Sale Disposal Abbey Park Football Ground, Bankhead Road, Kilwinning
North Ayrshire Council · 1 September 2026
Back to Cabinet — 1 September 2026 and its agenda
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 1st September 2026 Cabinet Title: Sale Disposal: Abbey Park Football Ground, Bankhead Road, Kilwinning, and 26 Dovecot Lane, Kilwinning Purpose: To update Cabinet on the outcome of the public consultation and to seek approval for the disposal of the former Abbey Park Football Ground and the adjacent yard at 26 Dovecot Lane, by way of a sale. Recommendation: That Cabinet (i) notes the outcome of the public consultation (ii)approves the disposal of Abbey Park Football Ground and adjacent yard at 26 Dovecot Lane, by way of a sale, following completion of the public consultation period and (iii) notes that any planning application in relation to the site will be considered and determined by the Planning Authority in accordance with the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 Abbey Park Football Ground and 26 Dovecot Lane comprise a generally level site of 3.53 acres. The football ground has been unoccupied since Kilwinning Rangers lease ended in 2020, whilst the yard has been unoccupied since 2017. Abbey Park is designated as Open Space whilst 26 Dovecot Lane is designated as a General Urban Area within the Local Development Plan. 1.2 Estates were contacted in December 2023 by the Agent of a Developer enquiring on the availability of Abbey Park Football Ground as a site for the erection of a retail food store. Following negotiations between Estates and the Developer’s Agent, Heads of Terms for a disposal of both sites were agreed. 1.3 It is recommended that the Council grants a sale of the site, to the Developer, in accordance with the Heads of Terms previously approved by Cabinet on 28 April 2026. 1.4 A public consultation has been carried out in accordance with the Council’s statutory obligations under Section 27(2A) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1959.
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2. Background 2.1 Further to cabinet approval to proceed with the sale disposal of the Abbey Park Football Ground and 26 Dovecot Lane, Kilwinning on 28 April 2026, a public consultation has been undertaken. 2.2 In accordance with the Council’s statutory obligations under Section 27(2A) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1959, where land forming part of an open space is to be disposed of, the public must be notified. 2.3 The public notice was published for a two-week period, with objections required to be submitted no later than 5.00 pm on 17th June 2026 and to state the grounds upon which they were made. 2.4 Six objections were received. One of these was from the Community Council. One was received after the stated deadline and has been excluded on that basis. 2.6 The issues raised relate principally to planning, transport, environmental and land use matters which would be considered in any future planning application which would be determined in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. Cabinet needs to consider the objections in principle prior determining whether to agree to a formal disposal of the land. It should be noted that the objections received do not object to the principle of the sale of the land – only its proposed use. The detailed objections which have been redacted to preserve the personal data of the responders are included at Appendix 1 of the report and are summarised below. 2.5 Summary of Objections Date Received Objector Summary of Objection 29 May 2026 Resident Concerns regarding increased traffic and congestion, impacts on wildlife and biodiversity, suitability of a supermarket in this location, potential effects on neighbouring residential properties, and preference for alternative land uses. 1 June 2026 Resident Concerns that surrounding roads and residential streets are unsuitable for the anticipated increase in traffic associated with a supermarket development. 4 June 2026 Resident Objection based on traffic and access concerns, potential impacts on active travel routes, wildlife and environmental considerations, and perceived impacts on local businesses. 15 June 2026 Resident Objection citing planning policy considerations relating to loss of open space and recreational land, road safety and transport impacts, town centre policy, biodiversity, and environmental matters. 16 June 2026 Community Council Objection citing traffic and congestion on surrounding road network, access issues including for large vehicles, potential intrusion for neighbouring properties, potential negative impact on other local businesses and food / retail outlets.
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One objection notes the loss of public open space. Whilst the former football pitch is included in the Local Development Plan (LDP) as open space, it should be noted that when in use, it was an enclosed football ground under the control of Kilwinning Rangers and not open to the public for general recreational use. Any planning application for the site which would involve a change of use from that designated in the LDP would be considered and determined by the planning authority in accordance with the statutory planning process. 3. Proposals 3.1 It is recommended that Cabinet (i) notes the outcome of the public consultation (ii) approves the disposal of Abbey Park Football Ground and 26 Dovecot Lane to the Developer, in accordance with the Heads of Terms previously approved and (iii) notes that any planning application in relation to the site will be considered and determined by the Planning Authority in accordance with the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 The proposed sale will result in the Council obtaining a guaranteed capital receipt. It is anticipated that this receipt will be obtained in Q2 of financial year 2027/28, subject to there being no delays. Human Resources 4.2 There are no human resource implications arising from this report. Legal 4.3 Legal Services have confirmed that North Ayrshire Council holds title to the site and that there are no enforceable title restrictions which would prevent its disposal. In accordance with the Council’s statutory obligations under Section 104 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and Section 27(2A) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1959, public notice of the proposed disposal was published and interested parties were invited to submit objections. Five objections were received during the consultation process, together with one objection received after the published deadline which Cabinet requires to consider prior to agreeing to a disposal. In the event of disposal being agreed, any planning application for change of use of the site would be considered in detail by the planning authority in accordance with statutory provision. Human Resources4.2Legal4.3
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Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 The provision of a store if approved by the planning authority will create new employment opportunities within North Ayrshire, with the Developer estimating the generation of 35 to 40 jobs. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 None. Key Priorities 4.6 None. Community Wealth Building 4.7 The proposed development, if approved by the planning authority, will contribute to the delivery of the Land and Assets pillar, objectives, and associated actions of the Community Wealth Building Strategy. The Business Support and Development team will engage with the developer to maximise the potential Community Wealth Building opportunities for local businesses and enterprises offered by the development including supply chain opportunities. The Employability team will engage with the developer to maximise the potential benefits offered by the employment opportunities created by the development. United Nations Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 4.8 None Consumer Duty 4.9 None. 5. Consultation 5.1 The Council’s PMI Department, Planning Department, and Legal Services have been consulted in the preparation of this report. RUSSELL McCUTCHEON Executive Director (Place) For further information please contact Laurence Cree, Head of Service (Sustainability, Corporate Property & Transport), on 01294 324514. Background Papers None
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Appendix 1 | Abbey Park proposed disposal NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL CABINET APPENDIX 1 OBJECTIONS RECEIVED Proposed Disposal of Abbey Park Football Ground, Bankhead Road, Kilwinning, and 26 Dovecot Lane, Kilwinning This appendix contains the full text of the five objections received within the published consultation period. Personal details have been redacted where the objector is an individual. The schedule below identifies each redacted PDF file, which follows this cover page. Schedule of objections No. Date received Objector type PDF file name 1 29 May 2026 Resident Re_ Proposed Disposal of Land at Abbey Park, Kilwinning_Redacted.pdf 2 1 June 2026 Resident Proposal for Kilwinning_Redacted.pdf 3 4 June 2026 Resident Sale of Abbey Park, Bankhead Road Kilwinning_Redacted.pdf 4 15 June 2026 Resident RE_ Proposed Disposal of Abbey Park Football Ground_Redacted.pdf 5 16 June 2026 Community Council FW_ Abbey Park proposed sale_Redacted.pdf Note: A representation received after the published deadline is not included in this appendix.
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From: To: Subject: Re: Proposed Disposal of Land at Abbey Park, Kilwinning Date: 29 May 2026 11:26:19 You don't often get email from seant155@aol.com. Learn why this is important Hello NAC, I have objections that I wish to raise in refusal of the proposed plans to redevelop the site for a supermarket. Traffic Congestion 1. Traffic Congestion, the local roads that surround the site (i) Dovecot Lane (ii) Ladyford Avenue and (iii) Church Street - these are not built for handling supermarket levels of traffic. Congestion will be dramatically increased in Kilwinning which is already exhausted at peak times; Church Street leads onto the A737 which already has a bottleneck at Bridgend Lane combined with lights on Bridgend side at the barbers. This area would be dramatically impacted and needless tailbacks created to local residents which would affect the whole town of Kilwinning and its surrounding areas. Ladyford Avenue is heavily burdened by on road parked vehicles this is not suitable even if the supermarket builds a driveway system between number 14 and 12 on Ladyford - Nethermains area would also be congested as a result of this being developed. Wildlife Impact 2. Wildlife considerations; the Garnock river which is already subjected to ecosystem impact from tree felling, noise and light pollution - there is no scientific measure that would positively state the supermarket would bring any positive contribution to its local wildlife both nearby and the existing ecosystems that have developed on the derelict site of Abbey Park since it has been unmaintained. Requirement for a large Supermarket 3. Requirement for a supermarket in this location; the town already has Co-op, Tesco and small convenience stores which are easily reachable by footfall and by vehicle for any produce that residents may need. Whatever costs would claim to provide to put money back in the pocket of the community it would also take out of local businesses and potential local jobs being impacted. Considering the location and the implications of driving to the store there really is no direct benefit to residents via footfall traffic. The review board needs to see clarity here and check the viability of this proposal. All local towns have supermarkets either built on the outskirts or in retail parks; not in the nearby heart of the town - this must be taken into calculations and refuse the large conglomerates a piece of vital land. Impact to Private House Prices 4. Impact to local house prices; any locally privately owned houses will be more difficult to sell with a supermarket directly adjacent to its placement; in terms of house valuation - noise and impact are considerable factors. If this was developed the loss of potential value is astronomical to the people of Kilwinning as opposed to any benefits offered to those residents. 22 Dovecot Lanehas important local history attached to it - to build a supermarket right next to it would diminish its unique status and valuation. Land Usage 5. I agree the ground should be maintained and re-developed for the right purpose; a supermarket is not the correct route forward. The local town should be consulted on
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been submitted. Sent from my iPhone ________________________________ ** Please help reduce waste. Don't print this email unless absolutely necessary. ** This document should only be read by those persons to whom it is addressed and is not intended to be relied upon by any person without subsequent written confirmation of its contents. Accordingly, North Ayrshire Council disclaim all responsibility and accept no liability (including in negligence) for the consequences for any person acting, or refraining from acting, on such information prior to the receipt by those persons of subsequent written confirmation. If you have received this e-mail message in error, please notify us immediately by telephone. Please also destroy and delete the message from your computer. Any form of unauthorised reproduction, dissemination, copying, disclosure, modification, distribution and/or publication of any part of this e-mail message (or attachments transmitted with it) by the addressee(s) is strictly prohibited. Please be advised that North Ayrshire Council's incoming and outgoing e-mail is subject to regular monitoring. North Ayrshire Council Website
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Sent: Wednesday, 17 June 2026 11:12:14 To: Cc: Subject: FW: Proposed Disposal of Abbey Park Football Ground Dear Mr. Further to our email below the planning team have confirmed that they are not currently considering any planning application for this site, therefore cannot comment on the points made in your email. The Public Notice relates to the proposed sale of the site. If you wish to make comment on the proposed sale of the site, can you please address this to Kind Regards North Ayrshire Council Cunninghame House Irvine KA12 8EE Nothing in this letter should be taken as forming part of any contract, undertaking or commitment which is binding on North Ayrshire Council. From: Sent: 17 June 2026 08:36 To: Cc:
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Caution: This is an external email and could be malicious. Do not click on links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know the content is safe. You don't often get email from Learn why this is important Subject: RE: Proposed Disposal of Abbey Park Football Ground Dear Mr. Thank you for your email. This will be forwarded to the council’s planning team who are copied into this response for ease. Kind Regards North Ayrshire Council Cunninghame House Irvine KA12 8EE Nothing in this letter should be taken as forming part of any contract, undertaking or commitment which is binding on North Ayrshire Council. From: Sent: 15 June 2026 07:41 To: Subject: Proposed Disposal of Abbey Park Football Ground
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15 June 2026 Proposed Development: Erection of commercial retail supermarket, car parking, and associated infrastructure Site Location: Former Abbey Park Football Ground, Dovecot Lane, Kilwinning, KA13 6BW Dear Sir/Madam, Formal Objection: Protection of Local Infrastructure, Open Space, and Road Safety I am writing to formally object to the planning application referenced above for the commercial redevelopment of Abbey Park. We strongly urge the Planning Authority to refuse this application. The permanent loss of this designated recreational asset and the introduction of a high-turnover retail footprint onto a narrow residential lane directly conflict with the statutory provisions of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) and the North Ayrshire Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2). Our specific grounds for objection are detailed below. Abbey Park is explicitly designated and mapped as protected Open Space on the North Ayrshire Council LDP2 Interactive Map. No Material Surplus: While the site has been vacant since Kilwinning Rangers F.C. relocated in 2019, NPF4 Policy 21 protects the status and intrinsic capacity of the land, not its immediate state of maintenance. The site remains a vital component of Kilwinning's green infrastructure network. Failure to Provide Equivalent Mitigation: Policy 21 (b) states that development resulting in the loss of sports facilities should only be permitted if a replacement of equivalent or better quality and quantity is provided in a useful location. The applicant’s proposal offers no such replacement, meaning the Kilwinning community will suffer a permanent, irreversible deficit in recreational land. 2. Material Conflict with NPF4 Policy 13 (Sustainable Transport) and Local Road Safety Standards
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The proposed development will introduce an unsustainable volume of retail traffic, customer cars, and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) onto a residential road network that is structurally and logistically incapable of absorbing it. Geometric Insuitability of Dovecot Lane: Dovecot Lane is historically a narrow road characterized by severe spatial pinch points. The carriageway width cannot safely accommodate multi-directional flows of large vehicles. Forcing multi-tonne articulated HGVs for supermarket deliveries down this corridor will result in vehicles regularly mounting pedestrian pavements, causing severe safety hazards to residents. Junction Capacity and Visibility Constraints: The existing junctions connecting Dovecot Lane, Bankhead Road, and Almswall Road already suffer from restricted sightlines. The continuous, high-turnover nature of supermarket traffic will severely exacerbate gridlock at these key junctions, causing tailbacks that will paralyze the local residential network and disrupt flow toward the town centre core. Failure to Prioritize Active Travel: NPF4 Policy 13 explicitly mandates that development proposals must prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and wheeling over private car infrastructure. The existing footways on Dovecot Lane are narrow and discontinuous. Replacing a community green asset with a retail hub creates a hostile and unsafe environment for local residents who rely on this street as an active travel link. Delivery Logistics: The application fails to demonstrate how HGV tracking, turning circles, and loading operations can be safely managed on Dovecot Lane without entirely blocking residential access or requiring dangerous reversing maneuvers on a public highway. The application fundamentally fails to comply with the SCOTS National Roads Development Guide. 3. Violation of NPF4 Policy 27 and LDP2 General Urban Area Policy (Town Centre First) LDP2 dictates that non-residential developments within urban settlements must support the social and economic functions of our town centres by adopting a town centre first principle. Out-of-Centre Retail Sprawl: Abbey Park sits entirely outside the primary designated town centre boundary. Detriment to High Street Vitality: The applicant has failed to demonstrate a robust sequential test proving that alternative town centre or edge-of-centre sites are unavailable. Diverting commercial footfall away from established local businesses to a peripheral residential zone directly undermines the economic vitality and sustainability of Kilwinning’s high street. 4. Conflict with NPF4 Policy 1 (Tackling the Climate and Nature Crises) and Policy 3
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(Biodiversity) Policy 1 requires significant weight to be given to the global climate and nature crises in all planning decisions. Loss of Urban Green Infrastructure: Even in a disused state, the natural turf of this pitch serves as an urban green lung, contributing to localized carbon sequestration, natural sustainable drainage, and biodiversity. Negative Environmental Impact: Paving over this natural grass area with an impermeable supermarket footprint and asphalt parking lot will exacerbate urban heat and local surface water flooding risks, failing to deliver the "biodiversity net gain" required under Policy 3. Conclusion This proposal represents an unsustainable, out-of-centre commercial development that permanently strips Kilwinning of protected recreational infrastructure and presents an unacceptable risk to local road safety. It fundamentally fails to align with the core principles of NPF4 and North Ayrshire's LDP2, which prioritize public safety, health, well- being, and town centre delivery over commercial greenfield exploitation. We respectfully request that the Planning Authority uphold these statutory protections and refuse this application. Yours faithfully, ** Please help reduce waste. Don't print this email unless absolutely necessary. ** This document should only be read by those persons to whom it is addressed and is not intended to be relied upon by any person without subsequent written confirmation of its contents. Accordingly, North Ayrshire Council disclaim all responsibility and accept no liability (including in negligence) for the consequences for any person acting, or refraining from acting, on such information prior to the receipt by those persons of subsequent written confirmation. If you have received this e-mail message in error, please notify us immediately by telephone. Please also destroy and delete the message from your computer. Any form of unauthorised reproduction, dissemination, copying, disclosure, modification, distribution and/or publication of any part of this e-mail message (or attachments transmitted with it) by the addressee(s) is strictly prohibited. Please be advised that North Ayrshire Council's incoming and outgoing e-mail is subject to regular monitoring. North Ayrshire Council Website
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Caution: This is an external email and could be malicious. Do not click on links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know the content is safe. You don't often get email from kcc-chair@outlook.com. Learn why this is important From: To: Subject: FW: Abbey Park proposed sale Date: 02 July 2026 12:48:35 North Ayrshire Council Cunninghame House Irvine, KA11 8EE Tel: Mob: From: Sent: 23 June 2026 14:18 To: Subject: FW: Abbey Park proposed sale FYI below From: Chair KCC <kcc-chair@outlook.com> Sent: 16 June 2026 15:03 To: Subject: Abbey Park proposed sale Good day, I am writing on behalf of Kilwinning Community Council. We wish to object strongly to the proposed disposal of land at Abbey Park football ground, Bankhead road, Kilwinning and 26 Dovecot Lane, Kilwinning. The town centre already suffers from traffic congestion on many occasions and a
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supermarket would only exacerbate these problems. Access to the site is from Lauchlan Way at the Garnock Bridge which is currently a bottleneck for traffic at peak times. An increase in traffic would severely impact vehicles crossing the bridge to access Garnock View/Woodwynd and to Church Street/Ladyford Avenue. Congestion would also affect Bridgend Lane and Fergushill Road junctions. Access to the site is along Dovecot Lane which is a narrow road and not suitable for either the volume of traffic a supermarket would generate or for the large HGVs that service supermarkets. The site is bounded on three sides by houses and a supermarket operating here is likely to be intrusive for local residents. Because of its close proximity to the town centre shopping area, a supermarket in this location is likely to draw away custom from many existing shops on the Main Street. Many of these businesses already find it difficult to keep going. There are three other smaller food stores here and one has only just completed a significant investment in upgrading its premises. There are also bakers, butchers and pharmacies that are all likely to suffer from a large supermarket on the proposed site. We believe the site to be completely inappropriate for this type of development and urge the Council to cancel this proposed sale. Regards Chair