PLANS to transform a field in Beith into a private housing estate have been criticised by angry residents who are concerned that areas of natural beauty will be lost forever.

McTaggart Construction has submitted plans to North Ayrshire Council to build 46 houses, including the formation of associated roads, footpaths and open spaces, at the site to the west of Auldlea Road.

But local residents are concerned about the potential environmental impact – fearing the loss of trees and an old wall – and have also claimed that the consultation period for the plans was too short.

Despite a notice in the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald last month, many people said that they did not even know about the consultation until it was over.

Donald Reid, a local historian and writer, said: “Locals learned about this application early in December and were given until December 25 to lodge objections. One resident, who only recently learned about this house-building proposal, is unhappy with the short time-scale for submitting objections to the application. ”

Letters about the planning application were sent out as part of the consultation process but, according to Donald, only residents living next to the site were notified.

One concerned resident said: “I think a case can be made for wider notification when such applications are on the table. Everybody living along the roads giving access to the centre of Beith and on the roads giving access to the A737 will be affected by the development. I believe tThey should have been notified as a matter of courtesy. That didn’t happen.”

A planning application was submitted a few years ago for a larger development in the fields extending from Auldlea Road to Kerse Road. But Donald feared that while the current development is much smaller, if it is successful it could lead the way for more applications to include the other fields in the same vicinity.

He said: “New developments are constantly eating away at this marvellous view across the Garnock Valley.

"The big increases that have already happened and future plans to further extend the Beith whisky bond is one instance of this loss. The new Garnock Academy campus is another.”

A spokesperson for North Ayrshire Council said: “We received a planning application for the erection of 46 houses at this location in early December.

"As a planning authority, we have a statutory duty to register and process planning applications as soon as they are valid.

“While the neighbour notification expiry date was December 25, a public notice in the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald on December 9 stated that we would be accepting comments up until December 30. Additionally, we have a policy of considering all representations or objections made on planning applications up until the time of the decision, which in this case was on January 19. A total of eight individuals submitted comments on the application."

“Under our Scheme of Delegation to Officers, our decision was to approve the application subject to conditions.”

Responding to the concerns over the trees and wall at the Woodside Estate, the spokesperson added:“While there is no entitlement to a view over the countryside in terms of the planning legislation, a row of mature trees along the site boundary would be retained where possible, with additional trees being planted to reinforce this group of mostly coniferous trees. Furthermore, the stone boundary wall will be retained and any damaged sections rebuilt.”

The Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald approached McTaggart Constructionbut the company refused to comment on the development when approached by the Herald.