Economy and Employment - Tourism

The Council will actively support and encourage the appropriate development of new, and the improvement and/or extension of existing, tourism facilities throughout the area where proposals meet with all other relevant LDP policies and where proposals:

1. contribute to economic prosperity, local employment and community wealth building
2. are compatible with the existing uses and / or surrounding area in terms of the nature and scale of the activity and impacts of increased visitors
3. do not adversely impact on communities
4. in the case of country parks, are compatible with natural habitats and the character of the area
5. meet the requirements of Ayrshire Roads Alliance

Particular support will be given to sympathetic development which enhances the tourism offer of:

• Dean Castle Country Park, Kilmarnock
• Craufurdland Estate, by Fenwick
• Loudoun Castle Estate, Galston
• Dumfries House and Estate, Cumnock
• Craigengillan Estate, Dalmellington
• Auchinleck Estate by Auchinleck

In addition, support will be given to reinstating an Observatory within the Dark Sky Park.

All development proposals should avoid adverse and damaging impacts on landscape and the environment. The Council will actively support and encourage development proposals which complement the objectives and intended outcomes of the:

• Ayrshire Growth Deal
• Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere
• Dark Sky Park
• Galloway National Park proposals
• Coalfield Communities Landscape Partnership

Green tourism initiatives, to aid green recovery, relating to the high scenic, landscape quality and nature conservation interest of the Doon and Irvine Valleys, Loch Doon and Glen Afton as well as the Muirkirk Uplands and River Nith areas will also be encouraged and supported, where green tourism initiatives have demonstrated that they will not have an adverse effect on the integrity of a European site, Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), other important nature conservation features and landscape character.

Within settlement boundaries, the Council will support the development of:

• new hotels
• guest houses
• self-catering
• camping and caravan sites
• glamping pods and huts

where they comply with all relevant LDP policies.

Hutting proposals must comply with the relevant good practice guidance: 'New hutting developments: good practice guidance on the planning, development and management of huts and hut sites'.

Outwith settlement boundaries, camping and caravan sites, glamping pods and huts will be supported where:

1. they comply with all other relevant LDP policies
2. they can contribute to the viability, sustainability and diversity of the local economy
3. the nature and scale of the activity will be compatible with the surrounding area

Self-catering units which are proposed outwith settlement boundaries will require to be accompanied by a business plan or similar proportionate justification for their rural location.

Development proposals for the reuse of existing buildings for short-term holiday letting will only be supported:

1. where they do not adversely impact on the local amenity or character of a neighbourhood or area
2. when, in resulting in the loss of residential accommodation, loss of residential accommodation is outweighed by the local economic benefits of the proposal – supporting justification for such proposals will be required in this regard

Developments associated with the use of land in the countryside for sporting, leisure or recreational activities will be supported by the Council provided that:

1. there is a demonstrated and justified need for the development to be in a rural location
2. the proposed new development is accessible by public transport, and/or existing active travel networks, including footpaths and cycle tracks – if this cannot be met in a rural area, the applicant should submit a supporting statement which considers ways in which their business can facilitate the use of sustainable means of transport, for example, accommodation providers could provide a drop-off/pick-up service from the nearest railway station
3. there are no adverse impacts on landscape, natural and/or built heritage resources
4. there are no adverse impacts arising from increased traffic
5. the proposal complies with all other relevant Local Development Plan policies

Proposals which do not meet with the criteria above will not receive Council support.

East Ayrshire Council will support the Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park, and will presume against development proposals within the boundaries of the park that would produce levels of lighting that would adversely affect its 'dark sky' status. The boundaries of the Dark Sky Park and of the buffer zone are shown on Figure 17.

Development will require to be in line with statutory guidance on Dark Sky Park Lighting. This document will include guidance for proposed developments within the buffer zone which may have a lighting impact on the Dark Sky Park.

Outwith the Dark Sky Park, and in particular within the 10-mile radius of the Park known as the transition zone, the Council will encourage developers to take account of the Dark Sky Park designation and take measures to limit light pollution, in line with the measures set out in the Dark Sky Park Lighting Supplementary Guidance.

Supplementary Guidance on Dark Sky Park Lighting supports policy TOUR4 by providing information on the following:

• a checklist for lighting
• lighting in the Dark Sky Park Transition Zone
• good lighting practice guide
• example planning conditions for development in the Dark Sky Park and Dark Sky Park Transition Zone

Development proposals that involve the change of use of a tourism-related facility will only be supported if it can be demonstrated that the existing use is no longer viable and that there is no requirement for alternative tourist facilities in the area.

Promotion of development opportunity site - Loudoun Castle

The opportunity site, which compasses parts of Loudoun Castle Estate, is of significant historic and cultural value. The site is promoted as a means to secure the setting of Loudoun Castle and safeguard the future of this asset, preventing future deterioration and ruination. The Estate has outstanding historical and scenic value, making a major contribution to the surrounding scenery by virtue of its size and pattern.

The Council is supportive of the sympathetic development of Loudoun Castle Estate, and the associated Garden and Designed Landscape, for tourism, leisure, tourist accommodation and associated purposes, to enable the long term retention and conservation of the heritage assets within the Estate and to diversify the local and regional economy. By supporting appropriate development in the Estate, the Council will enable a scheme of consolidation works to the Castle and scheme of restoration works to the Garden and Designed Landscape, including all associated structures and elements.

The proposed development must meet all the requirements set out below, as well as other relevant LDP2 policies including Policy HE5: Enabling Development, the associated Loudoun Castle and Estate Supplementary Guidance and Policy DES1: Development Design. Development proposals will be required to adhere with the principles of good placemaking and successful places, to ensure that development appropriately reflects the surrounding built and natural historic fabric, contributing positively to its heritage value, while creating an attractive, desirable and accessible development.

Hierarchy of acceptable uses

In order to secure the heritage value of Loudoun Estate and bring economic benefits to the area, the Council will support sympathetic and suitably scaled enabling development.

All development within the site, as outlined within the hierarchy of acceptable uses below are considered to constitute and contribute to enabling development requirements. There are a range of uses which are, in principle, deemed appropriate and acceptable by the Council on a hierarchical basis, as outlined below and in order of preference. Loudoun Castle Estate, and associated garden and designed landscape, is being promoted for tourism, leisure and tourist accommodation purposes, for this reason the following uses are anticipated within development proposals:

1. Tourism and leisure facilities (including indoor and outdoor leisure and recreational facilities)
2. Tourist accommodation:
   • hotel
   • holiday lodges
   • glamping units
   • campsites
3. Housing, as part of a mix of the above uses, with an appropriate scale of community facilities and ancillary uses to support any new community on site – housing alone, without tourism and leisure development, is not supported

Subject to the detail of any proposal, the Council might consider housing of an appropriate scale to be acceptable in order to bridge any outstanding conservation deficit gap.

However, the primary purpose of the allocation is to bring significant economic and social benefit to the wider area while securing the long-term future of the Castle and associated garden and designed landscape. As such, housing could be incorporated into proposals to assist other uses in bridging the conservation deficit, but be as minimal a part of a mix of uses on site as possible (in juxtaposition with tourism and visitor accommodation facilities).

Conservation deficit

The conservation deficit must be fully justified on an 'open book' basis. The conservation deficit calculation must be set out in full by using information contained in the proposed development's business plan. Financial information must provide and demonstrate the minimum necessary scale of the enabling development which will be required in order to meet the conservation deficit. Any assumptions which are made should be based on direct market evidence. The business plan must be shared with the Council so that calculations can be verified.

Any conservation deficit must be quantified, taking into consideration the contribution that all of the development proposal (including the leisure and tourism uses) make to the calculation.

The proposed development should be commensurate to the deficit, for example, it should not attempt to maximise the deficit in order to increase the amount of enabling development required.

Requirements for the castle, garden, designed landscape and other heritage assets

Any enabling development must be of a scale which the surrounding landscape, infrastructure and services can accommodate.

Enabling development is required to secure:

• a scheme of consolidation for the Castle
• a scheme of restoration for the garden and designed landscape
• the protection of other site heritage assets

The Council's expectations in terms of the restoration of the garden and designed landscape are set out within the associated Supplementary Guidance. The Council has outlined a prioritisation approach within the Guidance. This should be considered within all development proposals. The Council will not support development of a scale that causes unacceptable damage to the integrity of the Garden and Designed Landscape.

Interpretation

Any proposal should incorporate interpretation, for example, signage and walking routes, so as to promote and educate about the historic and environmental importance of the site.

Site assets

Any development within the boundaries of Loudoun Castle Estate, and associated Garden and Designed Landscape must adopt a precautionary approach in terms of design, scale and layout. The site has a wealth of historic (including archaeological) and environmental features, many of which are shown on Figure 18 below. The Council will not support any development which is likely to have significant adverse impacts on the nature conservation of the site or the landscape, historic and architectural character of the site. This includes key views and elevated viewpoints.

Any proposal should be sensitively designed and sited in order to preserve the character and setting of both historic and environmental assets, both built and natural, and enhance the site, bringing forwards conservation benefits. The Council will not support development which will have significant detrimental impacts on the following natural environment and historic asset features, unless appropriate mitigation and enhancement features are proposed:

Local nature conservation sites

• Loudoun Castle Woodlands and Waterside
• Orchard Plantation and West Belvedere

Ancient woodland

• West Belvedere (site ID: 36)
• Big Wood (Site ID: 47)
• Muttonhole Strip (Site ID: 47)
• North Belvedere (Site ID: 47)
• Site ID: 38
• Site ID: 40
• Site ID: 41
• Site ID: 43

Listed buildings and structures

• Loudoun Castle ('A' Listed)
• The Cottage ('B' listed)
• Jocklan Bridge ('C' listed)

Garden and designed landscape

Loudoun Castle Garden and Designed Landscape

Tree preservation orders

2007, Loudoun Castle Estate

Archaeological sites and monuments (West of Scotland Archaeology Service)

• Judge's Hill (Rig; Hollow-way)
• Judge's Hill (Structure)
• Bowhill Burn
• Lodge Wood (Motte)
• Lodge Wood (Mound; Lime Kiln)
• Loudoun Castle (Castle; House; Monument; Walled garden)
• Castle Hill, Alton (Motte)
• Loudoun House (Stone Circle)
• Hindberrybank (Industrial; Limekiln)
• Hindberrybank (Culvert)
• Jockland Bridge
• Old Loudoun Castle, Hindberrybank/Old Castle of Loudoun

Note - this list is not exhaustive. Further details of these assets are set out in the Loudoun Castle and Estate Supplementary Guidance

Map of Loudoun Castle Estate - Figure 18

Application requirements

It is recommended that early discussions are undertaken with the Council so that the requirements of this policy are fully understood and to ensure that appropriate communication is maintained at all times.

Given the scale of the site, and the complex development constraints, the Planning Authority will strongly encourage formal pre-application discussions of proposals prior to the lodgement of any associated planning applications. The Planning Authority strongly encourages a full planning application for the development of this site.

Further information on the application requirements is outlined within RUM2, LDP Volume 2. This should be cross-referenced with the requirements of this policy.

Masterplanning

The Council requires a masterplan approach to be adopted for any potential development proposals for the site, prepared in line with PAN83: Master planning. This masterplan should fully reflect and respect the provisions of the Supplementary Guidance. A masterplan approach should be prepared/adopted at the earliest appropriate stage of the design process and should be supported by a sufficiently detailed development and funding appraisal.

The masterplan should take account of the site assets outlined within Figure 18 (above) and should ensure that development is planned and designed to avoid unacceptable negative impacts on the heritage assets. The Masterplan will be expected to appropriately reflect the areas with the most potential for development as per Figure 19 (below) and include areas of open space, road layout, the drainage layout, a phasing plan and a design code. The Council will encourage the masterplan to be submitted for formal consideration prior to the lodgement of any associated planning applications with the Planning Authority.

Strong linkages with the existing communities of the Irvine Valley should be proposed, and proposed infrastructure should take account of the capacity of existing infrastructure in the local area, including roads, schools and health and social care facilities.

Phasing

A phasing plan should ensure that the scheme of consolidation for the Castle and the scheme of restoration works for the garden and designed landscape will begin prior to or in tandem with the commencement of any other aspect of development on site.

The development of the tourism and leisure element will commence before the development of any housing that may be proposed. As development on site progresses, both the phasing plan and financial plan should ensure that the required schemes of consolidation and restoration works are planned concurrently with all other development on site.

In accordance with Policy HE5: Enabling Development, a planning obligation to control the phasing of works across the overall development will be required.

Maintenance

Irrespective of the scale of restoration and consolidation, long-term maintenance and management of Loudoun Castle and the associated Garden and Designed Landscape should be accounted for. The applicant is expected to appropriately address a sustainable arrangement for the long-term management of the site.

The Loudoun Castle and Estate Supplementary Guidance expands on the content and requirements of Policy TOUR6 and should be referred to by applicants.

All applicants should ensure that development consider, integrate and reflect the requirements and principles set out within all relevant and applicable supplementary guidance.

Map of Loudoun Castle Estate - Figure 19