Sorn housing: Development approved for Catrine Road site

Developer John Campbell Homes secured permission to build 28 homes off Catrine Road on a greenfield site that, up until 2024, had been allocated for housing.

East Ayrshire Council's planning committee gave the firm's planning application the green light at a meeting on May 31.

The village is known for its ‘ghost street’ of around a dozen empty homes at Woolmill Place, and has suffered from a lack of local services, with no general store or bus service for several years.

READ MORE: Controversial Sorn homes set for approval despite heavy backlash

Councillor Willie Lennox (SNP, Ballochmyle) said he backed the plan to be a catalyst to bring services back to Sorn.

However, Cllr Lennox and other members of the committee said they were concerned about the traffic measures being suggested for the development.

This includes ‘build outs’ and a single lane ‘priority’ scheme to include a new footpath over the bridge crossing the River Ayr.

It was also revealed that the option of speed bumps was being discussed.

The proposed layout. (Image: East Ayrshire Council)

Cllr Lennox suggested that the road bumps would result in noise when the regular HGVs travelling the road crossed over them.

It was pointed out that, while installing speed bumps requires consultation, the other options do not.

However, it was agreed that the owners of neighbouring homes would be asked for their views.

Councillor Neil Watts (Conservative, Cumnock and New Cumnock) said he had concerns over the fact that the site was no longer allocated for housing.

However, chief governance officer David Mitchell said that the proposal was not contrary to policy and the fact it had previously been earmarked for housing also played a part.

The developer has promised to hand over £100,000 for the village play park and will also have to create a footpath on the road bridge that crosses the River Ayr.

The bridge is currently two lane, but does not have any footpath, forcing pedestrians into the road.

READ MORE: Council plays down fears of unauthorised work at Sorn housing site

No recreational open space has been allocated within the development, with the £100k payment offered ‘in lieu’ of this standard planning requirement.

The original application would have seen the roads within the development remaining private, with residents liable for maintenance.

That had been primarily because of the unwillingness of the Ayrshire Roads Alliance (ARA) to make the road part of the public network due to questions around the potential issues around retaining walls on the site.

However, the developer and ARA subsequently came to an agreement that will see more detailed information being provided about the roads in order for ARA to accept future adoption and maintenance.

Twenty-six people objected to the planning application, with the village’s community council also raising concerns.

Sorn Community Council said it was not opposed to new housing in the village, and  “would welcome appropriate development that would support and enhance the community and the facilities such as the school, and potentially the re-opening of the shop and post office.”

However, they raised concerns about the scale, access and environmental standards of the proposal, and the relationship between it and the existing Woolmill Place development.

Concerns over road safety were raised by several objectors, with one indicating this was already an issue due to lorries from the nearby quarry and potential expansion.

Others were concerned that the priority system would leave cars idling on the road while waiting to cross the narrowed bridge.

Another concern was raised by the owners of a ‘glamping’ site directly opposite the development.

They said that the plans from the applicant did not include the access to their property adding that the development could have an impact on the appeal of their glamping site due to increased noise and traffic.

READ MORE: Local family ready to go with new luxury lodge venture in Sorn

The report states that Ayrshire Roads Alliance had no objections on traffic grounds.
Another said there was a lack of ‘suitable infrastructure’ in Sorn, with no shops, no doctor and no public transport.

Planners stated that this was a "dichotomy of providing new housing in smaller rural settlements as a settlement required a certain size of population to sustain services".

In a report on the application, an officer from the council's planning department said: “The applicant has noted their willingness to pay the payment in lieu of recreational open space upfront.

"The application will facilitate significant road improvements that will be of benefit to road and pedestrian and pedestrian safety, particularly in providing an accessible link from the proposed development to the village Main Street for pedestrians.

“The development would assist in helping add to the  population of the village, and sustain the remaining services, such as Sorn Primary School, and add further vitality to the village.”