South Ayrshire Local Plan

Industry

The main industrial areas of South Ayrshire have traditionally been centred in and around the towns and centres of population – notably Ayr, Prestwick, Troon, Maybole and Girvan, with activity being concentrated into relatively well contained areas providing a range of premises from small workshops to modern purpose built large-scale industrial units.

Whilst traditional manufacturing and processing operations will continue to be of importance, South Ayrshire has developed a strong association for manufacturing within the high technology industries such as computer chip or component construction, and precision engineering. It is considered that there is scope for further expansion within this sector and suitable high quality sites in accordance with the Industrial and Employment Strategy have been identified which would be attractive for these uses.

A Strategy for Guiding Industrial Development

The Council recognises the importance of an industrial hierarchy comprising of small, medium and large sized companies working within the economy. The Plan aims to ensure that the natural process of company formation and growth is not constrained for any element of the hierarchy. For this reason, the Council will seek to ensure that a range of land and premises are available in a choice of accessible locations in order that industrial activity and investment is not stifled through lack of space, or displaced by competing land uses.

In order that proposals for industrial investment can be guided to the most appropriate locations, the Council as part of this local plan has produced an industrial strategy through which a quality assessment of existing industrial areas is made. The strategy contains profiles of available sites and the types of industrial processes which may be considered environmentally acceptable at these locations. The Strategy can be found in Appendix II.

STRATEGIC POLICY IND1

Proposals for industrial and business development will normally be required to accord with the provisions of the Council’s Industrial Strategy

Unless otherwise stated, within this Plan “industry” means classes 4, 5 and 6 of the Use Class Order. An extract of the “Use Classes Order (Scotland) 1997” is provided in Appendix I. Exceptionally, development on industrial sites for some sui generis uses may be acceptable.

Maintenance of an Industrial Land Supply

The Council is committed to the continued vitality and expansion of the area’s economy through the safeguarding, identification and provision of suitable industrial sites. It must therefore reconcile the need to protect and enhance the environmental quality of settlements and the countryside, while at the same time meeting the needs of the industrial sector of the South Ayrshire economy.

STRATEGIC POLICY IND2*

The Council will seek to safeguard and encourage:

Provision of an adequate marketable supply of land for industrial and business development, and

A high standard of layout, building design and landscaping for industrial/business areas and premises.

NOTE
There may be circumstances where a proposed non-industrial use could be considered as an appropriate alternative use, particularly one which benefited existing adjacent communities, for example, the erection of a new school. In such circumstances, the Council would usually require that an acceptable alternative effective brownfield land of equal capacity and marketability is secured.

Greenfield Land Supply

The Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan requires that high quality strategic industrial sites be identified for inward investment at Ayr and Girvan. Finding enough land and in areas which will not adversely affect the environment, to meet potential demand is therefore a key element of the Plan’s purpose of maximising development opportunities, inward investment and indigenous employment growth. The need is further emphasised by the deficit of quality sites capable of attracting investment.

In light of this requirement, the Council has completed an extensive search for land which is capable of being developed within the Plan period, and also which will meet the needs of industry whilst minimising any detrimental environmental impacts. Considerations of ease of access (including non car based travel), the availability of infrastructure, suitable land form as well as the sensitivity of environment and the availability of areas large enough to ensure adequate landscaping and screening have narrowed potential site location choices.

STRATEGIC POLICY IND3

The Council will safeguard and promote for industrial and business development:

35.6 hectares of land at North Heathfield;

12.2 hectares of land to the north and west of Ladywell Avenue, Grangestone, Girvan and 5 hectares for a rail freight terminal at land south of B741;

30 hectares of land at Cockhill, Ayr

NOTE
Landscape planting will be expected to be implemented concurrently with Industrial development on each site.

Existing Industrial Areas

The requirement to identify additional land highlights the need to ensure existing industrial land and premises are not lost to competing land uses, and the desirability of encouraging the re-use and re-development of brownfield sites, especially where this enhances the flexibility of industrial uses and assists in urban regeneration.

POLICY IND4

The Council will seek to safeguard land and premises within industrial areas, as identified on the Proposals Map for industrial and business uses

NOTE
In circumstances where land or premises fall out of industrial use, and it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Council that industrial use is no longer appropriate, an alternative use may be considered to be acceptable. Additional guidance in this regard is included in the Industrial Strategy of this Plan.

POLICY IND5#

Proposals for industrial, business and associated development (including class 6 storage and distribution) will be directed to industrial areas identified on the Proposals Map and assessed in terms of their accordance with the Council’s Industrial Strategy.

Where it is demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Council that there are no suitable sites within an industrial area, the Council may presume in favour of new industrial/business development in alternative, non residential locations when a significant economic benefit is demonstrated.

NOTE
In assessing the merits of any such proposals, the Council will carefully weigh the benefits for the local economy with any environmental costs, particularly where certain environmental objectives of the Local Plan may be compromised.