A CAMPAIGN group have called on Cumnock MSP Jeane Freeman to intervene in the future of the Knockroon Learning and Enterprise Campus.

The Save Broomfield Playing Fields and Running Track campaigners have made the plea after Perthshire North MSP John Swinney stepped in and halted a controversial planning meeting in Perth and Kinross.

Swinney criticised the Conservative-led council for giving councillors a week to come to terms with 1,400 pages of paperwork and more than 900 objections against proposals to build 700 homes in Scone.

East Ayrshire Council’s Planning Committe will decide on the future of the Knockroon superschool on May 26, just one week after Swinney’s intervention.

The Save Broomfield group feel East Ayrshire’s new councillors need to be afford the same treatment with the proposed superschool.

In response to a survey conducted by community councillors, more than three quarters of residents were against the potential Knockroon development, while 80 objections were lodged with East Ayrshire Council during the planning process.

The new councillors on the planning committee will also have over 150 other documents to analyse.

However, seven of the 11 councillors on the new committee were members of the previous committee from 2012-17.

A spokesman for the Save Broomfield group said: “Throughout this entire process, East Ayrshire Council have acted like they alone know what is best for our community and that this is a ‘done deal’, so we are not surprised to see East Ayrshire Council ignoring the advice of the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, John Swinney.

“Any sensible Planning Committee, which is truly intending to give an application like this the scrutiny it deserves, must agree that a new planning committee needs more time to be acquainted with the nature of the decision making powers they must exercise before they consider such a complex and controversial proposal.”

However, Ms Freeman wasn’t worried about the process and said: “I have no current concerns about the plans to date for the new Knockroon Learning and Enterprise Campus, but will continue to closely follow the proposal as it completes the planning process.”

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council was also equally happy with the committee process.

He added: “I’m confident that the council’s Planning Committee is well qualified to make decisions on major issues such as the £63m Knockroon Campus. Of the 11 councillors on the new committee, seven of them were members of the Planning Committee in the previous council term, and a further two have previous planning experience going back to 2007.

“Of the last two, one served as a councillor in the previous term, so in, effect we have only one new member without prior council or planning experience.

“All councillors, including the one new councillor on the Planning Committee have received relevant, up to date training as part of the Councillor Induction Programme.”