57Volume 3: Settlement and Rural Area Development Opportunities

GalstonGalston is the largest of the Irvine Valley settlementsand had a population of 5,000 residents in 2001.The settlement is identified as a Service Centre in theAyrshire Joint Structure Plan and this designation isalso reflected in the local plan. The town is,consequently, recognised as a focus for futuredevelopment to serve the needs of more localisedcommunities throughout the Irvine Valley and tomaintain and broaden the economic base of the area.

Historically, there has been a small but steady demandfor new housing in the area, with an average ofapproximately 7 house completions per annum over thelast 7 years. Sufficient housing land has been identifiedin the local plan to accommodate an appropriate level ofresidential development which reflects anticipateddemand and is commensurate with the designation ofthe town as a Service Centre. Care has been taken,however, to ensure that future development is inkeeping with the size, scale and character of thecommunity. There are six separate brownfieldredevelopment sites within the existing settlementboundary which have been identified in the local planas having potential for future residential development.However, in order to accommodate further housingdemand, over and above that which can beaccommodated in these brownfield locations, two new,additional greenfield housing sites have been identified.

The main body of the town is well provided with awide range of small shops and community facilitiesserving both the local and wider Irvine Valleycommunities. The town also contains a wide range ofcommunity and other facilities to meet local needs,including a secondary school, a primary school, apublic library, a local office, the Galston CommunityCentre and a further community centre facility atStation Road and a Health Centre. Outdoor publicsporting, leisure and recreational facilities comprise theBarrmill Stadium and running track, the Western RoadPlaying Fields, the Saint Mary’s Holm Public Park withits associated playing fields, and various areas ofrecreational and amenity open space at Portland Parkand other locations throughout the community.

The historic core of the town contains a number oflisted buildings and is also a designated OutstandingConservation Area. Strategically located in the IrvineValley Gateway Corridor, the town has a diverseeconomic base providing employment for the localpopulation and the population of the wider IrvineValley area. The Loudoun Castle Theme Park, locatedon the northern outskirts of Galston, is one of EastAyrshire’s well established major visitor attractions.Set within an attractive Historic Garden and DesignedLandscape containing the ruins of Loudoun Castle,the theme park and the wider estate within which it islocated is considered to have significant potential forfurther tourism related development.

A Community Environmental Improvement ActionPlan (CEIAP) for the settlement has been prepared bythe Council and a further study is currently beingundertaken to identify sustainable uses for vacant andrun down buildings in Galston town centre. TheCouncil is committed to the refurbishment of theexisting social work offices in the town and to thereplacement of the community centre, library and anew dental surgery in a new community hub at anappropriate location. A list of other priority projectswill be identified and implemented as resourcesbecome available. It is recognised that the needs ofthe community, in so far as leisure activities areconcerned, are likely to change in the future and thatthis warrants a greater channelling of resources intothe area. The most pressing priority is theimprovement of the sports pavilion at Western Roadand it is considered that improvements to the A71would benefit all of the Irvine Valley communities as awhole. It is intended that developer contributions willbe specifically directed towards funding theseparticular initiatives.

E A S T AY R SH I R E LO C A L P L AN 2 0 1 056

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This map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office (c) Crown Copyright. Unauthorisedreproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. East Ayrshire Council. 100023409.

GalstonIn addition to the proposal numbers indicated in the Key Panel,policy RTC2(ii) and proposal PROP47 refer specifically to the whole of the settlement.

NNot to Scale

282282MM282M

PPRROPOP4488PROP48

59Volume 3: Settlement and Rural Area Development OpportunitiesE A S T AY R SH I R E LO C A L P L AN 2 0 1 058

Galston Development OpportunitiesGalston 1Residential development of the following sites will besupported by the Council:

Key * New Greenfield Release

Note(i) The Council will require any developer of site

107H to submit a Transport Assessment inrespect of any detailed development proposal forthe site, identifying the transport effects of theproposal and the sustainable transport measuresto be introduced to cater for the travel needsassociated with the developments.

Galston 2The Council will safeguard the following site forcontinuing industrial use and as a preferred area towhich new industrial and business development willbe directed:

Galston 3The Council will encourage and support thesympathetic redevelopment of the following site forClass 4 business and industrial or residential use:

Galston 4The Council will encourage and support thedevelopment of the following site for appropriatecommunity facility, tourism or visitor related uses, forrecreational or amenity open space developments orfor an appropriate Class 4 business or industrial use.Other uses of the site will not be consideredacceptable. The Council will not be supportive of anydevelopment on the site which, in terms of its size,scale and design, is considered to be;

(i) detrimental to the character and appearance ofthe adjacent Galston Outstanding ConservationArea or its attractive riverside setting; or

(ii) unsympathetic to its highly visually prominentlocation at the principal access gateway toGalston from the A71 route.

Note: (i) Use of the site for housing and retailing purposes

or for use as a caravan site is not consideredacceptable or appropriate

Galston ProposalsProp 47The Council will co-ordinate and facilitate anEnvironmental Improvement Action Plan for Galston,the settlement having been identified as a prioritycommunity in the Regeneration Outcome Agreementof the Council’s Community Plan. Specific, individualimprovement projects will continue to beimplemented following full community consultationand engagement, as resources allow.

Prop 48The Council will extend Galston Cemetery as shownon the Galston Local Plan Map.

Site Ref Location Capacity Area (ha)(i) 106H Titchfield St. 9 0.13(ii) 107H* Belvedere View

See Note (i) 155 7.58(iii) 109H Brewland St. 25 1.87(iv) 205H West of Cemetery 4 0.50(v) 298H Milrig Crescent 10 0.13(vi) 299H Maxwood Road 10 0.31(vii) 300H Wallace Street 12 0.13

Site Ref Location Area (ha)(i) 301B Barrmill Road 0.34

Site Ref Location Area (ha)(i) 282M Barrmill Road 0.38

Site Ref Location Area (ha)(i) 105M Galston Roundabout 1.09