accommodate Mixed Use and which provides for local needs on site and encourages people to live, work, learn and celebrate ‘their place’ and activate their environment. Integration of Mixed-Uses Creating a new ‘Living Quarter’ which creates a new model for contemporary urban living right in the heart of Irvine with access to all services whilst creating a strong sense of place, based on a central greenspace and integration of adjacent uses. Enhancement of Greenspace Integrating safe routes and greenspace as a core element of the development creating a ‘park ‘ for residential and the town that is closely linked to the networked greenspace of the coast and infrastructure corridors. 72
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Great Harbour Masterplan 59 Key Principles Net Zero & Support for 20 Min Neighbourhoods Supporting through passive and quality of building design net zero through energy conservation; material specification (and reuse) and integrating strong Active Travel and connections, reducing car dependency and promoting 20 Minute Neighbourhoods Creating a Connected Place Strengthening links between the Town Centre and the Railway Station and wider green network links with a permeable well connected and readily accessible path network and creating safe routes. Safe Routes Active Travel and Streets for People Promoting pedestrian and cycle connectivity to the town centre, local amenities and services. Ensuring ready access to public transport use and designing streets and public spaces to encourage pedestrians and cyclists to use them safely in a connected network of non-vehicular movement. 2.2 Waterfront & Beach Drive Housing 73
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60 Great Harbour Masterplan • Healthy: Supporting the prioritisation of women’s safety and improving physical and mental health • Distinctive: Supporting attention to detail of local architectural styles and natural landscapes to be interpreted into designs to reinforce identity • Pleasant: Supporting attractive natural and built spaces • Sustainable: Supporting the efficient use of resources that will allow people to live, play, work and stay in their area, ensuring climate resilience and integrating nature positive biodiversity solutions • Connected: Supporting well connected networks that make moving around easy and reduce car dependency • Adaptable: Supporting commitment to investing in the long-term value of buildings, streets and spaces by allowing for flexibility so that they can meet the changing needs and accommodate different uses over time Designing Places sets out the principles to create neighbourly, sustainable places which are: 74
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Great Harbour Masterplan 61 Placemaking Objectives Successful placemaking can be shaped around the six qualities of successful places as set out in the Scottish Policy – Creating Places. These qualities should ensure all design elements are shaped to create a neighbourhood that is healthy, pleasant, connected, distinctive, sustainable and adaptable. In developing the masterplan, the plan seeks to enhance the Harbourside’s quality of place and enhance the Harbourside as a strong local neighbourhood that can help to support local housing needs, promote the special qualities of place and further develop the Harbourside community as an attractive, liveable and appealing place to live and visit. Critical to this ambition is: • Supporting the need for new homes with a mix of housing types in liveable neighbourhoods • Providing well-designed homes • Promoting place quality with designs referenced to existing neighbourhood architecture • Creating housing with high quality of external detailing, public realm and supporting facilities, • Supporting a 20 Minute Neighbourhood with safe, ready access to local/ town centre facilities/services. • Creating spaces to support physical activity, relaxation and play and to celebrate culture, diversity and heritage. • Providing for enhanced street environments and stronger and safe connectivity • Securing energy efficient /low carbon housing to reduce energy use. Places are for people and people help makes spaces safe, active and sociable. For Harbourside the key element is to secure housing that meets existing and future resident needs and feels like a really good place to live. Provide clear and continuous active building frontages, to provide both a suitable degree of enclosure to streets and public spaces and promote natural surveillance. Use buildings form together with sensitive boundary treatments to enclose garden ground, create safe internal parking courts and screen service areas from public view. Minimise the opportunity for crime (Secure by Design), by designing-in high levels of security for new buildings and creating strong frontages offering positive passive surveillance to safe streets. Design new buildings to face the public realm, with a prominent and welcome entrance, and enhance safety particularly where housing abuts public realm and along pedestrian routes. Enhance the attractiveness and character of the area through good quality architec- ture, materials and including quality street and public realm detailing closely refer- enced to existing neighbourhoods. Promote adaptable building forms, which are adaptable, barrier free and accommodate all ages and are accessible and can easily cater for future needs and disabilities. Urban Design Principles 2.2 Waterfront & Beach Drive Housing The masterplan promotes a scale and density of housing similar to the existing harbourside area. Townhouses and terraced form have been aligned to offer a tight urban grain and create strong and active street frontages. Variations in roof lines and height, building external treatment and detailing reflect existing architecture form and pattern and create a family of design references. Additional ancillary non-residential (local convenience retail / café / small service/home-office space) will be encouraged/ supported at a limited number of locations with good accessibility. Adopt Designing Streets principles and Active Travel measures as integral elements of residential street design and create and enhance the network of active travel routes. 75
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62 Great Harbour Masterplan Promoting a Vibrant Mixed Use Place The development of Harbourside looks to build on the scale and form of the existing Harbourside neighbourhoods with the new developments taking design reference from the Irvine Development Corporation (IDC) and North Ayrshire Council housing on Harbour Drive. The indicative housing layouts and the housing mix provide a framework as to how Harbourside can continue to meet local housing needs and integrate closely both with existing neighbourhoods, the waterfront and the Beach Park. Creating vibrant mixed-use places is however more about the space and activity external to buildings and most importantly the connectivity and walkability of the local environment. The waterfront with the upgrading provided by the Maritime Mile and Beach Park creates opportunity to sensitively integrate through the development of small gap-sites new residential development and small-scale service/café/retail. The Harbourside offers a natural 20 Minute Neighbourhood where most residents will be able to meet their core needs within a short walk or bike ride from home. The Town Centre, Rail & Bus interchanges, Beach Park, Coast are all readily accessible. Proposed Mixed-Use Development illustrating Project Opportunities 76
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Great Harbour Masterplan 63 Housing Mix The masterplan aims to ensure that there is a mix of dwelling types and sizes to meet a range of housing needs as this helps build strong neighbourhoods and sustainable communities. Developers will be encouraged to provide a range of house sizes and types, reflecting similar new residential infill development (NAC 2022) which enhances place quality and enhances the Conservation Area. North Ayrshire Council Housing has recently completed a 71 house development on Beach Drive. This development is based on similar masterplan and neighbourhood planning / place- making principles. In addition the private sector developments at Dublin Quay / Belfast Quay have been successfully completed over several phases and the old Jewson Builders Merchant’s site on Gottries Road has planning concent for 28 new homes. The masterplan sets out the detail for a new residential opportunity on the Portland- Beach Drive site. The site represents brownfield land and is supported for residential development within the Local Development Plan. 2.2 Waterfront & Beach Drive Housing 77
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64 Great Harbour Masterplan Housing Typology & Urban Structure Urban form and structure along with the mix of buildings and housing tenure are an important element of urban design. The relationship between buildings, streets and spaces has a significant impact on whether a place will feel welcoming and comfortable for all users. Buildings should positively define and enclose streets and open spaces by fronting onto them with windows and entrances/doors facing towards them; this will provide active frontages and passive surveillance. Short terraces reflect local forms and help to define streets and offer the capacity to secure medium density residential development with high amenity. Terraced town houses in variable blocks of 4-6-8 units create a clear and consistent architecture typology. Plot depths of 35-50 metres will enclose private and semi-private greenspace and provide, where appropriate, in-curtilage private residential parking. Building lines and setbacks should be variable and emphasise the spaces that the buildings address and reflect the character of their location. The strong existing building lines of Beach Drive/Harbour Street offers an excellent model to be reflected and reinforced in the new development. Plot layouts for housing can be broken down into blocks of variable scales and allow for a variable mix of two, three and four bed homes with variable private garden ground. Plot layouts can be adjusted to suit the development boundaries with plots positioned to respond to the site, key views and boundary uses. . Courtyard Most dense typology approx. 45 apartments Horse Shoes approx. 42 apartments L Shape approx. 25 apartments Rectangular approx. 14 apartments Per block Footprint of Medium Density Residential Development Plot Example Buildings within Plot 78
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Great Harbour Masterplan 65 Height, Massing, & Density Mixed-use development is appropriate for Harbourside as it fits with the existing urban pattern and will help to enhance the vibrancy of the extended neighbourhood and promote interest, variation and walkability. The masterplan provides for the inclusion of small compatible ancillary uses such as local shops, creche-nurseries or leisure facilities as ancillary uses within the residential mix. The masterplan actively promotes a mixed-use approach within Harbourside seeking to incorporate smaller non-residential use (convenience retail / support services) at ground floor level particularly on the main street frontages and on prominent corner sites. Building massing, spacing and orientation of buildings takes their cue from the existing Harbourside neighbourhoods with strong frontages whilst allowing buildings to address issues such as solar orientation to ensure resource efficiency and provide opportunities for domestic renewable energy generation. Housing units are typically town house and cottage units aligned in short terraces and defining streets and the main public realm corridors. The building typology would look to reference to the recent successful NAC Housing on Harbour Drive. Building heights of maximum 3 floors with corners articulated with 3 1/2 levels and providing 18m separation between directly facing windows of habitable rooms and generous gable to gable spacing to ensure amenity, allow connections and provide for the privacy of residents. Medium Density Residential reflecting Harbourside (20 and 35 units per hectare) Medium density housing is proposed for the residential housing sites. Housing will provide frontage development to streets with residential units providing a mix of terraced town houses with varied combinations of semi-detached and terraced units. Housing will establish a common typology to create distinctive and recognisable character areas within a common architectural vocabulary. The layouts will look to provide: • terraced, semi-detached housing to support a diverse range of housing types • perimeter block layouts framing streets and public realm space supporting ‘safe by design’ principles • Street and movement layouts adopting 'Designing Streets ' and 'Cycle by Design' principles • good pedestrian connectivity and integrated greenspace including provision for surface water management (SUDS) • integrated landscape proposals, making use of street trees and amenity planting within gardens. 2.2 Waterfront & Beach Drive Housing 79
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66 Great Harbour Masterplan Sustainability & Net Zero The masterplan framework sets out to ensure a best practice approach to sustainability and net zero both with regard to materials re-use, embedded energy, passive and positive environmental management and compliance with all Building Regulations and standards. Additionally, the masterplan seeks to reduce car dependency and promote active travel choices. The aim is to ensure the overall efficacy of all measures through energy efficient design and management. The proposals seek to do this through: • Creating layouts that support passive solar gain and can incorporate renewable energy infrastructure • Minimise residential energy demand and enable renewable energy as part of the building envelope • Maximising the thermal efficiency of building envelopes within the housing typology • Recycling and re-purposing buildings/ materials and reducing generated waste • Reducing short and non-essential car journeys by promoting active travel / enhanced access to public transport including promoting extended public transport bus services. • Retaining greenspace and enhancing parks / path networks • Incorporating sustainable urban drainage and incorporating permeable surfaces • Integrating sustainable drainage within greenspace with a focus on amenity and opportunities for biodiversity • Requiring Construction Environment Management Plans as part of good practice North Ayrshire Council declared a climate emergency in June 2019 and is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 with the Council looking to lead the way in reducing emissions from buildings, transport and waste, whilst increasing the use of renewable technology. In order to achieve the net-zero target, significant reductions in area-wide and Council estate emissions are required. Working towards Net Zero and supporting behaviour change involves planning for change and making it easier for residents and visitors to make more sustainable choices. Better facilities and infrastructure (common waste facilities/stores; resident and visitor bike storage; good, safe pedestrian and cycle connections; SUDs and greenspace integration; permeable surfaces and where appropriate tree planting) all support climate change resilience and encourage and support low carbon living. 80
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Great Harbour Masterplan 67 Street Design Successful places have streets integrated within the public realm and are designed to meet the needs of all users addressing place before movement and creating streets rather than roads designed solely for the efficient movement of vehicular traffic. Designing Streets (National Policy adopted by NAC) places the needs of pedestrians and cyclists at the top of the street design hierarchy and alongside other design measures seeks to encourage active travel and sustainable travel modes. All layouts and amendments to existing streets will comply with NAC's Roads Development Guidance (NAC Roads Development Guide). Streets design with residential homes providing active building frontages create attractive and safe walking routes that are direct, and well connected to existing routes, public transport connections, local places of interest and the wider Harbourside street network. A permeable network of streets and connecting paths supports active travel and healthier more active communities. The street detailing at detail design stages will be required to incorporate best practice to naturally limit speed as an integrated package of measures including junction geometry, material detailing, at-grade pedestrian crossings, throttles and speed tables to be agreed with NAC as the Roads Authority to address the principles of 'Designing Streets' whilst ensuring compliance with roads standards and to ensure safe pedestrian environments. All designs will be required to comply with the NAC Roads Design Guide and be agreed with NAC Transportation Team. Throughout movement corridors have been planned as multi-user streets with the street design reflecting movement needs incorporating pedestrian, cycle, public transport and service needs alongside the need for vehicular access and being cognisant of traffic volumes. Streets design and detailing (vertical /horizontal shifts) throughout the Harbourside should aim to secure maximum speeds of 20mph with street detail design reflecting Designing Streets and the NAC Road Development Guide. Specific measures are proposed in the following locations: Harbour Street: Promoting Harbour Street as a Local Residential / Tertiary Street Promoting Harbour Street as a quiet residential street for local access with traffic seeking to access Beach Park and Coast signed and directed to Harbour Road / Harbour Drive. Street design incorporating public realm integration to balance the needs for walking, cycling and wheeling and local access and wider visitor use. This will introduce a 20 mph Zone for Harbourside and incorporate raised surface treatments around key connections such as: Montgomery St/ Harbour Street/ Gottries Road (Puffer Café) and similar at the Marine Activity Hub and Harbour Master's Office redevelopment. Improved pedestrian and cycle provision are included within the Maritime Mile proposals and connect to wider Core Path and Active Travel corridors linking leisure routes and the new residential areas. Beach Drive including Portland Roundabout : Promoting Harbour Drive as a Primary Street Incorporating 'Designing Streets' measures to Beach Drive from and including the Portland Roundabout (Gateway feature) to narrow the street to 6.0 metres and incorporate into the design proposals raised tables and at grade pedestrian crossings at junctions, continuous footways and on-street parking and street trees. The character of Beach Drive will be reshaped as a Primary Street / Residential Core Road (NAC Roads Hierarchy) incorporating as integral to the design measures to reduce 2.2 Waterfront & Beach Drive Housing traffic speed (max 20 mph) and create an environment with better amenity which is more supportive of walking and cycling. A narrowed carriageway, providing for direct residential access, on-street parking interspersed with public realm and street trees will help to define a 'street' quality. The whole of Harbourside would form part of the 20mph Zone from Portland Roundabout which through design measures can provide a 'Gateway Feature' signalling the change in the road hierarchy and changing driver behaviour. All details will be agreed with NAC Roads during the design stage and comply with the Council’s Roads Design Guide. Pedestrian routes have been designed to increase passive surveillance and provide for safe movement. Integrating active travel measures within the street adds to the ‘eyes on the street’ which provide a safety benefit for all users. Cycling provision, including the re-routing on NCR7 is incorporated into the masterplan offering safe, continuous, with the new route offering a combination of off-road / quiet road links and incorporating the guidance set out in Cycling by Design (LTN 1/20). The proposals promote a primary active travel route that connects paths and points of access and the Beach Park path network to the Ship Inn. 81
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68 Great Harbour Masterplan Portland - Beach Drive Residents Parking Internal Parking Courts / in curtilage parking Capacity 240 Spaces 82
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Great Harbour Masterplan 69 Residential Parking & Cycle Provision Residential parking within Harbourside needs to recognise that the Harbourside, Beach Park and Coast are also visitor destinations and parking during the summer season can reach peak levels Residential parking needs to be integrated within housing neighbourhoods and the masterplan looks to minimise potential conflicts between resident/visitor parking in an area of high visitor activity. Parking provision within the masterplan adopts the NAC Roads Development Guidance (Parking Design Standards) and the advice of planning/transport managers. Parking provision for residential development will be predominately off-road and provides dedicated spaces for individual use. Parking includes for the needs for cycle parking and storage and with the overall aim of reducing car dependency, promoting active travel and encouraging modal shift. A Transport Assessment will be required with the future developer also required to submit a Travel Plan to outline measures to encourage a reduction in the number of single occupancy trips made by car and support measures for active travel. Convenient and secure cycle parking is critical to increasing use of cycles. The masterplan looks to ensure that access to cycle parking is at least as convenient as access to car parking. The detailed planning application(s) will define individual site housing mix with North Ayrshire Council advising on specific parking requirements at the pre-planning stage. • Car parking provision of 2 allocated spaces per residential dwelling (2-3 bed units) plus 0.25 unallocated spaces are provided for within the residential masterplan for resident’s needs. For 1 and 4 bed units the appropriate parking standard (NAC Road Dev. Guide) should be applied. • Cycle parking provision of 2 spaces per residential dwelling (2-3 bed units) is provided for within the residential masterplan for resident / visitor needs. Cycle Parking: Cycle parking provision of 1.0 short term(visitor) and 1.0 long term spaces (resident secure storage) per residential dwelling. Secure cycle parking seeks to ensure that access to cycle parking is at least as convenient as access to car parking. Car Parking: Parking provision of 2.25 (allocated/un-allocated) spaces per residential dwelling is provided for within the residential masterplan for resident’s needs. All parking and street layouts will comply with the NAC Roads Design Guide. Layouts for spaces are described in ‘Designing Streets’ Standard dimensions for a car parking space will be: - Length: 5.0 metres Width: 2.5 metres. Internal court resident parking should include provision for electric car charging points. 2.2 Waterfront & Beach Drive Housing 83
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70 Great Harbour Masterplan Amenity & Garden Space Amenity and garden space and the extent of private open space within new residential developments has been shaped by the housing layouts within the masterplan and will be developed with the detailed housing layout and design. The masterplan addresses front and rear gardens differently maintaining provision of limited private amenity space to areas of significant movement (Portland - Beach Drive) with rear gardens and shared space within the perimeter block design layouts. Detached, semi-detached and terraced properties should be provided with rear gardens in proportion to their size. Rear gardens will be expected to be a minimum of 1½ times the size of the ground floor area for detached and semi-detached dwellings and no less than 100m². This will generally include rear and side dwellinghouse gardens enclosed by fence/wall/ hedge. For terraced dwellings the same rule will apply whereby the ratio provided should be 1.5 times the ground floor area of the property with a minimum area of 60-70m² or as agreed with NAC Planning. The masterplan outlines a minimum rear garden depth of 6-10 metres with local relaxations at corner plots and plots with two or more frontages. Front garden space frequently fronts streets or public realm and is addressed to offer significant flexibility from small privacy frontages (3metres) to deeper front garden space where in-curtilage resident parking is provided (8metre) Amenity Space: The masterplan provides per 50 units: 0.2 ha per 500 population. (4m² per person). Based on national household statistics = 2.25 per household Number of units proposed = 50 Calculation: 2.25 x 50 = 112.5 x 4m² = 450m² Garden Space: The masterplan provides per unit: Variable front garden space dependent upon design layout with ‘privacy zone’ to all properties with public realm or movement corridor frontages. Garden ground 1.5 x GFA with minimum 6 metre rear gardens – where gardens are provided. 84
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Great Harbour Masterplan 71 Residential Play Provision High quality play space suitable for varied age groups and interests is available within the Beach Park and will offer a range of play provision Children play in many different ways according to their own interests and abilities and enjoy different forms of play at different times and places. The residential areas within the masterplan will provide a range of play experiences and offer a safe play environment with good oversight, ready access and remote from primary vehicular corridors. The play area will sit within a single level at the natural connecting point for pedestrian routes. The play space will be a S75 responsibility on the developers and should be progressed in discussion with NAC Officers. The masterplan provides younger age groups (toddlers and children) offering a range of equipment, located within housing areas to ensure that the new housing contributes towards the play area needs. The provision within the masterplan provides for: • Neighbourhood children’s play areas provided at a ratio of 0.1 hectares per 500 population • a LAP (Local Area for Play) /LEAP (Local Equipped Area for Play) level of specification provided through a combination of LAPS /LEAPS /NEAPS) dependent upon the scale of development • LAPS provide primarily for under 6's within immediate proximity of home Typical up to 100m2 and fenced to enclose and prevent dog access • LEAPS provide wider range of play challenges / opportunity Typically up to 400m2 and fenced to enclose and prevent dog access Equipped play with range of play equipment (6 units) / seating / litter bins • NEAPS provide a full neighbourhood level of provision Typically sized to reflect number of units / populations min.1,000m2 Equipped with play (9 units), seating litter bins and active sports / games court facilities Developers of residential units will be required to provide LAPs/LEAPS as required as a planning consent condition requirement together with any wider contributions to active sport and recreation or other developer contributions. 2.2 Waterfront & Beach Drive Housing 85
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72 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.2.1 Portland - Beach Drive Housing 86
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Great Harbour Masterplan 73 2.2.1 Portland - Beach Drive Housing A quality residential site with capacity to offer a range of town centre living in a highly attractive, accessible and central location. Close to the town centre, employment sites and public transport services the location is well suited to mixed-use low-carbon residential development. Urban Context The site is located west of the Portland Roundabout on the edge of the settlement envelope and adjoining the Beach Park open space to the south and west. Formerly the Magnum Sports and Leisure Centre the site has a frontage to Beach Drive and an outlook across the Beach Park Boating Pond to the west. The site is a brownfield site levelled and re-seeded following demolition of former buildings and has no specific features or assets requiring protection or enhancement. The analysis focussed on the area context (urban form /layout/ architectural context) and landscape context (local topography /views /boundary features) which contribute to character, views and landscape interest. These references inform the development layout with landscape boundary features retained and integrated into the plan. Although at the edge of the settlement the site is closely tied into the existing neighbourhoods and offers within a 20 Minute walk accessibility to the town centre, employment and all local services. The location has good local connectivity to primary services (education /health /transport) and access to both convenience and comparative retail. Incorporation of a local retail element (1-3 small convenience retail units) would positively contribute to the Harbourside and neighbourhood facilities. The location supports contemporary urban lifestyles (live- work environment) and excellent access to quality greenspace. Landscape Setting The site sits adjacent to the Beach Park with open views across the greenspace to the south and west. Boundary shelterbelt planting takes advantage of subtle landform change to the south and east with established semi-natural woodland. Views are very open to the west and south with foreground detail created by the Boating Pond and dominated by the open skyline and views to the coast. Tree blocks on Beach Drive terminate important vistas and should be retained. Opportunity & Vision The design approach looks to build on local assets giving recognition to the sensitivity of how the development addresses the urban edge and integrate closely with adjacent housing areas. The successful new NAC Housing on Beach Drive reflects the approach adopted securing a scale and variation in building/architectural treatments that reflects an organic style of growth of the settlement. Vision The development of the Beach Drive site will be a distinctive and sustainable extension to Harbourside creating housing within easy reach of the Town Centre and significant employment areas. Designed as a small new neighbourhood it will accommodate a range of homes of varying sizes and types and support ancillary local convenience retail uses. Design referenced to the surrounding residential and architectural character and by taking advantage of its Beach Park boundary location the development will create an appealing addition location for contemporary urban living. Urban Character Housing frontages face the street allowing for the flexible adoption of both on-street and in-curtilage parking. The approach breaks down the site into a series of smaller units creating streets defined by building frontages and building elevational frontages defining the park edge and street form rather than roads. Housing garden ground and semi-private shared space and parking are all internal along with service buildings (bin stores/bike storage sheds local amenity space). Variable building heights, units, materials add variability with colour and consistent local detailing (fenestration/dormers/ porch/external finishes) creating an attractive and appealing neighbourhood building on the adjacent urban character. Local convenience retail integrated with housing and located to the Beach Drive / gateway access frontage would be supported. 87
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74 Great Harbour Masterplan Housing No Anticipated Housing No 110-120 Medium density 25-35 per ha Housing Mix The site mix will be agreed with the housing developer as part of the wider Planning process. Local Convenience Retail 1-3 Small neighbourhood convenience retail supporting local 20min neighbourhood / grocery & local services Housing Numbers & Mix The indicative masterplan provides for a range predominantly of 2-3 bed homes in varied configuration. The site mix will be agreed with the housing developer as part of the wider Planning process. It includes a family of housing types predominantly comprising townhouses, terraced and cottage units similar to surrounding neighbourhoods. 88
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Great Harbour Masterplan 75 Residential Amenity Perimeter block housing with internal courts offering residential greenspace; bin stores, secure cycle storage and local play with non- adopted facilities under maintenance agreements. Residential Streets Combination of Residential Primary / Secondary and Tertiary Streets reflecting NAC Transport Guidance (Roads Development Guide) incorporating shared surfaces with variable width and streetscape detailing. Garden Space 3-4 bed properties minimum 80m2 2-3 bed properties minimum 60m2 Rear depth garden space 6-9metres Car & Cycle Parking NAC Roads Development Guide 2-3 Bed housing 2 allocated car spaces plus 0.25 unallocated or 1 allocated plus 0.65 unallocated Additional: 1 secure cycle stands (Sheffield stands) per property 1 No. hinge top unit per 10 residential units Masterplan Provision 240 parking spaces Play Space / Seating / Greenspace 1 No Locally Area Play space (informal/formal) (LAP) 2.2.2 Portland - Beach Drive Housing 89
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76 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.3 Leisure Related Developments 90
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Great Harbour Masterplan 77 2.3Leisure Related Developments The Harbourside with its industrial port- related past retains a strong mix of uses with most industrial activity now replaced by leisure and tourism use of the harbour and the supporting commercial tourism and hospitality mix of uses alongside significant heritage / cultural activity SMM /HAC / Wasp Studios/ IWSC). The area has been identified within the Ayrshire Growth Deal as having significant capacity for area regeneration and as a project that could support Community Wealth Building, promote new investment and develop as a strong regional economic catalyst. Investment in local benefits and place-making is also anticipated to drive wider partner investment with local businesses, 3rd sector, and new private sector investments seeking to share and contribute to the growth and success of the Harbourside. Re-investment by existing businesses will create additional local jobs and extend the range and quality of services such as cafes, restaurants, arts and craft retailing and event and excursion activity seeking to capture visitor spend. North Ayrshire Council has been approached by a number of existing businesses as well as regional companies with ideas to invest in the Harbourside. Early interest has been associated with food and beverage (café /restaurants) and events, but it is anticipated that wider investment from the hospitality sector (hotel investment /travel and tourism accommodation) and leisure operators will be forthcoming. The masterplan has sought to anticipate and address future needs and to build a strong and sustainable framework that helps direct and focus investment in areas that support the Maritime Mile and strengthen the destination as a special place to visit – throughout the year. The masterplan provides for future leisure related development in the following areas: • Beach Park Event Space / Arena • Harbour Master's Office– Mixed Use Tourism/ Leisure • Harbour Point – Community Hub & Restaurant • Portland Roundabout Leisure Development Developments within these sites will be subject to future masterplan developments as projects are developed with wider partners. The masterplan briefs outlined provide an indication of the potential scope and opportunity that leisure investment can make in providing job, services and helping to provide the activity and animation of a vibrant destination. 91
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78 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.3.1 Beach Park Events Space / Arena 92
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Great Harbour Masterplan 79 2.3.1 Beach Park Event Space / Arena Events are an important part of animating the place and making Harbourside a destination. Past and more recent events have shown what a good location the Beach Park is for major events and the potential for both the Council and others to celebrate Ayrshire's coast with summer events and activity. Importantly the Events Arena needs to be an integral part of the Beach Park and to provide an attractive, flexible and multi- user space as part of the park for the vast majority of the time that it is not in use for events. Creating an Events Arena The Events Arena is essentially a large flexible space that is designed to reflect the opportunities and lessons learnt from past events (Radio One Roadshow / Cyclocross / Ayrshire Cross Country Championships / Circus Events / Shows / Making Waves) and provide an accessible large event space. Making Waves (2022) was a great success with the intent to look to make such events a regular attraction. The event was well supported and included a series of additional smaller and local events and activities alongside the main concert venue. Building the destination around an Event Arena and with smaller Harbourside events encouraging community participation, free events and water-based activity all add (rather like 'The Fringe') to the destination. Range of Event Spaces – Local & Regional The concept therefore is to integrate smaller events spaces within the Maritime Mile (Pilot House Park, Marina Creative Arts Hub, SMM@Gt Harbour) and a major Events Arena within the Beach Park. The Events Arena will take advantage of the natural topography and the viewpoint of the Blue Billie Bing to shape an amphitheatre space extending down to the Boating Pond with a capacity for 12,000 to 15,000 but typically perhaps being a viable event arena for 2,000-6,000 and capable of holding a 2-3 day festival event. Supporting infrastructure to allow the erection of temporary stands / stages/ lighting etc is provided by the flanking car parks equipped with service connections and providing hardstandings for vehicles and service needs. The Event Arena offers excellent sightlines and ready accessibility with the benefit of the ability to secure the area whilst retaining Beach Park access. All event infrastructure (stages / lighting / toilets /seating /furniture/ etc) would be temporary and provided by the event organiser. Health and Safety requirements and temporary parking and access arrangements would be assessed on an event-by-event basis. Developing better path connections that would allow remote parking (accessed from Portland Roundabout) and good walk/ cycle routes all add to the Beach Park accessibility and would facilitate the management of major events with reduced potential for impact on local amenity. 93
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Great Harbour Masterplan 81 2.3.1 Beach Park Events Space / Arena North Ayrshire Council has completed an assessment of the opportunities for small local and larger Beach Park events that has informed the masterplan. The report identifies the following event spaces: Maritime Mile - Waterfront Event Spaces Location Scale m2 Potential Capacity & Infrastructure Puffer Café Entrance Area / Harbour Street 1,000 1000 persons 3 Phase Power Supply Hi Speed Broadband Water & drainage connections Barrier free access / dropped kerbs Marine & Creative Arts Hub 2,000 2000 persons 3 Phase Power Supply Hi Speed Broadband Water & drainage connections Barrier free access / dropped kerbs Harbour Master Office Frontage & Wharf 2,500 2500 persons 3 Phase Power Supply x 2 Hi Speed Broadband Water & drainage connections Potential Stepped access Lower Level Road Management /Controls Pilot House 800 Variable incorp. Pilot House public realm 1000-1500 persons 3 Phase Power Supply Hi Speed Broadband Water & drainage connections Barrier free access / dropped kerbs Location Scale m2 Potential Capacity & Infrastructure Need Beach Park Event Arena 20,000 12,000-15,000 persons 3 Phase Power Supply x2 Hi Speed Broadband Water supply & drainage connections Hardstandings for Stage Hardstandings for Services / Support facilities Secure Access / Security Beach Park—Events Arena Space The Event Arena would create a permanent, serviced event space of approximately 20,000m2. The masterplan integrates the space with the development of the Beach Park creating an open grassed area reflecting the area historically used for the recent Making Waves Festival and typical marquee type events, e.g., Irvine Circus. When BBC Radio One Roadshows used the core site the area spilled out onto adjoining areas of the Beach Park. 95
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82 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.3.2 Harbour Master’s Office - Tourism / Leisure / Arts & Crafts 96
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Great Harbour Masterplan 83 2.3.2 Harbour Master’s Office - Tourism / Leisure / Arts & Crafts The Harbour Masters Office is Category C Listed by Historic Environment Scotland but sits outside the Irvine Harbourside Conservation Area The building has been vacant and is in a poor state of repair and is on the Historic Environment Scotland ‘At Risk’ Register. Works to the building(s) including refurbishment or any demolition of outbuildings would require Listed Building Consent. The Harbour Master’s Office has the potential to provide active frontage to the Maritime Mile waterfront, integrate with the Maritime Mile public realm works and enhance the Harbourside setting. Essential repair works should be undertaken sensitively with a conservation architecture approach, retaining the original character of the building. Further work to advance this project includes: • Promotion of a mixed-use 'Tourism, Arts & Craft and Visitor Leisure redevelopment • Initial dialogue Historic Environment Scotland • Scope for Amendment/Extension to Harbour Master's Office and change in use • Scope of Listing and the assessment of heritage value of ancillary buildings • ISAC Shed / Former Lifeboat Building • Walls and boundary elements • Develop the layout reflecting commercial advice on potential scale of units /capacity • Mixed Use tourism uses including potentially a mix of uses including arts and crafts , tourism retail, food and beverage uses • Other supporting and ancillary activity including heritage and event activity • Market and seek to establish lead commercial partner interest. Provision of landscaped open space, including outdoor seating within the rear courtyard and/or a single-storey extension of the building in sympathetic style and materials has been explored with NAC and local tourism /leisure interests. The scale of facility should look to reflect and be complementary to the development of visitor infrastructure along the Maritime Mile that will seek external delivery partners and currently includes for: • Puffer Café Upgrade – Café /Restaurant and event space • Existing Food and Beverage offers along Harbour Street including future investment / expansion and upgrading of facilities to allow growth of existing businesses • Enhancement and development of the Water Activity Hub at the Ship / HAC Plaza with spill out leisure and visitor activity based around extended food and beverage offers (Marine/ HAC-Duncan's Bar & Bistro / Ship Inn) • Expansion of Gro-Coffee and the use of the Wharf as café/ event and leisure space • Development of facilities at Pilot House Point associated with the Beach Services building. 97
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84 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.3.3 Harbour Point: Community Hub & Restaurant 98
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Great Harbour Masterplan 85 The Beach Pavilion comprises a single storey building at Harbour Point, set within the dunes behind the beach and adjacent to the Harbour Point car park. The facility is operated by Coastwatch (3rd Sector Charitable Trust) and provides public toilets, a first aid facility and operational space for Coastwatch. Coastwatch operate a small kiosk/shop selling ice- creams/drinks during summer months. The site is located within the Adopted Local Development Framework (LDP2) SDA 4 (Irvine Harbourside) as part of the Beach Park - Strategic Tourism Asset. Redeveloping the Beach Pavilion reflects that the building is past its economic useful life and requires replacement to maintain services for the Beach/Beach Park. Coastwatch are currently the operator and have a valued operational role in coastal management, training, coastal safety and community participation. The Beach Pavilion, and Beach car park site occupies the prime coastal site on the Ayrshire coast has been identified as the site with the strongest potential to secure a café/restaurant operator to support the destination and provide opportunity for new investment and support for local community services and activity. The masterplan envisages development of the Beach Pavilion to provide a new building of high-quality and sustainable design, which creates a multi-use Beach Pavilion Building providing the public toilets and Coastwatch facilities of the existing building as well as providing new space for a contemporary restaurant operator to create a high-quality food & drink offer at the endpoint of the Maritime Mile. The building would provide upgraded public facilities including public services/facilities with a café-restaurant situated above benefitting from views over the beach and Irvine Bay. 2.3.3 Harbour Point: Community Hub & Restaurant Design Masterplanning • The Beach Pavilion would provide a 2-storey building, with a clear division of use between restaurant at first floor and public/community facilities at ground. At first floor, additional terracing/balcony could be included to the west and south elevations to provide additional space for the restaurant and to extend over the ground floor curtilage providing shelter. It is anticipated that the footprint of the building would be circa 350-375sqm, providing c700-750 sqm total (excluding balcony/terrace). • The building could be developed through a range of models either in partnership with a developer, operator or advanced as a NAC project with a potential revenue stream from the commercial operator funding the capital cost. A Feasibility Study and Business Case will be required. • The high-level plan would envisage the Ground Floor being devoted to community uses (potentially Coastwatch / Sub-Aqua Club / Toilets / Changing Facilities / Hospitality Outlet) on a nominal value lease with the Upper Floor offering a circa 150 cover restaurant / cafe with kitchen and outdoor terrace. A feasibility study would finalise the scale/range of facilities advanced in consultation with end user interests. • The new Beach Pavilion would be positively integrated with works to improve the pedestrian and visitor environment / facilities around Pilot House Park, Beach Park and the routes to/from the beach and its car park. The facility would form the main services building for the Beach Park and Coast. • Exemplary design and energy performance should form part of the design specification including energy efficiency measures and ensuring the building is fully accessible at all levels for all users. 99
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86 Great Harbour Masterplan 2.3.4 Portland Leisure Development Site 100
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Great Harbour Masterplan 87 The Portland Roundabout /Beach Drive site has been identified as a strong Harbourside location for housing offering good access to the Town Centre and good amenity. The site has excellent connectivity to the Beach Park and could also offer the potential for other leisure (sports / leisure / creche) and related commercial (hotel / conference / gym) type of uses. North Ayrshire Council have not undertaken any marketing or promotion of the site but are aware of potential speculative market interest for leisure uses. Masterplanning for site redevelopment must be mindful of 'Town Centre First' principle. The Local Development Plan (LDP2) Spatial Strategy promotes investment in North Ayrshire's town centres. The policy supports the social and economic functions of our town centres by adopting a town centre first principle that directs major new development and investment to town centre locations as a priority including supporting town centre living. The LDP2 also looks to prioritise the re-use of brownfield land over greenfield land by supporting a range of strategic developments. The LDP2, alongside this masterplan, supports quality place-making and recognises that any re-development proposals for Beach Drive (former Magnum Site) should be sensitive to the location and context and support the strengthening of the Harbourside as a Liveable/20 Minute Neighbourhood. 2.3.4 Portland Leisure Development Site (Potential Alternative to Proposed Housing) Site master planning should therefore look to establish an urban design framework that: • Requires a bespoke and exemplary design and building specification / energy performance that forms part of a detailed design brief aligned to a more detailed vision and plan the identified uses. • Encourages development of appropriate scale that protects the amenity of new 1-2 storey developments on the north side of Beach Drive whilst creating a strong terminal view from Gottries Crescent and Portland roundabout. • Promotes all major traffic access direct from the Portland Roundabout (existing spur) with any high intensity use promoting access and servicing from Marine Drive / Portland Road / Harbour Road) and subject to a full Transport Impact Assessment including regional network capacity (eg. Bellfield Interchange, Kilmarnock). • Ensures that the development can accommodate all needs (parking /servicing) within the site (including the Beach Drive Car Park) and with no extensions or intrusions into the Beach Park • Creates strong perimeter and active frontages to Beach Drive and introduces street detailing to Portland Roundabout/ Beach Drive to create a 'Gateway' to the Beach Park and setting a threshold for the 20mph zone • Addresses through scale/massing and sensitive architectural detailing the Beach Park frontage by close attention to the west and south-west frontages as they overlook the Beach Park to integrate the development within its wider context 101
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88 Great Harbour Masterplan 3.0 Infrastructure & Phasing 102
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Great Harbour Masterplan 89 Great Harbour is a long-term vision that will be delivered over a number of years, across a large area and involving multiple partnerships and stakeholders. Therefore, in addition to outlining the spatial and partnership elements of Great Harbour, the Framework has sought to identify a broad programme and sequence of delivery for the projects that will make up the Destination. Individual projects have been identified as likely to be delivered in the short, medium, or longer term, depending on their location within Great Harbour, their relative complexity, and the partnership arrangements necessary to deliver them. The programme is developed with the goal that certain projects (Beach Park Play /Maritime Mile /SMM) should be prioritised and delivered as early phase ‘wins’ that establish a renewed sense of place and build confidence and positive perceptions around Great Harbour, and to which later development projects will subsequently build on and add to through delivery of housing and other complementary commercial/leisure uses. Subject to productive discussions with partners and stakeholders, the establishment of necessary Development Agreements and funding, and positive further design development, the earliest core elements of the Great Harbour Framework could be delivered by Q1 2024. 3.1 Outline Delivery Programme 103
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Great Harbour Masterplan 91 Strengthening Local Economy The Great Harbour Programme looks to encourage investment and promote new business and enterprise activity within the Harbourside. A core element of the public realm enhancement and support for neighbourhood development is also to secure additional local demand for goods and services that will ensure local businesses and 3rd sector organisations are more resilient and can extend and become more inclusive within their areas of activity. Additional footfall, dwell time and increased local spend (secured through additional residents / day visitors and regional tourism) will support and sustain small local businesses and commercial and 3rd sector activity. Community Wealth Building. Community Wealth Building will utilise the AGD, partner and wider bodies and institutions to coordinate economic activity and ensure investment focusses on developing more resilient, inclusive local economies, with more local employment and a larger and more diverse business base, ensuring that wealth is locally owned and benefits local people. To this end the Great Harbour Programme: • Builds a programme with clear local benefits and with a focus on local needs. • Seeks to secure growth for local enterprise (SME’s / Micro- Businesses /3rd Sector organisations) and ensure they can participate in commercial/enterprise opportunity. • Identifies growth opportunities associated with tourism/ hospitality/arts/crafts to encourage small business participation. • Seeks to encourage the establishment of a Community Interest Company (Trust) with support funding to enable local groups (community enterprise/ 3rd sector) to promote events, develop local facilities and support community participation and engagement. The CWB programme seeks to 'Keep it Local'. The Maritime Mile and Great Harbour Programme will look to support local activity, investment and employment. Procurement and contract provisions will secure community benefits and support local employment. A key element of the programme is around place enhancement and building on the key assets of the site for local residents and visitors. Direct and indirect investment will help to support a stronger local economy. The Council would be keen to see the development of a local business and user group forum to support engagement and highlight areas of opportunity and coordinate investment programmes. The key areas and initiatives for CWB for the Great Harbour will include: • Procurement: Where we can, we will buy and spend locally and support North Ayrshire businesses to do the same. • Employment: We encourage employers to create fair and meaningful jobs by paying the living wage and developing home-grown talent. • Land and Assets: Working with our communities and businesses, we will use our land and property assets for the common good to support the regeneration of our communities. • Financial Power: We will invest locally and encourage others to do the same. • Local Participation / Plural Ownership: We want the wealth generated in our area to stay in our area so we will support new and existing businesses, including social and community enterprises, cooperatives and employee ownership. 105
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92 Great Harbour Masterplan 3.2 Partnership Delivery North Ayrshire Council are advancing the Great Harbour Programme as a project within the Ayrshire Growth Deal funded through Scottish Government and North Ayrshire Council. The project forms part of the wider programme within the Ayrshire Growth Deal and has a specific governance and funding approval structure alongside the North Ayrshire Council approvals and consenting requirements. The core programme for delivery is as follows: 106
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Great Harbour Masterplan 93 The Outline Business Case defined a range of budgets for the programme and projects. These have been further developed alongside the masterplan to define Programme Budgets for all of the component elements. Priority design elements are now being advanced within the programme budget and will form the structure for completing the Final Business Case (FBC) submissions to the Ayrshire Growth Deal. A range of partners sharing the same vision for the Harbourside have been engaged from the early stages of development of the proposals. Scottish Maritime Museum main interests lays around the new facility at the riverfront, development of which they will be leading on, and also the wider maritime heritage interpretation relating to the Destination. Crown Estate Scotland are supporting the proposed improvements to the Harbourside and its assets. Sustrans provided funding for feasibility of the enhanced Active Travel infrastructure and potential to develop active travel routes and integrate NCR7 within the Harbourside. Phase 1 The Maritime Mile Waterfront 107
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Great Harbour Masterplan 95 Appendices 1 Community Engagement Report 2 Residential Design Guide 109
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96 Great Harbour Masterplan 110
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Great Harbour Masterplan 97 Appendices 1. Community Engagement Report 111
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North Ayrshire Council Growth and Investment Great Harbour | Public Consultations | Masterplan May 2023 Great Harbour Consultation Report 112
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1 Consultation Report Masterplan Background A public consultation was undertaken in March and April 2023 on proposals for the Great Harbour Masterplan to ensure the development framework and Ayrshire Growth Deal (AGD) investment in the redevelopment of the Irvine Harbourside aligns with local priorities and meets local needs. The consultation material and methodology were developed with the involvement of local community representatives through a Stakeholder Reference Group. The views were gathered via online and paper surveys during the public events and displays, and also presentations and walkarounds provided to local groups and stakeholders. A total of 152 responses were submitted. In addition, a dedicated workshop was organised focusing on specific issues around access and activity on water and within open public spaces. Workshops were also carried out with young people and hard to reach groups and will continue throughout the next development phases. This report outlines the main outcomes and recommendations to be considered and/or implemented during the further development of the proposals. The report should be read in conjunction with the Great Harbour Masterplan which can be viewed at https://northayrshire.community/events/great-harbour-project-irvine/ Next steps The next phase of development works will see the Coastal Hub designed to technical detail followed by tenders for construction works. Alongside this, the concept for public realm improvements and remaining activity hubs along the harbourside will be developed and presented for public consultation in due course. North Ayrshire Council would like to thank all respondents for the time taken to provide their views and for the constructive feedback provided. 113
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2 Consultation Report Feedback summary The majority of responses were supportive of all the varied proposals recognising the opportunity for the regeneration of the harbourside and included very constructive advice reflective of local context. There was overall support to improve the public realm and access along the Harbourside and the activity hubs proposed. A level of confusion was noted on distinction between the proposals to be delivered with the investment from AGD and those proposals outside the allocation of AGD funds that provide a future development framework to supplement the Local Development Plan. The site which attracted the most balanced views regarding options was the Waterfront site at Beach Drive. Options included leaving the car park area as existing or developing the site for housing at some time in the future and subject to funding being available. The future development options at the Portland site received more support. The main concerns from the feedback focused on: • sufficient provision of public amenities, including parking and toilets; • adequate traffic management recognising access needs of vehicles towing watercrafts and improving perceived safety for non-vehicle users; • adequate maintenance; • adequate waste management and introducing recycling; and • protection of place assets, including heritage and cultural assets. Some respondents also expressed a level of disbelief that all of the proposals could be delivered. 114
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3 Consultation Report About You 115
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4 Consultation Report What are your thoughts? neutral positive negative Waterfront - housing development option Main comments The views on principal of allowing more housing offer with residential parking provision at this location were very balanced. Some concerns were raised over loss of view and pressure on existing services if the site was developed for housing. Most of those opposing this option stated loss of parking for current and future use of the area as a tourism destination. Recommendation The masterplan will not promote this site for housing in near future. Instead, we’ll carry out some works to maximise the capacity of the existing carpark. This will not affect the existing Local Development Plan allocation. The masterplan already highlights the need to replace and extend, when possible, any sacrificed public parking provision within vicinity of the area but at the less prominent sites, which were identified. 52% 23% 116
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5 Consultation Report Portland - housing development option What are your thoughts? neutral positive negative Main comments The majority of respondents had positive views on allowing more housing offer with residential parking provision at this location while stressing the need to ensure quality over numbers. The current Council development near this location was positively viewed as a template for the proposals. Some concerns were raised over pressure on existing services and traffic along Beach Dr. Most of those opposing this option stated loss of open green space and close vicinity to the proposed events arena. Recommendation The development proposal on this site is an option that supplements the current Local Development Plan. The feedback will be reflected within the masterplan and will be proposed to become design guidance for the future development opportunities on this site. The site is classified as a brownfield and Local Development Plan supports its development as a part of Strategic Development Area. The masterplan also addresses the traffic impact by changing the type of the road to residential with associated calming measures. 117
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6 Consultation Report Portland - leisure development option 22% 57% 21% What are your thoughts? neutral positive negative Main comments The majority of respondents had positive views on allowing a leisure offer with associated parking provision at this location, while views were split on the potential type of facilities. Most of those opposing this option stated loss of open green space. Recommendation The feedback will be reflected within the masterplan to guide future development proposals on this site. Please note that this site is identified for development by the Local Development Plan but there’s no investment proposed for development from AGD. The site is classified as a brownfield and Local Development Plan supports its development as a part of Strategic Development Area. The masterplan also recognises the potential traffic impact by adequate street design with embedded traffic calming measures. 118
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7 Consultation Report Maritime Mile Waterfront Main comments Decluttered promenade designed sympathetically to the local context and recognising its historic importance celebrated with public art. Adequate wayfinding and signage from the Town Centre and the Irvine Train Station. Provision of public amenities including toilets, seating/shelters and outdoor cafés taking advantage of the views. Improved paving and access facilitating inclusive space use and encouraging walking, cycling and wheeling, supported by good lighting. Improved access to the water to facilitate more water-based activity, including the timber wharf repairs for use as public space and mooring. Better traffic management and parking optimisation to improve safety for users at strategic points also for users towing boats and similar crafts. Provision of multi-purpose public spaces with events infrastructure and adequate street furniture. Long-term maintenance and waste management. Recommendation The masterplan already recognises and provides recommendations on the majority of the aspects raised by the respondents, which will be considered further during development of the public realm improvements. In addition, the Council is working with Sustrans to explore the potential for further improvements to active travel provision and improved accessibility along the Harbourside and connectivity with the Beach Park. The maintenance plan will be created following the construction works to aid Council services in future maintenance of the area and the associated budgetary requirements will be highlighted to the relevant services. We will continue to work with all relevant Council services to plan appropriate levels of maintenance, waste management and enforcement. 119
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8 Consultation Report Main comments Water based activity, like water sports and leisure, were the most common activities suggested in relation to more use by local clubs and groups but also with respect to commercial provision, like taster sessions, regular lessons, equipment hire and boat trips. Other activities included nature watching, fishing, art projects etc. More regular events in the area were also mentioned, like games, boat races, runs, themed walks, activities for children, art exhibitions, music events and busking, street markets. There was a general safety concern raised over access for jet skis, which was viewed negatively as a conflict to other water uses and the rich wildlife. Recommendation The masterplan already recognises and provides recommendations on some points raised by the respondents, which will be considered further along with all the feedback at the next development phases. In addition, the Council is working with the local groups, clubs and providers with interest in water-based and outdoor activity to identify opportunities and barriers for increased activity and provision. The Council is also developing a programme of activities for the Harbourside to enhance and supplement the existing offer in the area, with the first large scale music festival, Making Waves, delivered successfully in summer 2022. We’re also looking into options regarding the administration of the public slipway and will work with the Irvine Harbour Authority on this. 120
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9 Consultation Report Main comments Active travel improvements with repaired paving and levelled crossings to key amenities supported by good lighting. Provision of stopovers/points of interest supporting less able users. Bike hire, e-bike charging points and bike parks along the Harbourside. Better public transport provision and links. Adequate wayfinding and signage from the Town Centre and Irvine Train Station. Provision of public amenities including toilets, seating/shelters. Better traffic management to improve safety for users and address congestion at problematic points also for users towing boats and similar crafts. Parking optimisation along the prime promenade prioritising less able users. Long-term maintenance and waste management. Recommendation The masterplan already recognises and provides recommendations on the majority of the aspects raised by the respondents, which will be considered further along with all the feedback at the next development phases. In addition, the Council is working with Sustrans to explore the potential for further improvements to active travel provision and improved accessibility along the Harbourside and connectivity with the Beach Park. We will continue to work with all relevant Council services to plan appropriate levels of maintenance, waste management and enforcement, when necessary. 121
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10 Consultation Report Coastal Hub Recommendation To be considered and implemented during the next design phases. 122
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11 Consultation Report Marine & Creative Arts Hub Main comments More events, street entertainment, outdoor cafes. Incorporate seating/shelter supported by lighting into a flexible open public space. Introduce public art and colour appropriate to local context. Restore heritage assets. Better traffic management and calming to improve safety for users and address congestion at problematic points. Parking optimisation along the prime promenade to free more space for people over vehicles. Long-term maintenance and waste management. Recommendation The masterplan already recognises and provides recommendations on the majority of the aspects raised by the respondents, which will be considered further along with all the feedback at the next phase related to public realm improvements. The Council is also developing a programme of activities for the Harbourside to enhance and supplement the existing offer in the area, with the first large scale music festival, Making Waves, delivered successfully in summer 2022. We will continue to work with all relevant Council services to plan appropriate levels of maintenance, waste management and enforcement, when necessary. 123
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12 Consultation Report Main comments Wharf repaired and brought back to use as extension to public realm with seating/shelter and potential for outdoor café spill-out. Potential to be used for mooring vessels, like boat trips offer, or to be utilised by visiting vessels for berthing and landing, although considerations would have to be given to reinstatement of the visitor craft access and maintenance to the navigation aids and dredging. Lowering the wharf for water access was also mentioned. Recommendation The masterplan already recognises and provides recommendations on some points raised by the respondents, which will be considered further along with all the feedback at the next development phases. In addition, the Council is working with the local groups, clubs and providers with interest in water-based and outdoor activity to identify opportunities and barriers for increased activity and provision. We’re also looking into options for administration of the public slipway and will also continue to engage with the Irvine harbour authority on this. 124
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13 Consultation Report Maritime Heritage Hub Recommendation To be considered and implemented during the next design phases. 125
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14 Consultation Report Beach Park Events Arena Recommendation To be considered and implemented during the next design phases. 126
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15 Consultation Report Former Harbour Master’s Office 127
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16 Consultation Report Main comments Potential extension sympathetic to the building as an important heritage asset, with provision of outdoor seating. Food outlet enhancing current offer in the area and space for seasonal pop-up street food. Community enterprise to be considered. Re-location of the parking from the front to remove noise and CO2 pollution and open the area up for public use taking advantage of the views over the river. Long-term maintenance and waste management. Some concerns over loss of open green space to the rear for parking were raised. Recommendation The masterplan already recognises and provides recommendations on some points raised by the respondents, which will be considered further along with all the feedback at the next development phases. Since the site is classified a vacant and derelict land, Local Development Plan supports its development. We will continue to work with all relevant Council services to plan appropriate levels of maintenance, waste management and enforcement, when necessary. 128
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17 Consultation Report Harbour Point facility Recommendation To be considered and implemented during the next design phases. 129
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18 Consultation Report Main comments Anti-social behaviour and associated safety concerns with requests for more lifeguards and wardens, police presence in summer and also CCTV provision and lockers/storage. Disabled/wheelchair and buggy access to the beach, like ramps and boardwalks, with a potential of rental of beach ‘buggies’. There was a general safety concern raised over access for jet skis, which was viewed negatively as a conflict to other water users. Better safety information. Waste management adequate to the demand. Recommendation To be considered and implemented during the next design phases, although very limited intervention could be implemented in relation to dune erosion, which is a natural and unavoidable process. The Council is working with Sustrans to explore the potential for improved and inclusive beach access. We will continue to work with all relevant Council services to plan appropriate levels of maintenance, waste management and enforcement, when necessary. We will also continue working with the Police and other relevant services. 130
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19 Consultation Report Main comments & recommendations Potential for transformation and an economic boost encouraging private investment. Need to protect natural heritage and wildlife and promote as a visitor attraction. Need to ensure public amenities, including toilets along the Harbourside. Concerns over loss of open green space to development within the Beach Park. Concerns of overdevelopment of the area and sustainability of the proposals. Concerns over proposed Scottish Maritime Museum gallery extension affecting views for some residents at Dublin Quay. Need to ensure the unique character of the place, with a unique experience and with a focus on local built and natural heritage. All feedback and concerns will be considered during the next development phases facilitating statutory consultation process, if required, and improvements will be implemented where possible and appropriate. Any proposals, through AGD investment or future development frameworks will align with the Local Development Plan. Anti-social behaviour in summer at the beach and the Beach Park is a conflict for families with small children. Better traffic management, maintenance and waste management. We will continue to work with all relevant Council services to plan appropriate levels of maintenance, waste management and enforcement, when necessary. We will also continue working with the Police and other relevant services. Recognition of health and wellbeing benefits relating to the Beach Park, coast and riverside. Treatment of the Boating Pond and re-introducing its use. Re-introduce more activity, previously lost, at the Beach Park and at the river. We will continue to work with all relevant Council services and also with local clubs, community groups and providers to explore the full potential for such provision. More activity on the river including facilities for boat owners and visitors, which would require dredging and navigation signalling. Big Idea potential for a visitor attraction or other. Opening of the Inventors Bridge allowing public access to the Ardeer Peninsula. Provision of camping/caravan facilities. Ayrshire Mental Works site should be developed. Improved public transport. While these matters do not fall under Council’s authority or ownership, we will continue to engage with relevant parties to explore the potential for co-operation. 131
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20 Consultation Report Main comments & recommendations Making Waves and more events for cultural boost and visitor attraction. The Council will develop a programme of events and activities for the Harbourside to enhance and supplement the existing offer in the area, including the Making Waves festival. Suggested relocation of AGD investment to other projects/areas. The level of misconception was present in relation to the funding allocation under Ayrshire Growth Deal. This funding is designated by the Scottish Government specifically for the Great Harbour regeneration project with the investment into the Maritime Mile proposals, as consulted and cannot be utilised for any other projects/areas. Connectivity and better public transport provision. Sufficient allowance for disabled parking and inclusive accessibility of the beach and key areas/attractions. While the better accessibility for all users is considered within the masterplan and will be reflected in the next design phases, the public transport provision is demand driven. We will continue to engage with the operators to improve the provision in the area. 132
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98 Great Harbour Masterplan 133
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Great Harbour Masterplan 99 Appendices 2. Residential Design Guide 134
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100 Great Harbour Masterplan Design Guide: Streets No. of Dwellings Not Restricted Footway Min. 2m (both sides), raised crossovers at Junctions Cycleway On Street, keep priorities at Junctions Carriageway 6m-9m (including on street cycleway) Speed Limit 20mph Zone Target Speed 20mph Road Marking Min. statutory road markings, no central lines (details to be agreed Min. Centre Line Radii 75m Min. Swept Path Requirement Bus / Refuse Vehicles Traffic Calming Street features at approx. 60m-80m, including place making junction treatments and carriageway narrowing Verge Varies Street Trees As appropriate – supports traffic calming at Junctions / Internal Courts On Street Parking Unallocated formal parking bays, kerb build out, parallel parking and on one-side of street parking only. Junction To be treated as main traffic calming feature Junction Spacing 40m on same side, 20m on opposite side Junction Radii 10.5m (bus turning corners) / 6m others Private Strip Min 2m Landscape screen • Solid landscape edge to Home Zone • Landscape design to combine visual barrier with habitat enhancement • Landscape design in native or long introduced species to build on ex- isting assets • Treatment to contribute to variety as part of Green Network 135
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Great Harbour Masterplan 101 Building frontage and landscape filter: • Parallel access route • No direct vehicular access • Filtered views in housing areas • Road has minor access status (retaining access to existing buildings only) and becomes a pedestrian route along a positive Green Belt boundary General Access Road: General access residential roads will provide local access to housing areas. The main features of this road will be: • Variable plot width depending on housing density • Regular landscape grid where possible single • Speed limit and traffic calming for 20mph 136
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102 Great Harbour Masterplan Design Guide: Housing Layouts Housing Layout 1: Urban Terraces Description Contemporary urban terraces defining greenspace and streets, developing strong enclosure in 2-3 storey units creating 2-4 bed mixed units including duplex homes. Predominantly town houses but may include a mix of, villa apartments, large duplexes and flats. Appearance Housing Layout 2: Waterfront Townhouses Description Contemporary urban townhouses framing the waterfront establishing typically medium-larger 3-4 bed family homes. Terraced with buildings defining street /public realm/internal courts with varied height, façade treatments, colour and roofline variation. End units and building returns to allow 3 levels with architectural detailing reflecting visual prominence. Buildings incorporate consistent presentation of windows, doors establishing simple rhythm. Front gardens typically narrow to maximum 2m. fronting public realm. Appearance Housing Layout 3: Detached and Semi-Detached Description Detached and semi-detached units fronting traffic calmed streets with variable demise lines and frontages creating 3-4 bed family homes. Character secured by introducing variability in units (2.5 storey dormers); materials and colour treatments (render treatments);and frontage detailing. Appearance Housing Layout 4: Specials Description The housing typology positively supports bespoke housing treatments at site gateways, corner units and to add variety. Indicative locations are provided within the masterplan. Housing choice and variability in layouts and detailing are central to ‘The Harbourside’ and offering a special quality of place in keeping with the architectural quality of earlier phases of development. The layouts delivered by IBDC and more recently by NAC Housing (Harbour Drive) illustrate the pattern, variability and close integration of scale required for the Harbourside. Appearance 137
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Great Harbour Masterplan 103 Design Guide: Boundary Treatments Boundary Treatment 1: Metal Railings Description Developing strong frontages with front garden setbacks will require consistent boundary treatments within neighbourhoods with metal railings and metal railings on brick/stone plinths supported. Railings shall be galvanised steel and finished micaceous oxide paint. Gates and secondary detailing shall be consistent with all external metalwork (balconies) addressed in the same manner. Typically railings shall be 900-1100mm high. Details that develop a 'family' of design and consistent with local references and benchmarking are likely to be supported. Appearance Boundary Treatment 2: Hedges Description Hedging to courtyard and internal courts shall be supported and defined with metal post and wire estate style fencing finished in powder coated black or white with double staggered hedging within the line of fencing. Hedges shall be consistent using predominantly native species (Beech - Fagus sylvatica; Hornbeam - Carpinus betulus; Hawthorn - Crategus monogyna. Appearance Boundary Treatment 3: Timber Fencing Description Timber detailing shall be to internal courts only. Contemporary timber external detailing using hardwood and treated softwood materials from sustainable sources. Softwoods shall be stained to provide a consistent neighbourhood colour palette. Gates and secondary detailing (bin stores/ cycle stores/ external building timber) shall be consistently treated. Appearance 138
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104 Great Harbour Masterplan Design Guide: Materials Palette - Carriageways Material Application: Carriageway surfacing (Main) Material Description · Asphalt - Black · Stone Chips – Light Buff Stone (10-14mm) · Construction to NAC Transportation approval Appearance Material Application: Carriageway surfacing (rumble strips, deterrent surfacing and vehicle overrun) Material Description · Tumbled silver grey concrete or traditional stone setts · 100mm depth x 100x150 (+-10mm) · Granite effect setts laid perpendicular to roadside kerb · Light grey tones with granite aggregate Appearance Material Application: Carriageway surfacing (pedestrian crossing & shared space area) Material Description · Concrete sett paving such as ‘Tegula’ or similar approved · 80 depth x various sizes · Typical acceptable gauges (widths) 130, 165 or 240mm (+- 10mm) · Stretcher bond in random courses, Soldier bond edging course · Construction to NAC Transportation approval. Appearance Material Application: Central reservation setts / kerbs Material Description · Recycled whinstone cobble or tumbled concrete equivalent, to be laid on edge to edge · Edge setts / kerbs 150 depth x 140 x various lengths (270-330) · Colour light grey and/ or brown tones · Construction to NAC Transportation approval. Appearance 139
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Great Harbour Masterplan 105 Design Guide: Materials Palette - Footways Material Application: Footway surfacing (Main - Type 1) Material Description · Asphalt - Black · Stone Chips - Buff or Light Chips Stone (10-14mm) rolled in · Construction to NAC Transportation approval Appearance Material Application: Footway surfacing (Main - Type 2) Material Description · Concrete paving slabs · 65mm depth x 400 x 400mm textured paving units · Stretcher and/or Stack bond Appearance Material Application: Footway surfacing (non-motorised junctions, focal areas and pedestrian crossings - Type 1) Material Description · Tegula block paving · Specification and Construction to NAC Transportation approval Appearance Material Application: Footway Kerbs Material Description · Footway Kerbs · Square edge flush concrete pin kerbs 50mm x 150mm x 915mm (+-20mm) Appearance 140
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106 Great Harbour Masterplan Design Guide: Materials Palette - Trees - Landscape & Hedges Material Application Small- Medium street trees. Large growing tree species should be avoided within the coastal zone and only considered in to sites with the capacity to accommodate them Material Description Medium Street & Garden Tree Species · Carpinus betulus (Hornbeam) · Prunus avium ‘Plena’ (Cherry) Appearance Material Application Shrubs and Groundcover. These plant types are used to create focal points. Areas shall be limited with preference for more sustainable ground covers see verges/bulbs/native grasses. Where appropriate groundcovers should use native species that establish strong link and have low maintenance. Material Description Typical species with encouragement for native species where possible /appropriate: Cornus spp · Hebe spp · Hedera helix Appearance Material Application Hedging. Clipped hedging is a very effective natural screen and boundary. As a living material it improves air quality and creates potential habitat /shelter for nesting birds. Material Description Hedging species · Carpinus betulus (Hornbeam) / Crategus monogyna / Fagus sylvatica (Beech) Appearance Material Application Grass verges. Material Description · Low maintenance amenity grass mix interplanted with wild flower or seasonal bulbs. · Native grasslands combined with SUDS swales and stonework detailing. Appearance Euonymous spp · Juniperous spp · Viburnum helix Small Street & Garden Tree Species include: · Amelachier Canadensis—serviceberry · Crategus Spp 141
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Great Harbour Masterplan 107 Design Guide: Service & Storage Servicing in Residential Areas Description Provision of adequate space for refuse and recycling bins as well as accessibility will be required. Generally bins should be collected from the front properties with back to back block arrangement. Where bins are to be stored to the rear of the property and within parking courts appropriate bin stores will need to be provided and sized to meet all recycling and residential needs. Appearance Cycle Storage Description Cycle provision is a key component of the ‘The Harbourside’ vision. Each dwelling shall have secure storage for at least 1.25-1.50 cycles per residential unit (2-4 bed). Where garages are provided cycle storage should be within garage units. Where no garages are provided external cycle stores shall be integrated with external bin stores and provide safe weather protected and readily accessible secure storage. Integrated cycle and bin stores shall be located no more than 25m from the adopted highway and a drop kerb installed to establish a transition form pavement to street level. Cycle and bin sores shall be constructed in timber. The recycling facility and store shall normally be out of public view or alternatively architecturally addressed to include slated, pitched roofs and public realm quality detailing. Material detailing and design references for storage shall be complimentary to the neighbourhood material palette and proposed parent building. Cycle provision shall also include cycle racks at key locations within the development (park entrance/ corner store) and in all parking courts. Cycle rack shall comprise simple stainless steel SUSTRANS recommended cycle racks that allow for secure locking of bikes. Appearance Bin Stores Description All units shall include for provision within the buildings ground floor for the storage of refuse and provision for recycling. Residential units will require storage for a 2x 240 litre domestic waste wheelie bin and all units with private gardens will require a similar provision for garden waste recycling. All units shall also include for a 2 No. 55 litre recycling boxes. Storage must be sufficient to hold waste assuming fortnightly collections and shall be no more than 25m from the adopted highway or access point. Flats and communal units shall include provision for 2No. Eurobins per 10 flats. Support for sustainable lifestyles shall also seek to promote composting, back court drying, rain water capture and SUDS supported wildlife areas. Provision for compost bins shall be included within detached/ semi-detached properties. Drying greens shall be incorporated into courtyard space for flatted and terraced units. Appearance 142
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108 Great Harbour Masterplan Design Guide: Gardens Space Landscape Design Description The masterplan provides for a clear distinction between public and private spaces with public frontages and private rear garden ground that supports informal surveillance. High quality landscape areas (design/ materials/ maintenance) shall include hard and soft landscape treatments with native planting. Appearance Garden Space Description Plot widths are typically 6-9m with depths extending to 8-20m. All individual dwellings will have private rear gardens with flatted property provided with amenity space with a minimum area of 2.5m² per bed space. Amenity and garden ground shall be completed with appropriate boundary detailing and include completed lawns and tree planting to frontages. Appearance In-curtilage SUDS Description A strategic SUDS framework will be required for both Harbourside Waterfront Housing and Portland - Beach Drive Housing. SUDS provisions shall include site garden ground, amenity areas, parking courts, etc. Porous paving and feature stone detailing, swales and other elements within the SUDS hierarchy shall be adopted. Hard surfacing shall be restricted to a maximum of 25% garden ground or 50% of garden frontages. Appearance Security Description Natural surveillance from properties, streets and movement routes shall overlook all public realm and amenity spaces with development layouts clearly delineating public, semi-public and private ownerships. All building entrances will be visible and accessible from the street and no crime prevention measures that impact on the appearance or quality of neighbourhoods (security grilles/ security fencing) will be acceptable. Restricted access to areas of low surveillance (side or rear boundaries) may be provided with fencing and landscape treatments that actively impede access and enhance security. Appearance 143
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Great Harbour Masterplan 109 Design Guide: Colour Palette Building Render finish All the buildings in the development will be finished in render to match the existing buildings in the area. A pastel colour palette will be used to compliment the existing harbourside properties. Roof tiling Slate effect roof tiles will be used throughout the development to complement the existing slate roofs in the area. Zinc cladding Small areas of zinc cladding will be added throughout the development to add a contemporary element to the traditional architecture. . Metal railings Traditional metal railings and gates are proposed at the front gardens of the properties within the development. This will match the existing boundary treatment is some of the nearby properties. # Harbourside Colour Palette Waterside Colour Palette 144
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 24th April 2024 Planning Committee Locality Reference 24/00112/PPM Application Registered 28th February 2024 Decision Due 28th June 2024 Ward Garnock Valley Recommendation Approved subject to Conditions __________________________________________________________________ Location Site To South Of 1 Newhouse Drive, Kilbirnie Applicant Keepmoat Homes Ltd Proposal Erection of residential development of 112 dwellings with associated works including access, parking, landscaping, open space and SuDS ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Description Planning permission is sought for the erection of 112 residential dwellings with associated works including access, parking, landscaping, open space, and SuDS on an allocated greenfield site within the settlement boundary of Kilbirnie. The site, which has a total area of just under 8 hectares, of which 2.4 hectares would be developed, slopes downhill towards the countryside from a high point of approximately 60m AOD at the boundary with Newhouse Drive in the northeast corner to a low point of 55m AOD in the southwest, a fall of some 5m across a distance of 200m (which equates to a very gentle slope). The area to be developed consists of an area of former agricultural land that was planted with broadleaved woodland in 2006/07 as part of a woodland creation scheme funded by the former Forestry Commission Scotland. There is an informal footpath which passes through the site from Newhouse Drive leading into Place Woodland, the greater part of which is located to the southwest of the site. As a result of the proposed development, an area of immature woodland, totalling 1.5 hectares in area and generally consisting of trees below 5m in height, would be felled. Compensation planting would take place within the western part of the site and at nearby Place Woodland to provide over 1.6 hectares of new woodland and hedgerows (a net gain of 0.1 hectares or 1000 square metres). The area of the application site which would be left undeveloped, to the west and northwest of the Agenda Item 4 145
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proposed housing, would be retained as scrub and marshy grassland. Some of the new tree planting would be provided within that area. To the north and east of the site is an established residential area of Kilbirnie consisting of post-war local authority housing. The housing comprises two storey dwellings in a mix of semi-detached and terraces. To the south is agricultural land beyond the settlement boundary. The southern boundary of the application site aligns with the southern boundary of the existing housing in the town. The proposed development would have a single point of vehicular access from Newhouse Drive at the highest point of the site, via a previously constructed section of road and associated pedestrian footways which terminates at the northeast boundary of the site. The access leads from the corner of Newhouse Drive and Mossend Avenue. There would also be a separate pedestrian footpath connection provided to link with the existing pedestrian footway on Camphill Drive on the east side of the site. The existing informal footpath through the site which leads to Place Woodland would be diverted through and around the housing with a new length of path provided, reconnecting onto the existing path at the southwest corner of the site. The site layout would take the form of a series of interconnected streets based on Designing Streets principles, roughly forming a figure 8 on plan. A hierarchy system has been designed into the layout, with wider roads near the site access leading to narrower streets at sections where predicted traffic flows would be less. Footways would be provided where flows would be greatest leading onto shared surfaces within areas of lighter traffic. The north eastern section of road would terminate in a cul-de-sac in order to restrict traffic flows around the perimeter of the site. Visitor parking would be provided throughout the site. All houses within the development would have two storeys, although one design has a dormer within the attic to give 2.5 storeys. A total of 11 house designs (or 'types') are proposed. The housing mix includes 23 detached, 52 semi-detached and 37 terraced homes. Most homes would have either 3 or 4 bedrooms, and 16 would have 2 bedrooms. The houses typically have steep roof slopes with gable ends. Some would have gable features to the front and/or roof canopies over front doors. A number would have integral garages. The applicant has proposed that external finishes would be finished primarily in white render or red facing brick, with buff coloured window cills, white uPVC windows, black front doors and anthracite grey concrete roof tiles. There would be two types of brickwork used for basecourses, either red or buff coloured facing brick. All homes would have mono-block paved driveways. Solar PV panels would be provided on all roofs (and positioned on the most appropriate slope to maximise daylight/solar gain). Front gardens would be open plan with rear gardens enclosed with 1.8m high timber fences. The development would provide a play park for children to the west of the housing and beside the footpath leading to the Place Woodland. The play park would be set within an area of grassed open space which would be landscaped with several trees. The edges of an existing field ditch to the west of the site would be landscaped to provide a biodiversity corridor. The open space and play park would be overlooked from the front of houses on the western edge of the site, all of which would face towards the countryside and woodland beyond the town. A SuDS detention basin would be provided to the southwest at the lowest point in the site, discharging to an existing field ditch. A further area of open space would be provided at the east of the site to enlarge an existing open space on the edge of the existing housing estate between Newhouse Drive and Baillieston Avenue. 146
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In terms of the Adopted Local Development Plan (LDP), the application site is within an additional housing allocation which was allocated in 2019, with an indicative capacity of 100 units. The relevant policies of the LDP to the proposed development are listed below: - The Towns and Villages Objective of Strategic Policy 1: Spatial Strategy - Strategic Policy 2 (Placemaking) - Policy 1: New Houses and Maintaining an Effective Housing Land Supply - Policy 15: Landscape and Seascape - Policy 16: Protection of our Designated Sites - Policy 18: Forestry, Woodland, Trees and Hedgerows - Policy 22: Water Environment Quality - Policy 23: Flood Risk Management - Policy 27: Sustainable Transport and Active Travel - Policy 31: Future Proofing for Heat Networks National Planning Framework 4 is also relevant to the consideration of the application since this is part of the development plan. The following supporting information was submitted with the application: - Pre-application Consultation (PAC) Report - Design and Access Statement - Preliminary Ecological Appraisal Report - Flood Risk Assessment - Tree Report - Transport Assessment - Drainage Statement - Invasive Weeds Survey - Environmental Constraints Assessment 2. Consultations and Representations Neighbour notification was undertaken for the application in accordance with statutory procedures, which involved 30 letters being sent to all addresses within 20m of the site. The application was also advertised in a local newspaper, the Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald. One letter of representation has been received, which makes the following points: 1. Great to see some much needed homes being built. Response: Noted. The proposed development is for an allocated residential site in the adopted LDP. 2. Better footpath links are needed to connect to existing residential area, reducing car journeys and allowing direct walking access to schools, shops etc. Area north of plot 42 there should be a footpath link to Baillieston Ave. There should be a footpath link to Camphill Ave and Kerswinning Ave. Response: Noted. An additional pedestrian link has now been proposed to link the site with Camphill Avenue, providing a direct link to a group of shops and health centre at the Garden 147
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City (500m). There is another local shop on Mossend Avenue which can be easily reached on foot via the main site access (150m). The nearest primary school, St Bridget's, is to the north and can be easily accessed on foot from the main site access from Newhouse Drive (160m). An informal pedestrian connection will also be available between the north of Plot 42 and the existing open space and footpath leading to Baillieston Avenue and The Dykes. The existing footpath to Place Woodland would be diverted and incorporated into the open space for the development, thus providing access to an established woodland walk in the nearby countryside. It is not considered necessary for any further formal or informal links to the adjoining streets. 3. The proposed site layout turns it back on the existing urban area especially around plots 49-54 and these plots could be turned to a right angle to allow a better connection between the existing urban area. Response: Not agreed. The plots at 49 - 54 back onto existing housing at The Dykes and Camphill Avenue. This is considered to be the most appropriate arrangement for integration with the existing housing estate. 4. The new public park should have street lighting to allow safe use after dark. Response: Not agreed. The play park is on the edge of the proposed development beside the countryside where the introduction of street lighting could have an adverse effect on wildlife, as noted in the submitted Preliminary Ecological Appraisal. Consultations NAC Active Travel and Transport - no objections following assessment of the proposed layout and the submission of some amendments in relation to visitor parking/service strips. Response: Noted. The matters raised have been addressed. Any outstanding technical details can be addressed during the road construction consent application process. NAC Education - no objection. The roll projections for the catchment schools (St Bridget's PS, Garnock Community Campus and St Matthew's Academy) have been checked and currently show that the new homes can be accommodated. Response: Noted. NAC Environmental Health - no objections to the development. Conditions are recommended in respect of air quality associated with road traffic; a desk study for potential contamination on the land; the use of suitable (clean) fill materials in land engineering operations and for notification to the local authority in the event of unsuspected contamination being discovered during the course of development. Further observations are made in relation to a range of other Environmental Health matters. Response: Conditions relating to the above matters could be added in the event of planning permission being granted. NAC Flooding Officer - no objection subject to conditions regarding full details of land and surface water drainage networks; detailed design for the SuDS detention basin; further 148
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details of flow paths and the implementation of flood risk management measures identified in the FRA. Response: The above raised matters could be dealt with through condition in the event of planning permission being granted. Scottish Water - no objection. The applicant should be made aware that a consultation response does not confirm that the proposed development can currently be serviced. Further comments for are provided on water supply and waste water capacity. Surface water will not be accepted into the combined sewer except in limited exceptional circumstances. Response: An informative note could be added to any planning consent granted instructing the applicant to contact Scottish Water regarding the matters raised. West of Scotland Archaeology Service - advise that the application will not affect the nearby ironstone pit and farmstead marked on Ordnance Survey first edition maps. The proposals raise no substantive archaeological issues. Response: Noted. Kilbirnie & Glengarnock Community Council - no comments. 3. Analysis To accord with the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, the application requires to be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Each relevant development plan policy is considered individually below. Strategic Policy 1: Spatial Strategy and Policy 1: New Homes and Maintaining an Effective Housing Land Supply The Towns and Villages Objective of Strategic Policy 1 (Spatial Strategy) states that, in principle, the Council will support development proposals within North Ayrshire's towns and villages that provide the right new homes in the right places. Policy 1 (New Homes and Maintaining an Effective Housing Land Supply) states that, in principle, the Council will support and promote residential development of the 51 effective housing supply sites identified in Schedules 2a and 2b. As noted above, this particular site was allocated as part of the 2019 LDP and has an indicative capacity of 100 units (ref. Cfs44). Whilst the application is for 112 houses, which is 12 greater than the indicative capacity, it is not considered that this would result in the over-development of the land given the provision of open space and landscaped ground. As such it is considered that the proposed development accords with Strategic Policy 1 and Policy 1 of the LDP. Strategic Policy 2: Placemaking The stated purpose of Strategic Policy 2 on Placemaking is to ensure "all development contributes to making quality places." The policy also seeks to "safeguard, and where possible enhances environmental quality through the avoidance of adverse environmental or amenity impacts." 149
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The proposed development would provide a variety of house designs (11 in total) including terraced, semi-detached and detached houses. This would add positively to the range and choice of homes in Kilbirnie. All houses within the development would have 2 storeys with gabled roof designs and a consistent pattern of external finishes throughout the development. It is considered that the development would integrate with the existing housing estate which adjoins the site. The existing housing either has gables or rear elevations facing onto the application site, with similar ground levels. As such, the existing housing would not experience any adverse privacy or overlooking impacts from the proposed development. As well as providing adequate connections with the existing housing, the proposed street layout has taken into account the western and southern aspects of the site which provides views towards the Place Woodland and Garnock Valley, thus enhancing the relationship of the development with its wider landscape setting. In terms of its functionality, the proposed street layout is considered acceptable. There would be one access road for vehicles, including pedestrian footways. There would be one additional pedestrian footpath connections onto Camphill Avenue, an informal connection onto The Dykes and a diverted footpath provided to connect the existing and proposed housing to the Place Woodland. The houses along the western boundary of the site would face towards an area of open space with the Place Woodland beyond. It is considered that this siting arrangement would create an attractive edge to the development on the outskirts of the town. The proposed layout and boundary treatments would provide each house with a rear garden area of adequate size and enclosures to ensure that there would be no adverse privacy or overlooking between residents. Each house would also be provided with in-curtilage parking to ensure that there would be no adverse parking impacts on the new streets within the development. In addition, there would be 27 no. visitor parking spaces provided throughout the development. The proposed development would provide a range of internal and outdoor spaces that could be adapted in the future to meet the needs of the residents. It is also considered that the site would be well connected for a variety of transport modes. Newhouse Drive/Mossend Avenue is a bus route. There are other bus routes available on Dalry Road and Kirkland Road, all within walking distance. As noted above, the site is within walking distance of a number of local facilities and services including shops, a primary school and a health centre. Therefore, given the above, it is considered that the proposed development would meet the relevant requirements of Strategic Policy (Placemaking). Policy 15: Landscape and Seascape Policy 15 states that the Council will support development that protects and/or enhances our landscape/seascape character avoiding unacceptable adverse impacts on our designated and non-designated landscape area and features. In this particular case, it is noted that the site is allocated for residential development in the LDP and therefore the principle of the 150
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development of the site for housing has been established, notwithstanding the above designation. Policy 15 identifies a Potential Limit of Development Expansion area which is denoted as a line on the LDP map. The intention of the delineation is to guide development away from areas of land which could have adverse impacts on the rural landscape around towns. In this case, the line (which is notional and not demarcated on the ground) passes to the southwest of the development. The western edge of the development would, as noted above, be planted with woodlands to provide a smooth transition between the built up area and the existing woodland beyond the town. The ditch which passes the western edge of the site would be retained and enhanced with additional planting to provide ecological and amenity benefits. Several areas of open space would be provided, including an equipped play area for children as well as several areas of grass. A scheme of landscaping and planting would take place throughout the development. Notably, the immature trees to be removed within the site would be replaced within the Place Woodland area and on the western edge of the site, thus adding to the woodland cover in the locality and compensating for the trees that will be removed to accommodate the development. As such, it is not considered that the proposed development would have any significant adverse impact on the local landscape character area and has been designed in accordance with Policy 15. Policy 16: Protection of our Designated Sites and Policy 18: Forestry, Woodland, Trees and Hedgerows In terms of Policies 16 and 18, the site is not subject to any environmental designations of local or national importance. However, a Preliminary Ecological Assessment (PEA) has been submitted providing a detailed assessment of the environmental features of the site and its surroundings, the preparation of which followed desktop and site surveys. The findings of the survey indicate that there were no protected species present nor nesting places, bat roosts, badger setts, etc. The trees on the site are noted as being of potential importance as a food source for bats, birds, insects and as wildlife corridors. The PEA recommends that further survey work is carried out for the presence of protected species, especially bats, before any development takes place. Vegetation removal should be avoided during the nesting bird season of March to September. Various other recommendations have been made, all of which would help to prevent loss of wildlife arising from the clearance of the trees and construction operations. The fact that the applicant has proposed compensatory woodland planting as well as providing enhanced conditions for wildlife near to the site would help to address the loss of foraging and commuting opportunities for bats and birds in particular. Implementation of the recommendations of the PEA could be secured by condition. With such measures in place, it is considered that the proposed development would accord with the above policies. Policy 22: Water Environment Quality and Policy 23: Flood Risk Management. 151
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Policy 22 of the LDP states that development will be required to ensure no unacceptable adverse impact on the water environment. Development should ensure that appropriately sized buffer strips are maintained between the built and water environments. Related to this issue is Policy 23, which deals with flood risk management and states that generally development should avoid locations of flood risk and should not lead to significant increase in the flood risk elsewhere. There is a small ditch along the western edge of the site and a larger stream further west. Both water bodies are less than 2m in width and the recommended minimum buffer strip of 6m either side would be exceeded in both cases. The stream further to the west would have no ground disturbance around it whereas the ditch that is closer to the edge of the site would have its banks slightly modified as part of the groundworks for the open space provision. The site is located outwith the flood risk area defined by NPF4 and the submitted Flood Risk Assessment finds that the site would be at a low risk of flooding from the nearby watercourses at present and in the future. SEPA's Standing Advice was consulted and from this it was noted that the site is not at risk from pluvial (watercourse) flooding. NAC Flooding has no objection to the proposed development subject to recommended conditions relating to the surface water drainage infrastructure. As such, it is considered that the development accords with Policies 22 and 23. Policy 27: Sustainable Transport and Active Travel As noted above under Strategic Policy 2, the site is considered well connected for walking to the local facilities in Kilbirnie, for bus services and for private car travel. The nearest railway station in Glengarnock can be accessed on foot, bus and car - there are existing park and ride facilities at the station. As such, it is considered that the development accords with Policy 27. Policy 31: Future Proofing for Heat Networks Policy 31 supports proposals for the creation or enhancement of district heat networks in as many locations as possible in North Ayrshire. The site is not considered to be a suitable candidate for a district heating system at present, since there are no existing or proposed heat sources available nearby (ie. within 1km) which could be utilised for this purpose. NPF4 Finally, turning to NPF4, it is considered that that, in principle, the proposed development accords with the spatial strategy of NPF4 in that it would provide a new residential development on an allocated site. NPF4 is broadly in alignment with the LDP in respect of its other strategic policy objectives, including those tackling the climate and nature crises. As noted above, several mitigation and enhancement measures have been recommended in the application including the planting of compensation woodlands which would add to tree cover at Place Woodland near the site. Areas of public open space, landscaping and planting would be provided throughout the site and sustainable drainage provided to mitigate the rate of surface water run-off in conjunction with other flood prevention measures. A condition could be attached to require the implementation of the PEA and flooding officer recommendations during the development of the site. This would ensure that the principles set out in NPF4 for nature and sustainable drainage are implemented. Finally, the proposed footpath links would support active travel for a variety of purposes, providing access to both the countryside and the town, and would thus promote local living. In summary, it is considered that the proposed development has considered the climate emergency, would be 'nature positive' and would accord with NPF4. 152
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There are no other material considerations. In conclusion, it is considered the proposed development would accord with the development plan. Accordingly, it is recommended that planning permission is granted subject to the conditions noted below. 4. Full Recommendation Approved subject to Conditions Reasons for Decision Condition 1. That the development hereby approved shall be implemented in accordance with the submitted plans, drawings and recommendations contained in the application (inclusive of all associated supporting documentation) unless otherwise indicated below, all to the satisfaction of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason To secure the implementation of the development in accordance with the supporting information. Condition 2. That prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, the applicant shall submit a Construction Environmental Management Plan for the written approval of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Thereafter, the development shall be implemented in accordance with such details as may be approved to the satisfaction of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason In the interests of environmental protection during the construction phase. Condition 3. That prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, the applicant shall undertake a desk study of the application site, (including the review of any previous site investigations) to assess the likelihood of contamination and assist in the design of an appropriate site investigation and subsequent suitable quantitative risk assessment. Remediation proposals shall also be presented in relation to any significant findings. All documentation shall be verified by a suitably qualified Environmental Consultant and submitted to the satisfaction of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason In the interests of environmental protection prior to and during the construction phase. Condition 4. That, if there is a requirement to re-use site won material and/or to import material then the assessment criteria and sampling frequency that would adequately demonstrate its suitability for use shall be submitted to and approved by North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority prior to any material being used. In addition, any fill material to be used in the top 300mm shall also be free from metals, plastic, wood, glass, tarmac, paper and odours and 153
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in accordance with BS3882:2015 and BS8601:2013. On completion of the works and at a time and or phasing agreed by the Planning Authority, the developer shall submit a verification report containing details of the source of the material and appropriate test results to demonstrate its suitability for use within residential development. Reason In the interests of environmental protection during the construction phase. Condition 5. That prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, full details of: - the proposed land and surface water drainage networks shall be provided; - the SuDS Basin design shall be provided. (For the avoidance of doubt, the embankment levels of the basin shall be designed that exceedance overflows will flow towards the burn and away from the housing within the development); - exceedance flow paths of the drainage network shall be provided; all for the written approval of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. The finalised surface water drainage scheme shall accord with the principles and practices contained in 'The SuDS Manual' (CIRIA report C753, published November 2015). Thereafter, the details as may be approved shall be implemented prior to the completion of the development and maintained thereafter to the satisfaction of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason To ensure that the drainage scheme for the development would not lead to flooding. Condition 6. That prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, the developer shall provide final details of the boundary treatments for the written approval of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Thereafter, the development shall progress in accordance with such details as may be approved to the satisfaction of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason To ensure that the boundary treatments are appropriately sited and designed in the interest of the visual amenity of the area. Condition 7. That all planting, seeding or turfing comprised in the approved details of landscaping scheme and compensation woodland scheme shall be carried out in the first planting season and seeding seasons following the occupation of the dwellings or the completion of the development, whichever is the sooner. Any trees, plants or areas of grass seeding which, within a period of five years from the completion of the development die, are removed or become seriously damaged or diseased shall be replaced in the next planting season until established, unless North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority gives written consent to any variation. Reason 154
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To ensure that the approved landscaping scheme is carried out and maintained, in the interest of amenity and biodiversity. Allan Finlayson Chief Planning Officer For further information please contact Mr A Hume Planning Officer on 01294 324318. 155
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Appendix 1 – Location Plan DO NOT SCALE Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. North Ayrshire Council Licence Number 100023393. 156
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 24th April 2024 Planning Committee Locality Kilwinning Reference 24/00116/CON Application Registered 19th February 2024 Decision Due 19th June 2024 Ward Kilwinning Recommendation No objection subject to conditions __________________________________________________________________ Location Site to south east of Goldcraigs Roads Depot, Kilwinning Applicant Flemyland Battery Storage Ltd per LoganPM Proposal Installation of a battery energy storage system and associated infrastructure with a generating capacity of up to 100MW (a consultation from the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit ref. ECU00004984) ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Description The Scottish Government's Energy Consents Unit has consulted the Council, as Planning Authority, on an application under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. The application, on undeveloped farmland to the southeast of the Goldcraigs Road Depot on the B778 to the northeast of Kilwinning, is for the development and installation of a battery energy storage system and associated infrastructure with a generating capacity of up to 100MW. The total site covers an area of approximately 8 hectares of agricultural land and woodland, with the area to be developed around 1.5 hectares. The site is located in the rural area approximately 1km from the northeast edge of the town. The proposed site access would be opposite the Goldcraigs Road Depot, with an existing field gate to be widened. There are several houses near to the north boundary, although the distance from the houses to the nearest parts of the site to be developed would be greater than 100 metres. Several other houses nearby would be between 150m and 200m from the area to be developed. Agenda Item 5 157
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Parts of the site are on a slope running generally downhill from southeast to northwest. The highest point of the site is at approximately 56m AOD at its north-east corner, falling to approximately 36m AOD towards the B778. Section 36 of the Electricity Act states that consent is required from the Scottish Ministers for the construction of battery energy storage facilities with a capacity exceeding 50 megawatts. The Energy Consent Units, in accordance with The Electricity (Applications for Consent) Regulations 1990, has sought the views of the Council, as Planning Authority, on the proposed development. The consultation includes a number of reports, plans and drawings. The proposed development includes the following components: - the entire site would be enclosed with security fencing, and a battery compound within the site would have its own security fence; - the battery compound would be located partially on sloping ground betweeen an existing woodland area and the southeastern boundary of the site; - there would be 56 battery storage units placed within the compound; - a typical battery storage unit would be 5.5m in length, 2.4m in width and 2.8m in height. Each would be placed on a concrete base following cut and fill operations; - the storage units would contain battery cells, cooling plant and fire suppression plant; - along with the battery storage units, there would be 56 power converters and transformers, as well as a high voltage transformer and switchgear within the compound; - outside of the compound, the site would have tracks, a transmission compound, water tanks, stores, fencing, CCTV security, ancillary development and landscaping including new woodland planting. In terms of the adopted North Ayrshire Local Development Plan (LDP), the site is within an area of countryside. To the northwest of the site boundary is the B778, across which is the Council's Goldcraigs Road Depot. Immediately north, beyond an established woodland area, are several detached houses. To the northeast is Hullerhill Quarry. To the east and southeast is agricultural land and a dwelling known as Crofthead (220m from site boundary). There is a large electricity sub-station to the southwest, across the B778. In terms of the adopted LDP, the proposal requires to be considered against Strategic Policy 1 (The Countryside Objective), Strategic Policy 2 (Placemaking), Policy 14 (Green & Blue Infrastructure), Policy 15 (Landscape & Seascape), Policy 16 (Protection of our Designated Sites); Policy 18 (Forestry, Woodland, Trees and Hedgerows) and Policy 29 (Energy Infrastructure Development). National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) also requires consideration. The proposed development was screened for EIA purposes during May 2023 (ref. 23/00284/EIA). The conclusion reached was that EIA was not required. 158
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2. Consultations and Representations A range of consultations for Section 36 applications are undertaken by the Energy Consents Unit of the Scottish Government, who have the statutory duty to determine such applications. In this respect, the Council is a statutory consultee. Publicity for proposals of this type is carried out by the Energy Consents Unit, who would consider any public comments they receive. To inform the Council's position on the proposals, a number of internal consultations were undertaken, and are summarised below: NAC Active Travel & Transport - no objections subject to the conditions stated below: 1. Parking for construction vehicles to be within site boundary. 2. Visibility splays of 2.5 metres by 215 metres, in both directions, must be provided and maintained at exit junctions with the public road. No item with a height greater than 1.05 metre above adjacent carriageway level must be located within these sightline triangles. 3. The first 10 metres of the access road, at both junctions, to be hard surfaced to prevent loose material from being deposited onto the public road. 4. A road opening permit will be required to be submitted by the applicant. 5. No surface water to issue from the access onto the public road. Response: Noted. The recommended condition could be included in the Council's response. NAC Environmental Health - no objection subject to the rated noise level, as defined in BS4142:2014+A1:2019, from the operation of the proposed plant not exceeding 35dB at the curtilage of any existing noise sensitive property. A noise impact assessment undertaken by ITP Energised "Flemyland BESS, dated 22 August 2023, Project Number 6270" has been submitted as part of the application which indicates that compliance with the above requirement would be achieved. Response: Noted. The recommended condition could be included in the Council's response. NAC Flooding Officer - no objection subject to conditions that (1) the condition of the existing culvert that would accept road run-off from the site is investigated and that the culvert would be repaired or improved if necessary, and (2) the future maintenance arrangements are secured with the other owners of the culvert prior to the first use of the site as an energy storage facility. Notes that the design standards and recommendations contained in the applicant's surface water drainage strategy are generally acceptable to NAC Flooding. Provided that the measures in the drainage strategy are implemented and maintained, the proposed development would be acceptable in both flood risk management and water quality treatment terms. Response: Noted. The recommended condition could be included in the Council's response. West of Scotland Archaeology Service - Notes that the application lies within an area of some archaeological sensitivity and potential based on the presence of recorded sites of 159
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prehistoric, medieval and later date in the surrounding landscape. The site contains industrial archaeological remains in the form of a lime quarry and limekilns which are mapped on Ordnance Survey First Edition Maps (c.1870). The site also involves a large area of greenfield ground that will be disturbed by this development and stands a chance of unearthing visible or buried unrecorded remains which could be of any period and which may survive below ground level. As such, an archaeological issue is raised by the proposals. Government policy as set out in National Planning Framework 4 is that planning authorities should ensure that prospective developers arrange for any archaeological issues raised by their proposals to be adequately addressed. Since there are recorded remains and potential for buried remains at this site some form of archaeological mitigation is required for this proposal. A condition relating to the archaeological issue is recommended. Response: Noted. The recommended condition could be included in the Council's response. 3. Analysis As noted above, the proposal requires to be considered against Strategic Policy 1 (The Countryside Objective), Strategic Policy 2 (Placemaking), Policy 14 (Green & Blue Infrastructure), Policy 15 (Landscape & Seascape), Policy 16 (Protection of our Designated Sites); Policy 18 (Forestry, Woodland, Trees and Hedgerows) and Policy 29 (Energy Infrastructure Development). Each policy is considered individually below. Strategic Policy 1 (The Countryside Objective) Part c) of SP1 states that, in principle, the Council will support proposals in the countryside for "developments with a demonstrable specific locational need including developments for renewable energy production ie. wind turbines, hydroelectric schemes and solar farms." In this case, it is proposed to develop a battery energy storage facility with the associated ancillary infrastructure. The majority of the 8ha site would retain its agricultural/pastoral use with additional woodland areas created for landscape mitigation/screening purposes. Due to the proximity of the site to the Kilwinning Sub-Station, it is considered that the proposed development has a specific locational need and accords with SP1. Strategic Policy 2 (Placemaking) The intention of SP2 is to ensure that all development contributes to making quality places. It safeguards, and where possible enhances, environmental or amenity impacts. In this case, it is noted that the proposed battery storage units would be sited so as to minimise impacts on housing near to the site. This would be achieved by forming the main compound away from the nearby housing; retaining and restoring hedgerows and providing adequate screening in the form of earthworks and tree planting. An acoustic fence is also proposed around part of the battery compound in order to safeguard nearby housing from potential noise impacts. It is noted that the proposed battery storage compound would be formed on sloping ground where cut and fill would be required to level out the ground. The cutting would take place at the top of the slope with the infilling at the bottom, near to the edge of the existing woodlands. 160
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Existing areas of woodland would be retained. It is considered that, in certain places, the woodland plantations are in need of enhancement through additional or replacement planting to reinforce their effectiveness for screening and amenity purposes during the lifespan of the development. A condition could be recommended in this respect. It should be noted that the proposed boundary fencing, meter building and battery energy units would not exceed 3.5m above ground level, thus minimising any visual impact on the surrounding rural landscape. The transmission compound would have equipment up to 7m in height. CCTV poles would also be erected around the site to enable monitoring of the panels and other plant to take place remotely, with heights similar to the other proposed structures. Again, the landscape and visual impact of these vertical elements would not be significant across the expansive site area, being largely screened from external viewpoints by landform and existing or proposed woodland. The site would largely be monitored remotely, with occasional maintenance visits as required. Traffic to and from the site would therefore be infrequent and not a significant source of traffic generation on the B778. It is considered that there would be no other amenity impacts arising from the development in terms of noise, overshadowing or privacy impacts. In summary, it is considered that the proposals are acceptable in terms of SP2. Policy 14 (Green & Blue Infrastructure) The intention of this policy is to require that all proposals "seek to protect, create, enhance and/or enlarge our natural features and habitats which make up our green and blue infrastructure." As noted above, the proposed development would include measures to enhance biodiversity through the restoration of hedgerows, woodlands and the planting of trees. The policy notes that "support will be given to proposals which seek to enhance biodiversity…. including the restoration of degraded habitats and the avoidance of further fragmentation or isolation of habitats." A site-specific Biodiversity Enhancement Plan (BEP) would be prepared for the site as per NPF4. A supporting Preliminary Ecological Appraisal document submitted with the consultation states that "the BEP will detail measures to include within the development design which aim to support and encourage wildlife and increase the biodiversity value of the proposed development." As such, the benefits of the development, in terms of habitat restoration, creation of a wetland area (SuDS pond) and woodland creation, would exceed the baseline conditions of the land in terms of its current agricultural use. It is considered that additional planting would be required to reinforce the woodland edge to the northwest of the proposed battery compound, since many of the existing trees are hawthorn and not high enough to form a screen in views of the development from the northwest. This does not form part of the application and it is considered necessary to recommend a condition in this regard. Views from the southwest would be screened by the proposed new woodland, although it would take a number of decades for such planting to be effective. It is therefore considered necessary to recommend a condition to secure details of the external colour scheme for the plant and machinery within the site. Surface water run-off would primarily be managed via a SuDS scheme which would incorporate nature positive measures to enhance biodiversity. The Council's Flooding 161
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Officer has recommended a condition in respect of run off from the roads/tracks within the site in respect of a culvert below the B778. Subject to appropriate conditions, the proposals are considered acceptable in terms of Policy 14. Policy 15 (Landscape & Seascape) The policy sets out to support development that protects and/or enhances our landscape/seascape character, avoiding unacceptable adverse impacts on both designated and non-designated landscape areas. The landscape character of the site and its surroundings is with the 'Ayrshire Lowlands' in terms of the landscape character type defined in the 'Ayrshire Landscape Assessment' produced in 1998 for the former Scottish Natural Heritage. 'Ayrshire Lowlands' is described as "an extensive area of agricultural lowland which occupies much of the Ayrshire basin…. The landform is surprisingly complex, dissected by many burns and streams draining to incised main river valleys to create an undulating lowland landscape….. Landcover is predominantly pastoral. Cattle, sheep and grassland are common." The commentary goes on to state that "fields are often regular in shape and enclosed by beech or hawthorn hedges. For the most part the hedges are in good condition. Many field boundaries are also marked by mature hedgerow trees. These trees give the landscape a surprisingly wooded character, often forming avenues along minor roads. In places this structure has begun to decline as trees have been felled and not replaced." A Landscape and Visual Appraisal has been included in the consultation documents. It notes that the baseline conditions consist primarily of pastoral farmland with areas of woodland in the north. The farmland is used for cattle grazing or silage production. Due to the topography, ground conditions are wet in places with overgrown vegetation. There are disused mine shafts on parts of the site. Landscape mitigation measures are proposed as part of the proposed development. It is noted that these measures aim to establish a suitable landscape design which allows the development to be sympathetically integrated within its environment and complement the wider landscape setting. Proposals include: • Establishment of suitable boundary treatments to the site, including retention of existing woodland and mature hedgerow along the northern boundary, with a continuation of native woodland planting to the north-west corner; • Further native woodland planting to the south of the hard standing within the development to provide screening and locally appropriate habitat, consisting of predominantly hawthorn and oak with wild cherry, birch and aspen; • Individual oak tree planting to fill in gaps in southern and northern boundary tree cover, improving habitat connectivity; • The southern part of the field is retained for biodiversity gain; and • A SuDS pond at a low point in the site, planted with wet wildflower meadow species around the drainage for the site and to further increase biodiversity value It is considered that, as part of the landscaping and mitigation works associated with the proposals, the opportunity has arisen to enlarge the existing woodland on the site for screening of battery storage units and other items of plant. It is noted that many of the taller 162
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trees in the wooded area near the site access consists of ash, a species which is currently in decline due to ash dieback disease. In these areas, work is proposed to restore the woodlands and thus repair the decline to landscape character. There are several hedgerow trees on the southeast site boundary, and it is considered that additional hedgerow trees would have a positive effect on the landscape as well as having a positive biodiversity impact. A condition could be recommended to secure the details of such planting. It is thus considered that the applicant's proposals to address landscape and visual impacts with a 'nature positive' emphasis would be acceptable in terms of Policy 15. Policy 16 (Protection of our Designated Sites) The policy supports proposals which would not have an unacceptable effect on our valuable natural environment as defined by a variety of legislative and planning designations. There are no designated sites directly affected by the proposed development. However, the Preliminary Ecological Appraisal considers the site within its wider environmental context and makes a number of recommendations in respect of potential impacts on wildlife. Subject to an appropriate condition, the proposals are acceptable in respect of Policy 16. Policy 18 (Forestry, Woodland, Trees and Hedgerows) The policy seeks to resist the loss of established woodlands, trees and hedgerows. Where loss is unavoidable as a result of development, compensatory planting is required. As discussed above, the opportunity has arisen to increase tree planting at various locations within the site, to improve existing woodland and to reinforce established hedgerows with trees and the infilling of any gaps. Subject to the recommended condition discussed above, the proposals would be acceptable in terms of Policy 18. Policy 29 (Energy Infrastructure Development) This policy states that support will be given to energy infrastructure development where it will contribute to the transition to a low carbon economy and have no unacceptable adverse environmental impacts. The policy requires that consideration be given to environmental, community and public safety aspects of a development. In terms of environmental impacts, the proposals would be acceptable in terms of the detailed policies considered above, resulting in a biodiversity net gain in comparison with the baseline conditions (farmland used for cattle grazing and some woodland). In terms of community impacts, it is considered that the proposals would contribute significantly to the generation of renewable energy targets by supporting the balance of supply and demand within the electricity transmission grid. There are no plans to create pathways through the site (there are no designated footpaths within the site at present). It is not considered that the proposals would have any adverse impacts on tourism and recreation. In terms of public safety, the internal consultations carried out do not indicate any areas of concern with the proposals. With regard to the use of Lithium-ion batteries within the energy storage units, the supporting statement indicates that "the facility will be designed, built and operated to all relevant safety standards, and vetted by independent engineers. The facility will be safe in construction and in use and will pose no undue risk to residents." A Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) could be included as a recommended condition. 163
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The decommissioning of the site following its operational period could be secured by condition, which could be recommended as part of the Council's consultation response. The proposals are considered to accord with Policy 29. The application has also been assessed against the adopted National Planning Framework 4 and it has been determined that the proposal does not raise any significant strategic planning issues which conflict with the foregoing assessment. In respect of this proposal, it is noted that the key aims of NPF4 relate to the climate and nature crises. The proposed development would store electricity from renewable sources. In addition, considerable benefits for biodiversity and nature would be created through retention of existing woodlands, wetland creation, new habitat creation and woodland planting. The remaining agricultural land could also be retained and managed in the interests of food production, or for habitat purposes. Taking the foregoing into account, it is recommended that the Council, as Planning Authority, does not object to the proposed development and recommends the undernoted conditions to the Scottish Government's Energy Consents Unit for its consideration. 4. Full Recommendation No objection subject to conditions. Reasons for Decision Condition 1. That the development hereby approved shall be implemented in accordance with the submitted plans, drawings and recommendations contained in the application unless otherwise indicated below, all to the satisfaction of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason To secure the implementation of the development in accordance with the supporting information. Condition 2. That prior to the commencement of the development hereby approved, the applicant shall submit a Construction Environmental Management Plan for the written approval of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority, the scope and content of which shall be informed by the contents of the application. Thereafter, the development shall be implemented in accordance with such details as may be approved to the satisfaction of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason In the interests of environmental protection during the construction phase. Condition 3. That no development shall take place within the development site as outlined in red on the approved plan until the developer has secured the implementation of a programme of archaeological works in accordance with a written scheme of investigation which has been 164
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submitted by the applicant, agreed by the West of Scotland Archaeology Service, and approved by North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Thereafter the developer shall ensure that the programme of archaeological works is fully implemented and that all recording and recovery of archaeological resources within the development site is undertaken to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority in agreement with the West of Scotland Archaeology Service. Reason To record/safeguard any archaeology within the site. Condition 4. That, with regards to the site access (for which a road opening permit will be required): (a) visibility splays of 2.5 metres by 215 metres, in both directions, shall be provided and maintained at the junction with the public road. No item with a height greater than 1.05 metre above adjacent carriageway level must be located within these sightline triangles. (b) the first 10 metres of the access, measured from the heel of the carriageway, shall be hard surfaced in order to prevent deleterious material being carried onto the road and designed in such a way that no surface water shall issue from the access onto the carriageway. (c) all parking for construction and service vehicles shall be within site boundary. All of the above shall be carried out to the satisfaction of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason In the interest of road safety. Condition 5. That, in respect of the management of surface water run-off from the roads/tracks within the site: (a) the condition of the existing culvert that would accept road run-off from the site shall be investigated. Thereafter, the culvert shall be repaired or improved if necessary, and (b) the future maintenance arrangements are secured with the other owners of the culvert prior to the first use of the site as an energy storage facility. All of the above shall be carried out to the satisfaction of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason To reduce the risk of flooding on the B778 as a result of road/track construction within the site. 165
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Condition 6. That details of the colour scheme for all plant, equipment and boundary treatment to be sited or erected within the site shall be submitted for the written approval of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason To ensure the colour scheme for the development is appropriate for the rural setting of the site and its surroundings. Condition 7. That, prior to the commencement of the development, the applicant shall submit for the written approval of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority a finalised scheme of earthworks, landscaping and woodland planting. The scheme shall be based on the submitted plans and shall include details of an additional area of woodland planting to be provided between the northwest edge of the battery storage compound and the existing woodland area which adjoins the B778. Additional hedgerow trees shall be included along the southeastern boundary of the site. Details of tree and plant species, planting densities, soil treatment and aftercare shall be included with the finalised scheme. Thereafter, the scheme as may be approved shall be implemented prior the development becoming operational and retained thereafter to the satisfaction of North Ayrshire Council as Planning Authority. Reason To mitigate landscape and visual impacts and in the interests of amenity, biodiversity and habitat creation. Allan Finlayson Chief Planning Officer For further information please contact Mr A Hume Planning Officer on 01294 324318. 166
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Appendix 1 – Location Plan 167
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 24th April 2024 Planning Committee Locality Isle of Arran Reference 24/00162/ALO Application Registered 5th March 2024 Decision Due 5th May 2024 Ward Arran Recommendation Approved with no Conditions __________________________________________________________________ Location Mannsfield Kings Cross Brodick Isle Of Arran North Ayrshire KA27 8RF Applicant Mr Ronald Mann Proposal Request for removal of Section 75 agreement from planning permission 13/00329/PP ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Description This can be ascertained by reference to the attached plans and photographs. An application has been made in terms of Section 75A of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 to remove a legal obligation that was entered in to under Section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. The obligation was in relation to an occupancy restriction on a house. Planning permission for a detached one and a half storey house (ref:11/00856/PP) was approved by the Planning Committee on 14th February 2012, subject to a Section 75 Agreement and conditions. The planning permission was subsequently issued on 27th June 2012 following the signing of a legal agreement between North Ayrshire Council (NAC) and the applicant Robin Burns Gray which limited occupancy of the house to persons occupied in the horticultural business, Arran Kitchen Garden, at the location and restricted the sale or letting of the property on the open housing market. Agenda Item 6 169
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A subsequent planning permission (ref: 13/00329/PP) was then granted for design
amendments to the approved house. The case file and Report on Handling of that
application details that a request was also made at the time to amend the existing legal
agreement to reflect that the house would be occupied by the new owner of the business,
Ronald Mann, but that the previous owner Mr Gray would continue to be involved in the
business. However, NAC Legal advice was that the existing legal agreement remained
sufficient, and that such amendment was not therefore necessary. 13/00329/PP was
granted on 7th August 2013.
The current application to discharge the legal agreement has been made by Mr Mann on the
grounds that he and his wife now wish to retire from the business due to age but wish to
remain living in the house. The application states that ownership of the business and land
would be transferred back to Mr Gray, who continues to live in the vicinity.
A supporting letter from Mr Gray was also submitted confirming the arrangements as above
and confirming that he will continue to cultivate the land for the foreseeable future and that
division of the title of the house and land would not therefore affect the operation of the
business. Mr Gray also pointed out that there would be no requirement for a further house
as he continues to live 200m from the business.
Mannsfield is sited in a rural grouping of houses, approximately 150m northeast of Whiting
Bay and some 480m southwest of Kings Cross.
It is a relatively substantial 155m2 detached house with a pitched roof 7.3m high but is of
fairly traditional design and appearance. It is sited 19m back from the unclassified road,
benefits from a private driveway and c.1250m2 of private garden and is bounded by
dwellinghouses to both sides, land of the horticultural business to the rear (north) and by the
foreshore to the front (south).
The applicants have applied for discharge of the legal agreement on the following grounds:
- Changes in the business. Since the business has become established, there is a
reduced labour workload requirement. This is not expanded upon;
- Due to the imminent complete retiral of the applicants from the business, the
workforce will be reduced from four to two people;
- The applicants wish to split the title, thereby allowing Mr Gray to continue with the
business and allowing them to pass the house Mannsfield and its garden ground on to
family without title burden;
- The applicants do not consider that there would be any amenity issues arising from
the removal of the occupancy restriction.
The application site is located within the countryside, as identified in the adopted North
Ayrshire Local Development Plan ("the LDP") and is unaffected by any site-specific policies
or proposals therein. The relevant policies are Strategic Policy 1: the Countryside Objective
and Strategic Policy 2: Placemaking.
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Relevant Planning History 11/00856/PP for Erection of one and half storey detached dwellinghouse with associated drainage, access & parking Approved subject to Conditions on 27.06.2012. 13/00329/PP for Amendment to planning permission N/11/00856/PP to amend house type Approved subject to Conditions on 07.08.2013. Relevant Development Plan Policies SP1 - The Countryside Objective The Countryside Objective We recognise that our countryside areas play an important role in providing homes, employment and leisure opportunities for our rural communities. We need to protect our valuable environmental assets in the countryside while promoting sustainable development which can result in positive social and economic outcomes. We want to encourage opportunities for our existing rural communities and businesses to grow, particularly on Arran and Cumbrae, and to support these areas so that they flourish. We also recognise that, in general, countryside areas are less well suited to unplanned residential and other developments because of their lack of access to services, employment and established communities. We will seek to protect our prime and locally important agricultural land from development except where proposals align with this spatial strategy. In principle, we will support proposals outwith our identified towns and villages for: a) expansions to existing rural businesses and uses such as expansions to the brewery and distillery based enterprises in the area. b) ancillary development for existing rural businesses and uses, including housing for workers engaged in agriculture or forestry. c) developments with a demonstrable specific locational need including developments for renewable energy production i.e. wind turbines, hydroelectric schemes and solar farms. d) tourism and leisure uses, where they would promote economic activity, diversification and sustainable development, particularly where they develop our coastal tourism offer/ infrastructure. e) developments which result in the reuse or rehabilitation of derelict land or buildings (as recognised by the Vacant and Derelict Land Survey) for uses which contribute to the Green and Blue Network such as habitat creation, new forestry, paths and cycle networks. f) sensitive infilling of gap sites consolidating existing developments where it would define/provide a defensible boundary for further expansion. g) small-scale expansion of settlements on Arran and Cumbrae for community led proposals for housing for people employed on the island, where a delivery plan is included, and infrastructure capacity is sufficient or can be addressed by the development and where the proposal meets an identified deficiency in the housing stock and is required at that location. All proposals will be expected to demonstrate the identified housing need cannot be met from the existing housing land supply. h) new housing in the countryside where it is a replacement or converted building or it is a house of exceptional design quality. 171
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i) sympathetic additions to existing well-defined nucleated groups of four or more houses (including conversions) in close proximity to one another and visually identifiable as a group with some common feature e.g. shared access. Additions will be limited to 50% of dwellings existing in that group as of January 2005 up to a maximum of four new housing units (rounded down where applicable). Strategic Policy 2 Placemaking Our Placemaking policy will ensure we are meeting LOIP priorities to make North Ayrshire safer and healthier by ensuring that all development contributes to making quality places. The policy also safeguards, and where possible enhances environmental quality through the avoidance of unacceptable adverse environmental or amenity impacts. We expect that all applications for planning permission meet the six qualities of successful places, contained in this policy. This is in addition to establishing the principle of development in accordance with Strategic Policy 1: Spatial Strategy. These detailed criteria are generally not repeated in the detailed policies section of the LDP. They will apply, as appropriate, to all developments. Six qualities of a successful place Distinctive The proposal draws upon the positive characteristics of the surrounding area including landscapes, topography, ecology, skylines, spaces and scales, street and building forms, and materials to create places with a sense of identity. Welcoming The proposal considers the future users of the site and helps people to find their way around, for example, by accentuating existing landmarks to create or improve views (including sea views), locating a distinctive work of art in a notable place or making the most of gateway features to and from the development. It should also ensure that appropriate signage and lighting is used to improve safety and illuminate attractive buildings. Safe and Pleasant The proposal creates attractive places by providing a sense of security, including by encouraging activity, considering crime rates, providing a clear distinction between private and public space, creating active frontages and considering the benefits of natural surveillance for streets, paths and open spaces. The proposal creates a pleasant, positive sense of place by promoting visual quality, encouraging social and economic interaction and activity, and by considering the place before vehicle movement. The proposal respects the amenity of existing and future users in terms of noise, privacy, sunlight/daylight, smells, vibrations, glare, traffic generation, and parking. The proposal sufficiently investigates and responds to any issues of ground instability. Adaptable The proposal considers future users of the site and ensures that the design is adaptable to their needs. This includes consideration of future changes of use that may involve a mix of densities, tenures, and typologies to ensure that future diverse but compatible uses can be integrated including the provision of versatile multi-functional greenspace. Resource Efficient 172
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The proposal maximises the efficient use of resources. This can be achieved by re-using or sharing existing resources and by minimising their future depletion. This includes consideration of technological and natural means such as flood drainage systems, heat networks, solar gain, renewable energy and waste recycling as well as use of green and blue networks. Easy to Move Around and Beyond The proposal considers the connectedness of the site for people before the movement of motor vehicles, by prioritising sustainable and active travel choices, such as walking, cycling and public transport and ensuring layouts reflect likely desire lines, through routes and future expansions. 2. Consultations and Representations There is no statutory requirement for neighbour notification or other publicity for this type of application and no consultations were required. Publicity:- Not Advertised Site Notices:- No Site Notice 3. Analysis Essentially, the proposal is to allow on-going occupation of a house by the inhabitants of the past 11 years who would no longer be directly involved in the operation of the business against which it was originally justified. The proposal requires to be considered in terms of Strategic Policy 1: the Countryside Objective and Strategic Policy 2: Placemaking in the adopted Local Development Plan. SP1 accepts new development in the countryside which is ancillary to existing rural uses and the house was initially justified and approved in these terms as being intended to support the existing business operation. The policy does not specifically address a change in circumstances such as is requested here. In terms of the requested removal of the occupancy condition, the following points are therefore considered to be material: (i) Since it was initially built eleven years ago, the house has been occupied in association with the rural business against which it was justified; (ii) The associated business continues to operate but business changes indicate that there is no longer a need for two houses; (iii) Retention of the occupancy restriction would cause difficulty for the ageing applicants' family due to the requirement to retain a link to a business with which they are no longer involved; (iv) Since the time of the original approval, Scottish Government advice, in a 2011 letter from the Chief Planner to local authorities, indicates that little weight should now be afforded 173
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to the use of occupancy conditions for housing in the countryside. Instead, the planning considerations should focus on siting, design, environmental impacts, access etc. Requests to remove such occupancy restrictions should normally take into consideration: the time passed since the original restriction was imposed; the change in circumstances given as justification; consideration of any risks associated with removal of the restriction; difficulties caused by retention of the restriction, e.g. mortgage borrowing; and that the house is suitably sited and designed and provides a reasonable level of residential amenity. The house was granted in 2012 and was justified against the needs of the business at that time. It has since been occupied on the terms it was approved and it is accepted that business circumstances can change in a period of eleven years and that retirement due to age is a valid reason. It is therefore accepted that the house has been occupied in line with the agreement for a sufficiently long period following the imposition of the occupancy restriction. The circumstances of the farm business have changed, as has national planning policy and guidance or rural housing and, as stated by the original and again prospective owner, Mr Gray, there would not be any specific risk to the existing horticultural business unit arising from the removal of the restriction. The proposal relates to an existing house which was already considered and approved against the Local Development Plan at the time of application and this application does not therefore raise any significant strategic planning issues in terms of Strategic Policy 1. In terms of siting and amenity, the house is of relatively traditional design appropriate to the surrounding built environment in this part of the countryside, which is fairly close to the eastern edge of the general urban area of Whiting Bay and also provides a good level of residential amenity and outlook which would be unchanged by the requested removal of the occupancy restriction. It does not adversely impact on the privacy or residential amenity of any other properties. The proposal also therefore complies with Strategic Policy 2: Placemaking in the LDP. The application has also been assessed against the approved National Planning Framework 4 and it has been determined that the proposal does not raise any significant strategic planning issues which conflict with the foregoing assessment. The proposal therefore accords with the Development Plan. Again, it is noted that the Chief Planner's most recent advice on the desirability of avoiding occupancy restrictions, other than to guard against identified impacts on road safety, amenity etc. is a material planning consideration. Taking all of these factors into consideration, it is considered that there is no longer a requirement to retain the occupancy restriction. It is therefore recommended that the occupancy restriction be removed, and the associated Section 75 agreement be discharged. 4. Full Recommendation 174
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Approved with no Conditions Allan Finlayson Chief Planning Officer For further information please contact Mr Neil McAteer Planning Officer on 01294 324316. 175
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Appendix 1 – Location Plan DO NOT SCALE Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. North Ayrshire Council Licence Number 100023393. 176