South Ayrshire Local Plan

The Settlements

The importance of sustaining and improving the environmental and economic health of towns and villages is widely recognised as assisting in making them attractive places to live, work or visit and makes them more attractive for investment and further development, especially within town centres. In addition, the pressure for development to locate elsewhere will be reduced. The Council will therefore seek to direct development to locate within settlements in preference to alternative locations in the open countryside. This policy approach complies with the principles of sustainable development as outlined in the above listed objectives.

The Council seeks to enhance the important function of the larger settlements of Ayr, Prestwick and, Troon, as centres for major residential, economic, commercial educational and community development. The Council will also promote Maybole and Girvan for such development in recognition of their importance within their hinterlands. These settlements are referred to in the Plan as "The five main towns".

In general, the purpose of the following strategic policies and subsequent, more detailed development guidance policies is to maintain and enhance the vitality and viability of settlements whilst protecting and enhancing both natural and built resources and ensuring the minimal use of non-renewable resources.

STRATEGIC POLICY STRAT1#

The Council will direct development to defined settlements and in particular to vacant or derelict sites in preference to greenfield locations. Large scale proposals will be directed to the five main towns of Ayr, Prestwick, Troon, Maybole and Girvan, especially where the proposed development is to provide a service for more than one settlement.

Small hamlets or clusters of houses and farms in the countryside have not been specifically identified on the Proposals Map. Although they are important in their local context, they are not regarded as settlements (towns or villages) where services and facilities are more readily available. With the exception of the Rural Diversification Area, where development is more dispersed, allowing new development in these 'cluster areas' would be inconsistent with the sustainable development objectives of the Plan.

The settlements, which are recognised and identified on the Proposals Map, comprise:

Annbank	Dundonald	Mossblown
Ayr	Dunure	Prestwick
Ballantrae	Failford	St. Quivox
Barr	Girvan	Straiton
Barrhill	Kirkmichael	Symington
Colmonell	Kirkoswald	Tarbolton
Coylton	Loans	Troon
Craigie	Maidens	Turnberry
Crosshill	Minishant
Dailly	Monkton