Land for sale East Side of Golf Course Road Skelmorlie

Skelmorlie forest for auction on 7th November

On the 7th of November at 9:30 am, Lot 499 will go to Auction. This 4.25 hectares of mature wooded land, running alongside Golf Course Road in Skelmorlie will be haggled over by persons or companies wanting to build new housing. A “planning in principle” was granted on 2nd October 2019 for a residential development of 69 units. The applicants Fairhold Limited were based in Regents Park Road London. 

The background

Housing crisis in Scotland

We are in the middle of a housing crisis, according to Shelter 14,372 children were made homeless in Scotland last year. The cost of living crisis has increased homelessness in North Ayrshire by 29%. (Daily Record 22). Housing is a right, that at the moment is not accessible to all. Housing policy has completely failed to meet the needs of people living in Scotland over many years and it is undeniable that to meet these needs we must build more houses. 

Climate Emergency and Biodiversity Crisis

We are also living at a time of climate and biodiversity emergency, in the last few weeks it has been reported that we are unlikely to stay within the 1.5 degree of warming hoped for at the Paris Agreement of 2015 and could breech this threshold in the next 5 years, resulting in increasingly severe and frequent climate impacts such as droughts, floods, heatwaves and increased rainfall. 

The UK is one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries – in the bottom 10% globally and last among the G7 group of nations, new data shows.
It has an average of about half its biodiversity left, far below the global average of 75%, a study has found.
A figure of 90% is considered the “safe limit” to prevent the world from tipping into an “ecological meltdown”, according to researchers.

By Helen Briggs
BBC Environment correspondent

United Nations Biodiversity Targets

In 2022 the UN biodiversity COP set out targets to halt the decline in nature, with one million plant and animal species facing extinction within decades. The commitment to keep 30% of the planet undeveloped and given over to nature needs to be happening now. The impact on human health from the loss of nature is unquantifiable, as biodiversity declines so does the ability of ecosystems which we rely on, to function. 

Looking After All Interests

We are now at a pivotal moment in our planet’s history, how do we meet the needs of the people who live here now and how do we protect the interests of the billions of people who are still to come? How do we start to understand the value that 4.5 hectares of mature wooded land has beyond financial for the people, animals and plants that rely on it? 

New Planning Framework Adopted

The National Planning Framework 4 (Scot Gov 2023) attempts to put the climate and nature crisis at the centre of planning decisions, to ensure that short-term goals will have long-term interests too. Meaning that all new developments should be considered through the lens of the climate and nature emergencies. 

The initial planning in principle for the development of housing at Golf Course Road was granted in 2019, before the NPF4 came into being. It is our hope at Skelmorlie Environment Trust that any new development on this site will have to be reviewed under this new framework. 

Skelmorlie Forests

For those of us living in Skelmorlie, we are privileged to live in a community sandwiched between two fragments of ancient woodland both of which are in a declining state. Scotland has 1% of ancient woodland remaining, many of us in Skelmorlie live on land where temperate rainforest would have once stood. We know that we can’t get that back, however, it is imperative that we protect what is left of this very scarce resource.

Skelmorlies Biodiversity

Ancient woodland, veteran trees and areas of mature woodland have high levels of biodiversity, the plants, fungi, microorganisms and animals that live there have intricate ecosystems that can’t be recreated by planting new trees. The soil itself is precious, building up over over hundreds of years and is irreplaceable.

The Original Planning Application in 2019

The initial planning application received 33 objection letters/comments, including from the Woodland Trust, who have worked with the Scottish Government on the national planning framework 4. A significant objection, alongside the loss of habitat, is that of increased flood risks. The land is skirted on its eastern edge by Skelmorlie Golf Course, where there are few trees or natural flood barriers. As locals we know that this peaty, wooded area acts as a natural flood defence barrier, we will need this natural resource to protect existing housing from near future flooding. 

Skelmorlie Environment Trust would urge North Ayrshire Council to work with providers to build new, affordable homes on areas of land that have less ecological value. Or indeed redevelop existing infrastructure to meet our housing needs.  There is a raft of policy decisions which need to be implemented to address our housing crisis, but allowing private agents, such as the initial applicant, based in London to develop on ecologically valuable land to make a profit is a short-term outcome which will in no way meet the urgent need to reform our housing sector. 

Skelmorlie will come together to fight any proposed development on this land

As a community, we have spoken to many who share a sense of powerlessness and frustration that this land could be sold and developed despite well-founded and reasonable objections. We hope that the sale on Tuesday the 7th of November doesn’t go through but to those thinking of buying this land we will use the new legislation to ask for a review of the planning application using the new national planning framework. If you would like to find out more please see links below or contact Skelmorlie Environment Trust. 

Supporting Information Useful Links

National Planning Framework 4

Housing Emergency Action Plan Shelter Scotland

Woodland Trust: Impact of development on ancient woodland. 

Advert of Sale for Golf Course Road Mature Woodland Site

North Ayrshire Council Tracking Planning Applications: Ref:19/00322/PPPM