Housing in the Countryside Policy Guidance Note
Following the approval of the Planning Committee on 16 June 2021, we have published a policy guidance note for new housing in the countryside. This follows a six week consultation on the Draft Policy Guidance Note which was undertaken to inform the final guidance. View a summary of the consultation process and responses received.
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 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.
View the Housing in the Countryside Note.
Local Development Plan Background Documents
These documents have helped inform preparation of the latest 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
- 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, 389kb)
- Policy on provision and maintenance of landscaping, open space and play areas in new housing development (PDF, 75kb)
- Open Space Strategy (PDF, 438kb)
Development briefs
- Kirkton Self Build Plots, Millport (PDF, 2.3mb)
- 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.