Ambitious plans for an eco-therapy ‘wellness park’ in the shadow of the Barony A-Frame near Auchinleck could be scuppered by the local wildlife, despite support from local groups.
The developers of the Barony Wellness Park have made the natural surroundings of the site a major factor in their ambitious plans to utilise ‘a beautiful natural place to establish an Eco-therapy Wellness Park, providing active health and mental relaxation with spa, exercise, craft activities and amenities’.
But it is that natural space that has led East Ayrshire Council planners to recommend that councillors refuse an application for planning permission in principle.
In a report to be considered by the planning committee on Friday, planners state: “The implications of developing this re-wilded site, which is notable for its rare and threatened species is considered to raise concerns as to how this is to be accomplished without significant adverse harm to the local ecology of the area.”
Despite the developer’s references to the natural state of the site, planners say that the application fails to demonstrate that it won’t have a ‘significantly detrimental impact on the amenity of the area’.
They argue that the proposal would lead to a reduction in publicly available natural landscape of a ‘high ecological value’, that the redevelopment of a bing which is of ‘unknown composition and stability’ may lead to future issues, in turn ‘resulting in a greater level of destruction of the fragile surface of the bing’ and an increased loss of current habitats and biodiversity.
Other issues taken into account are the removal of more recently established habitats, ‘insufficient information’ about protected species, including rare and threatened invertebrates, on the site, as well as protection plans and mitigation.
The report concludes: “In summary, the applicants note that ‘the environment of the site itself also promotes wellness, with a range of considered natural habitats and activities’.
“This may be a reasonable assumption for this type of development, however, from the comments received during the publicity of the application, it seems conversely at odds with the views of some of the people currently using this largely re-wilded site with prolific natural assets.
“It is considered by the planning service, that overall, in terms of the development proposed, the nature interests of the site would be much reduced in terms of habitat value in particular.”
The proposed development is split into three sections. The northern portion would feature the entrance, car parking, reception buildings, orchard, memorial garden and market garden building with 40 rooms.
The mid-section would have an activity zone, yoga terrace and dance studio, honey production, forestry room, zen garden and a ‘productive landscapes hub’ with a variety of workshops and venues.
The larger southern portion of the site would have a spa and a ‘projective ecologies hub’ that includes a cafe and restaurant, and a range of research facilities.
There would be a total of 262 bed spaces across the site, reduced from initial proposals of 328.
National Pride UK, the organisation behind the Barony Wellness, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that three local groups - Auchinleck Community Council, Auchinleck Community Development Initiative (ACDI) and Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce - had given their backing of the application.
Irene Bisset, Chair of National Pride UK, commented: “It is disappointing to see the council recommendation for refusal for leisure and recreational uses, largely on ecological grounds, especially when the scale of our proposals for the site have already been reduced significantly.
“However, it should however be noted that this application is for planning permission in principle, which serves to establish the principle of development of a site allocated for leisure and recreational uses.
“Both this application and further detailed applications can have conditions attached, which we are happy to accept, serving to address concerns about impacts on the ecology which we are sensitive to and have been highlighted by the planning officer.”
East Ayrshire Council’s planning committee will consider the application on Friday, February 17.
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