Plans to build 18 houses in the quarry behind Corrie Terrace have been passed by North Ayrshire Council planning committee.
The original plans for 18 houses on this site faced widespread objection from village residents in February and Corrie and Sannox Village Committee called it ‘a gross overdevelopment’.
Applicant John Thomson Construction Ltd has since amended the house types and these plans have been approved with 16 conditions. There were 13 letters of objection, mostly from villagers.
Among the points raised were that it is an urban rather than a rural development, there is a persistent problem of flooding, the site receives no sunlight for most of the year and that the quarry is infested with rats. One of the objectors claimed that the site ‘could become a ghetto in a small village’.
Members of NAC planning committee carried out a site visit on March 11.
When completed, the development will house up to 70 people. Six of the houses will be four-apartment cottages, eight will be one-and-three-quarter storey cottages and four will be single storey buildings.
The applicants have indicated that they expect to sell all 18 houses at the quarry site to Isle of Arran Homes who confirmed that they intend to provide six equity houses under the Homestake scheme with the rest being social rented property. Isle of Arran Homes say that they have 19 applicants interested in Homestake and four tenants who wish to become owners.
Andrew Martin of Isle of Arran Homes said: ‘There is a growing need in Corrie and across the island for affordable housing and we are keen to be involved in this development.’
Village committee chairman Jim Lees said: ‘The committee wants to encourage affordable housing but there is not enough room for all these houses. The ones built at the back will be under the cliff of the old quarry.’
Rachel Phillips of Sannox was one of the objectors and she said: ‘Oh heavens, its terrible news. It’s far too many houses for the site. It will be an absolute ghetto.
‘The houses at the back will not get any sunlight at all. Yes, we need more residents to keep the school open but who can say that it will be houses for families?’
