South Ayrshire Local Plan

The Countryside And Rural Economy

Land outwith settlements is subjected to a wide range of development pressures, many of an urban nature, and this gives the impression of a strong and vibrant local economy. The Council recognises that this masks specific problems of pockets of high unemployment, land dereliction, low levels of public transport and limited access to services and facilities. These problems are more acutely evident in the southern part of South Ayrshire.

Economic development does not only relate to urban areas, indeed most of South Ayrshire is rural and the Plan’s policies are applicable throughout the Council area. However, some issues are specific to the countryside. Economic activity traditionally associated with the countryside such as agriculture, forestry and mining have changed to remain economically viable and competitive but this has had implications on both employment levels and the landscape.

Farm Diversification

The Council recognises farming as an important industry within the South Ayrshire economy. Changes in the farming industry have lead to the loss of many smaller, financially marginal farms – together with an increase in the number of part-time, as opposed to full-time agricultural jobs. For these reasons, the farming community is increasingly seeking new sources of income through a diversification of their activities from food production into tourism and other business ventures.

The Council is sympathetic to the process of agricultural restructuring, realising that its resources can be re-used to encourage new enterprise and provide opportunities for economic and employment growth. The settlement strategy of this Local Plan gives an indication of other business uses (which are not linked to farm diversification) in the countryside which may also be viewed favourably.

POLICY RE1

Other than in exceptional circumstances, the Council will only favourably view proposals for farm diversification where the activity remains an adjunct to the agricultural unit and where:

In the Greenbelt:

The proposal re-uses redundant farm buildings of traditional, vernacular character and appearance within the farmstead; and

No new buildings or structures will be erected for the new use or as a consequence of it; or

In the Rural Protection Area:

The proposal will re-use redundant farm buildings of traditional, vernacular character and appearance within the farmstead where possible; and

Any additional buildings or extensions to buildings for the new use are in keeping with the scale and character of the existing traditional buildings in the farmstead, and are located within the farmstead grouping; and

In all cases:

The proposal will not adversely affect the operation of agricultural activity; and

The proposal will remain part of the farm holding in perpetuity or revert to agricultural use; and

The proposal will not detrimentally affect the amenity or natural heritage value of the farm; and

The scale, character, design and location of the proposals are in keeping with the character of the area; and

The proposal or cumulative impact of the proposal does not have a potentially detrimental effect on retail or service provision within a settlement; and

Total retail floorspace of the proposed development does not exceed 1000m² gross; and

The proposal will not necessitate the erection of new/replacement agricultural buildings.

NOTE 1
The Council may require applicants to enter into an appropriate agreement to ensure that the land or premises for the proposal remain part of the agricultural unit in perpetuity and cannot be sold separately from that unit.

NOTE 2
Within the Greenbelt and Rural Protection Area, the Council may also remove permitted development rights for the farm holding in order to guide any associated future development proposals more effectively.

NOTE 3
For the avoidance of doubt all references to ‘farm diversification’ in this plan mean activities which are undertaken solely on the farm unit, where the income from the activity will be used to supplement the income of that farm. It does not therefore include the sale of land based assets to release a capital sum for investment.

Rural Businesses-Essential Residences

A common feature of the Greenbelt and Rural Protection Area is the pressure for new housing, usually single houses in isolated locations which may be poorly served by infrastructure and on prominent sites. Such developments contribute to urban sprawl, are often visually intrusive and can conflict with natural environment and agricultural interests. New housing in these locations is therefore generally considered inappropriate. The conversion of existing property to residential use in these areas may be viewed sympathetically. However, it is recognised that in some limited circumstances, where the operation of a rural business cannot be operated without associated residential accommodation, the Council may favourably view proposals for new build housing in the Rural Protection Area or Rural Diversification Area, but not within the Greenbelt

POLICY RE2

“Where a proposal for a rural based business is in compliance with policy STRAT3 or STRAT4, the Council may give favourable consideration to the provision of temporary on site residential accommodation for a worker employed in that business, for a period of two years, providing that:

It is demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Council, that the business cannot operate without continuous on site attendance and that there are no alternative means of operating such a business, and

A business plan is submitted which demonstrates the economic viability of the business and associated buildings/property; and

There is no other existing accommodation on the holding that could be used; and

An existing dwelling serving or connected to the business or holding has not been sold or in some other way separated or alienated from the holding in the previous five years; and

Any proposed buildings or structures form or complement a coherent group of buildings and are not visually intrusive. Where it is demonstrated that a rural based business is in compliance with policy STRAT3 or STRAT4, has been operated in a viable manner over a period of two years, and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future, then favourable consideration may be given to the provision of a permanent dwelling providing that:

The proposal is in full compliance with criteria 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; and

The proposal accords with the Council’s design guidance for housing in the countryside.

In exceptional circumstances where it can be demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the Council, that an established rural based business cannot continue to operate without additional residential accommodation, the Council may give favourable consideration to the provision of an additional dwelling providing the proposal is in full compliance with criteria 2-7 inclusive above and that it is clearly demonstrated that all other means of operating that business, or providing alternative additional accommodation have been investigated and proven to be inappropriate for the operation of that business.

NOTE 1
In all cases, all existing and proposed dwelling(s) considered by the Council to be part of the rural business/land based unit must be tied together with that business and its land/property based assets by legal agreement (and, where appropriate, by a planning condition), in order that none may be separated or alienated from that land/property based business unit in the future.

NOTE 2
The business plans will be required to clearly demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Council, that by the third year of operation, the business will employ at least one essential worker per dwelling on a full time basis at a wage of at least 50% of the South Ayrshire average and that the remaining income from the business would support the total equivalent borrowing cost of creating the business, together with its land, property and residential accommodation assets.”

Mineral Extraction

Mineral extraction whilst providing employment and economic benefit, by its nature and methods of working often creates public concern, and a potential conflict of interests between economic and environmental issues.

The Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan provides a framework which directs mining activity to specific areas The Structure Plan does not identify any area of search in South Ayrshire for opencast coal extraction and therefore, in accordance with the Structure Plan, winning and working shall only be acceptable where there are clear environmental and community benefits.

The Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan Committee has also assessed the long term availability of aggregates and other mineral resources, in accordance with Government planning guidance (National Planning Policy Guideline No. 4 “Land for Mineral Working 1994)”. This assessment has indicated that no additional preferred or search areas will be required for the foreseeable future. However, it is still considered important to protect mineral resources for possible future extraction.

POLICY RE3

The Council will seek to ensure that known mineral deposits are not permanently sterilised by development proposals, unless significant economic benefits would be prejudiced by any future extraction operations.

POLICY RE4

Due to the nature of mineral extraction operations and the information required to properly determine such proposals, outline planning applications will not be accepted by the Council.

NOTE
Where a proposal falls within the scope of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1998, the Council will require the applicant to submit a formal Environmental Statement in association with a planning application. The environmental statement may be forwarded to the Institution of Environmental Assessment for independent appraisal and audit.

In light of the over-riding environmental objectives of the Plan, it is considered unlikely that a strong justification, acceptable to the Council, could be made for large scale mineral (including coal or peat) extraction proposals within South Ayrshire during the Plan period. However, some small scale extraction proposals may still be considered acceptable, where economic and environmental benefits are considered to outweigh environmental and amenity concerns. Policies therefore seek to prevent the spread of extraction activity to protect environmental resources, and to ensure that any sites permitted will have minimal environmental impacts.

POLICY RE5

Proposals for the winning and working of minerals (excluding coal) will only be acceptable where:

Alternative supplies of the mineral are not available; or

It is located within the Rural Diversification Area and there is a clearly demonstrated and justified local requirement for the mineral in that Rural Diversification Area; and

The requirements for road transportation of the mineral and its effect on local communities are minimised.

NOTE 1
Where roads transport must be used, mineral operators may be required, at their own expense, to bring all roads used by their haulage vehicles up to an acceptable standard for such use prior to their use. A suitable legal agreement may also be required to ensure compliance with the above policy.

NOTE 2
The cumulative impact of proposals will be given due consideration.

POLICY RE6

The winning and working of coal by opencast methods will only be acceptable if:

There is a clearly demonstrated overall environmental benefit through the restoration of existing areas of despoiled or degraded land which outweighs any environmental or amenity concerns; and

Opencast working is the most appropriate means of restoring that despoiled or degraded land; and

There is a net benefit for communities affected; and

The proposal is small scale and short term; and

The requirements for road transportation of the mineral and its effect on local communities are minimised.

NOTE 1
Small scale relates to proposals of less than 25 hectares total site area; short-term relates to proposals with a total preparation, extraction and restoration period of less than 2 years.

NOTE 2
The cumulative impact of proposals will be given due consideration.

POLICY RE7

Extensions to active mineral extraction workings including opencast coal shall only be acceptable where:

The site is a logical and incremental progression of the existing working; and

The extension will enhance restoration of the whole site; and

Restoration of the original site will not be delayed; and

The total site area (comprising the original site plus the proposed extension) is less than 2 hectares (or 25 hectares for opencast coal); and

The period of extraction and restoration of the total site (comprising the original site plus the proposed extension) is less than 2 years, if the proposal is for opencast coal extraction.

NOTE
In terms of policy RE6 and RE7 above, applicants will be required to support applications for new or extended sites (except for opencast coal) with clear justifications as to the need for the land to be released for extraction, indicating the intended markets to be served.

POLICY RE8

The progressive restoration of mineral extraction sites may be required to reduce the impact of operations and to return land to a productive or beneficial use (including habitat creation) at the earliest opportunity.

NOTE
A restoration bond of appropriate value will normally be required to ensure the full restoration of the site should work be abandoned prior to completion.

Commercial Forestry

Forestry development has been one of the most significant land use changes to occur in rural South Ayrshire during the last century, with commercial afforestation now accounting for over 20% of the Council area. The planting of woodlands and forests does not require planning permission. However, the Council is consulted by the Forestry Commission (the Government’s Department for Forestry) on grant applications for new planting and felling licences. In response to these consultations the Council can seek to influence the location and form of forestry.

The Council has prepared a detailed framework for future forestry development in South Ayrshire. This “Forestry Strategy” is contained in Appendix II. The Ayrshire Woodland Strategy has also been approved.

POLICY RE9*

In accordance with its forestry strategy, the Council will seek the co-operation of private forestry operators to ensure forestry proposals are sympathetic to the environment, nature and wildlife interests, and, wherever appropriate, that they provide public recreational opportunities.

In the promotion of education and recreation opportunities directly linked to new forestry a modest amount of ancillary development, which is well designed and which fits well into the landscape, will normally be permitted.