North Ayrshire Council

Housing in the Countryside Policy Guidance Note

Following the approval of the Planning Committee on 24th March 2021, we have published a draft policy guidance note for new housing in the countryside. Consultation on the Draft Policy Guidance Note is being undertaken to inform the final guidance.

The Adopted Local Development Plan (November 2019) sets out the limited circumstances in which we will support the development of new houses outwith our identified towns and villages, for example where it is proposed to convert or replace an existing building.

The purpose of the Draft Policy Guidance Note is to provide further detail to developers, applicants and communities on the relevant Local Development Plan policies and matters that should be considered when the development of one or more houses in the countryside is proposed. The Policy Guidance Note defines the key terms used in the policy and sets out key design principles that will apply in the consideration of such proposals.

You can view the Housing in the Countryside Policy Guidance Note (PDF, 574kb).

We are welcoming any comments on the guidance, which should be submitted by Friday 21^st May 2021. Comments can be submitted by email to ldp@north-ayrshire.gov.uk or by completing our survey.

Local Development Plan Background Documents

These documents have helped inform preparation of the Local Development Plan and provide guidance in addition to the policies of the plan.

• Habitats Regulations Appraisal Record (PDF, 806kb)
• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (PDF, 706kb) 
• Site Deliverability Assessment (Excel, 26kb)
• Site Constraints/Planning Assessment (PDF, 11.5mb)
• Place Standard consultation (PDF, 3.4mb)
• Housing Technical Paper (PDF, 2.23mb)
• Equality Impact Assessment (PDF, 110kb)
• North Ayrshire Settlement Development Strategy: Landscape Assessment of Potential Development Areas (PDF, 26.5mb)
• Landscape Assessment of Potential Development Areas - Figure 16 - Landscape Capacity, Irvine Bay (PDF, 11.5mb)
• Landscape Capacity Assessment Arran and Cumbrae - Landscape Assessment of Potential Development Areas (PDF, 10.4mb)

Planning Guidance 

• Irvine Life Sciences Enterprise Area - planning protocol (PDF, 1.65mb)
• Shopfront design guidance (PDF, 1.57mb)
• Control of Advertisements Policy (PDF, 602kb)
• Trees and Development guidance (2.61mb)
• Irvine Bay transport model protocol (PDF, 1.8mb)
• Rural design guidance (PDF, 2.1mb)
• Design guidance - Single Houses in Rural Areas (PDF, 7.7mb)
• Coastal design guidance (PDF, 3.1mb)
• Seascape/landscape assessment of the Firth of Clyde
• Neighbourhood design guidance (PDF, 2.6mb)
• Town Centre design guidance (PDF, 2.6mb)

• North Ayrshire landscape wind capacity study Final Report 
  October 2018 (PDF, 13mb)
• Zone of Theoretical Visibility Maps (PDF, 10.5mb)
• Visualisation Maps - Location map & VPs1-6 (PDF, 10.8mb)
• Visualisation Maps - Location map & VPs7-11(PDF, 10.7mb)
• Arran Visibility Study (PDF, 1.45mb
• Private Sewerage Systems (PDF, 43kb)
• Guidance for Waste Recycling Collection Services - Information for developers (PDF, 254kb)
• Communications masts (PDF, 7kb)
• Advice note - Window design for Conservation Areas & Listed Buildings (PDF, 701kb)
• Policy on provision and maintenance of landscaping, open space and play areas in new housing development (PDF, 75kb)
• Open Space Strategy (PDF, 438kb)

• Ayrshire and Arran Forestry and Woodland Strategy 2014 (PDF, 26.8mb)

Development briefs

• Perceton House (PDF, 2.2mb)
• Anchorage North, Blackwaterfoot (PDF, 48kb)
• Former Ardeer Primary School, Stevenston (PDF, 107kb)
• Greenock Road/Brisbane Street, Largs (PDF, 3.2mb)
• Former Kerelaw School, Stevenston (PDF, 438kb)
• King's Road, Beith (PDF, 222kb)
• Limekiln Road, Stevenston (PDF, 947kb)
• West Mayish, Brodick (PDF, 87kb)

Development frameworks and conservation area assessments

• Largs Seafront design framework & development brief for Greenock Road/Brisbane Street (PDF, 1.2mb)
• Whiting Bay: Development capacity study: Interim Strategy (PDF, 16kb)
• Brodick design framework (PDF, 510kb)
• Lamlash design framework (PDF, 413kb)
• Dalry Townscape study (PDF, 2.1mb)
• Kilbirnie Townscape study (PDF, 1.7mb)
• Skelmorlie conservation area assessment (PDF, 5.3mb)
• West Kilbride conservation area assessment (PDF, 6.45mb)
• Millport conservation area appraisal (PDF, 3.14mb)
• Millport Management Plan (PDF, 469kb)
• Beith conservation area appraisal (PDF, 339kb)
• Irvine Harbourside Townscape Study (PDF, 1.99mb)
• Irvine Town Centre conservation area appraisal (PDF, 12.8mb)
• Irvine Town Centre conservation area management plan (PDF, 5.77mb)

We are currently reviewing and updating our planning guidance. Please contact by us by post or email to discuss the status of these documents.