A BID to reduce the scale of a housing development in Cumnock which secured the green light almost 20 years ago has been approved by council planners.

Viga Developments Ltd had asked East Ayrshire Council (EAC) for permission to change the house types and layout of a development at Barrhill Terrace which was granted permission in September 2005.

The original permission was for a development of 26 homes, but the new application sought permission for an altered layout featuring only 17 properties.

The 17 homes would be a variation of three styles, but all of them would have three bedrooms.

A report by EAC officials on the application stated: “This proposal comprises a similar layout for this already extant development, which has roads etc already in situ.

“The current proposal is less in terms of house units, and has reduced massing in the designs proposed. In all, it is reduced in scale than that approved.

“There are no particular changes to the layout that prejudice existing residential amenity and the development is within the settlement boundary, and close to public transport services.”

The previous application, by Springfield Homes Ltd, was submitted to the local authority in February 2005 and was granted following a meeting of the council's planning committee seven months later.