South Ayrshire Local Plan

Landscape

South Ayrshire is an area of high environmental quality. A significant element of this is the interesting and varied landscape of much of the area. In accordance with the overall environmental objectives of the Plan the aim is to protect and, wherever possible, enhance the quality of the landscape, particularly by ensuring that new development is suited to the landscape setting. The approach adopted to considering development proposals has been influenced by, but adapted from a full and comprehensive Ayrshire Landscape Character Assessment, which was undertaken as part of the preparation of the Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan.

In addition it is recognised that there are important visual links between rural landscapes and urban areas. There is scope to enhance certain key routes through urban areas to reinforce these links. Map STR9 of the Wildlife Strategy identifies some of these key routes as ‘landscape corridors’, where the Council will give particular attention to the desirability of improving the visual connection between urban and rural landscape elements, and the relationship these locations may have with the network of wildlife corridors.’

Scenic Areas

Notable areas of particular landscape quality are the Heads of Ayr, the Carrick Hills, the mainly upland area of South Carrick and the coastal strip in the southern part of the Plan area. These have been afforded Scenic Area status in the Plan. It should however be noted that in general, potential impacts on the environment and landscape will be considered even if the area is not specifically identified as being within a designated scenic area.

STRATEGIC POLICY ENV8

The acceptability of proposals located within or having an impact on, scenic areas, will be considered using the following criteria:

The significance of impacts and cumulative impacts on the environment, particularly landscape and visual impacts; and where relevant

The extent of any economic benefit; or

Specific, justified requirement for a rural location.

The Coast

South Ayrshire has a coastline of approximately 70km, which serves many different functions, ranging from locations for intensive industries to recreational or important wildlife habitat resources.

Much of the coast is a complex, sensitive environment where any new development could have significant adverse individual or cumulative impact – especially within the foreshore. The variation in the character of the coast is reflected in the pressures for different types of development including residential, tourism and industrial uses. Unless carefully managed these could destroy this valuable and unique environmental and economic resource.

Government guidance states that an appropriate means of protecting the coast whilst encouraging sensitive development proposals is by defining coastal types – and guiding development proposals to the area type which already most closely resembles the proposed use. For this reason, a specific Coastal Strategy has been prepared for this Plan.

The Coastal Strategy and associated diagram is included in this Plan in Appendix II. It is intended to be indicative only, although it should be recognised that there are different characteristics within particular areas and these have been afforded a different policy framework to reflect the pressures at these locations.

STRATEGIC POLICY ENV9

The Council will presume in favour of protecting the foreshore from development. Proposals for development within the wider coastal area will be required to accord

with the principles of the Coastal Strategy, and safeguard or enhance the scenic and environmental quality of the locality.

NOTE
Development within the foreshore may be considered acceptable where there is an overriding justification agreed by the Council.