Plans to build six new houses in Drongan will go before councillors this week – after they were previously rejected by officials.

An East Ayrshire Council ‘local review body’ will meet on March 29 to consider the application from Mr George Hodge for six new homes at Mill O'Shiel Farm, from Mill O'Shield Road to the South Ayrshire boundary.

The application was initially recommended for approval in August 2022, before being turned down in September.

Planning officials turned down the plans, citing a number of reasons for doing so.

"The layout, design, bulk, size and scale of the development and the dwellinghouses will not protect and enhance the sensitive landscape area," one refusal point said.

The council’s planning department also said the design of the houses proposed "are not sited and designed to respect the nature and landscape character of the area.

In his appeal to the decision, Mr Hodge said that the plans had "no objection from local authority consultees, statutory or other consultees, from Community Council and no objections from general public."

The application for a review added: "The site comprises a derelict site of a former farm steading.

"There is a clear history that the site is locally problematic in terms of fly tipping, vandalism, alcohol and drug abuse and arson

"The site is contaminated. The site is unsafe.

"The purpose of the application is to enable the rehabilitation of a derelict site. In formulating the application for consent to build six dwellings, recognition was taken of the extent of the site, the nature of the works required for its rehabilitation and current development costs.

"The site requires improvement in a sustainable manner. This can be achieved through the proposal under review.

"There is a clear and lengthy planning history that, to date, has failed to address the problems associated with this site.

"An opportunity to reverse this trend is now available. A difference of opinion in relation to design details should not outweigh the benefit of the clear improvement now possible."

Full details can be found on the East Ayrshire Council planning portal.