Plans to build three new houses on land close to the border of East and South Ayrshire have been recommended for approval...despite more than a dozen objections.
Donna Kennedy Architecture and Design submitted plans to East Ayrshire Council (EAC) seeking permission to build three new homes at Purclewan Mill, between Dalrymple and Hollybush.
Eighteen public objections to the plans have been published on the local authority's website.
A site visit was carried out for the application, after councillors on the committee decided to make a visit to the site in person before coming to a final decision on whether to grant permission.
A previous application to develop the site had been turned down by the same committee in April 2023.
The application seeks permission for three four-bedroom homes on the vacant land, but the plans came in for heavy criticism from locals.
Issues including problems with access roads, damage to wildlife and the environment, and a loss or privacy were all raised by objectors.
East Ayrshire Council responded to these concerns in a report prepared ahead of a meeting of the local authority's planning committee.
On road safety, EAC said that the Ayrshire Roads Alliance, which deals with road issues on the council's behalf, had no safety-related objections to the proposal.
One objector said: "There are large numbers and varieties of wildlife in the area and woods adjacent to this field.
"The field acts as a safe buffer zone for them.
"There are regular sightings of bats, deer, hares, otters, badgers, buzzards, woodpeckers, swallows, and red kites amongst many others, all who use the area to breed and nest."
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Responding to concerns over wildlife, the EAC report says: "All ground or vegetation clearance works, including any tree felling, shall take place outwith the main bird breeding season (i.e. outwith the period April to July inclusive), and no ground or vegetation clearance works is permitted between April to July in this respect.
"If this is not possible an ornithologist shall be engaged to survey the ground and trees immediately prior to such works to advise the developer of any bird nesting activity and of any actions required to protect the birds."
The plans will be considered when the planning committee meets on Friday, April 19.
You can view the full application on the East Ayrshire Council website, by searching for application 23/0446/PP.
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