Lorries are set to be restricted from parking on vacant land in Castle, New Cumnock, the council has said.

It comes amid fears from local about lorries transporting apparent fertilisers to nearby former opencast mining sites for restoration work.

The issue was initially brought to the Chronicle's attention at the beginning of last month, when Andy Clapperton raised the concerns felt by many locals that lorries were parking in the vacant spot of land and dumping "human excrement".

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said it had been made aware of concerns about vehicles transporting sewage sludge to the Garleffan and Grievehill former opencast mining site near New Cumnock.

Lorries have been parking on the vacant New Cumnock land.Lorries have been parking on the vacant New Cumnock land. (Image: Street view)

SEPA said this work is being done as part of restoration work "being undertaken at the site under a Waste Management Licence Exemption".

East Ayrshire Council said work would be undertaken to stop the lorries from parking in the land, with that work now moving forward.

The local authority has said "the site at the Castle, New Cumnock will become unavailable in the near future".Restoration work is being carried out at the Garleffan and Grievehill former opencast mining site.Restoration work is being carried out at the Garleffan and Grievehill former opencast mining site. (Image: NQ Archive)

This will lead to the lorries being unable to park there.

A spokesperson added: "A number of solutions had been considered, including fencing, however the council received a request from a contractor to use part of the ground as a site compound and this has been agreed.

"The remaining area will be accessible for cars only, recognising the fact that the site is used at school drop off / pick up times."

A community action group is to be formed to deal with the apparent waste dumping issues in the village, following a community council meeting last week.

Local MSP Sharon Dowey was also made aware of the situation and visited the site to see what was going on.

MSP Sharon Dowey has been made aware of the issues.MSP Sharon Dowey has been made aware of the issues. (Image: NQ Archive)

Ms Dowey plans to raise the issue with the relevant bodies, to help out the New Cumnock community.

SEPA has said that they are monitoring the situation and confirmed that they had been contacted by MSP Dowey about the situation.

The New Cumnock community group will be fully formed in due course, to deal with the ongoing situation.