Dear Friend
Front Page in the Arran Banner!
Thank you to the Arran Banner for featuring the Friends of King’s Cross campaign on their front page and pages 2 and 3 of the print edition this week. A very helpful and much appreciated boost to our campaign to protect King’s Cross from inappropriate industrial development.
The link to the online version is here, you will need to log in to read the full story:
https://www.westcoasttoday.co.uk/news/save-kings-cross---public-meeting-alert
Public Meeting in Whiting Bay
We are pleased to report a very successful public meeting this afternoon in Whiting Bay Village Hall with an excellent turnout of over 70 concerned residents and visitors. Many thanks to everyone who responded to our invitation and who were able to join us. The hall was full to bursting!
We were also delighted to welcome Councillor Charles Currie who kindly addressed the meeting and pledged his support for our campaign.
The meeting heard numerous concerns raised about the plans from Forestry and Land Scotland at Whitefield Farm and across the island. These plans have only come to light as a result of a number of Freedom of Information (FoI) requests, and we were able to share some of the details we have obtained from FLS this afternoon.
The view of the meeting was that the appropriate location for timber exports remains Market Road in Brodick and that King’s Cross is just not the right place for an industrial site for highly visible and noisy timber stacking operations and an equally visually intrusive and noisy new timber export pier in Lamlash Bay.
We remain hopeful that concerted public concern may tip the balance towards FLS seeking out less damaging solutions for timber exports from Arran, and that Whitefield Farm can remain as a farm producing food and not be transformed into an industrial site.
We discussed the current planning application for the buildings at Whitefield Farm, and asked the attendees to please make a comment on the application before the closing date of Friday 21st March 2025.
Planning Application 25/00046/PP
To this end, we draw your attention to the current planning application that FLS has submitted to North Ayrshire Council in respect of the buildings at Whitefield Farm. The application is for a change of use of the holiday cottage to an office, and the refurbishment of the farmhouse for FLS staff accommodation.
This is obviously a pre-cursor to a future planning application for the development of the stackyard, roads and pier at Whitefield, and, we believe, really only makes sense when viewed in that context.
If you have not already done so, we would like to invite you to make comments on that application, ideally online and before the closing date of Friday 21st March 2025. The link to North Ayrshire Council Planning website is https://www.eplanning.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/OnlinePlanning/search.do?action=simple&searchType=Application
Search using the application number 25/00046/PP.
We attach more information about the application, how to make a comment, and some suggestions of matters you may consider including in your comment.
As this application is for the buildings only, it will be assessed against the current planning policies which do not preclude an office or accommodation in support of forestry in the countryside.
However, if approved, the establishment of the FLS office at Whitefield Farm then becomes a “material consideration” in respect of further development for forestry operations at the site.
Also included in the attached are details of how you can contact your elected representatives. You may also wish to make them aware of your concerns. Councillor Charles Currie was clear at the meeting today that he would be pleased to hear from you.
As ever, feel free to copy us in with any representations you make, this can include your planning comment and any emails you send to your elected representatives.
MSP Surgery
Katy Clark MSP is hosting a surgery in Brodick tomorrow, Monday 17th March. Some of us are meeting her at 12 noon in Brodick hall. You are most welcome to join us if you are able to do so.
Katy Clark has been very supportive of the campaign – here is a copy of her press release regarding the FLS plans for Whitefield, from December 2022:
SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT AGENCY MUST RETHINK TIMBER FACILITY PLAN ON ARRAN – KATY CLARK MSP Plans by a Scottish Government agency to create a facility to export felled timber at a site north of Whiting Bay must be rejected, Scottish Labour MSP Katy Clark has said.Freedom of Information requests by local residents have revealed Forestry and Land Scotland’s plan to create a timber transfer facility at Whitefield Farm, King’s Cross, which it recently purchased for an undisclosed sum.However, Katy, who represents the West Scotland region, has raised a number of concerns on behalf of the community about the proposal in a letter to the agency.She highlighted the fact that “the land in question was used mainly for grazing, silage and arable production” and that “sustainable” alternatives would be preferable.She commented: “Several constituents have gotten in touch with me about this issue and it is clear the site in question is highly unsuitable for what is being proposed.“This is a tranquil and biodiverse area of Arran which attracts tourists every year. Creating a new stackyard and seaborne loading facility, along with all that entails, would have a visual impact and have significant effects in terms of noise, pollution and traffic.“This is not a case of nimbyism – these residents know that this project will scar the local area and affect their livelihoods when there are other alternatives that could be explored.“I am urging Forestry and Land Scotland to rethink their decision to pursue a project which I expect will be almost unanimously rejected by islanders.” ENDS
As ever, please do not hesitate to contact us with any comments you may have, we are always pleased to hear from you.
We will continue to keep you updated as matters develop.
Kind regards
Friends of King’s Cross.