THE CAMPAIGN to ‘Save the cherry trees’ in Kilbirnie has been thrown out by North Ayrshire Council – and the re-development at Montgomery Court will be going ahead as planned.

The petition was heard at the council’s Scrutiny and Petitions Committee last week at Cunninghame House where members were presented with a petition carrying more than 350 signatures from locals and supporters of the cherry tree cause.

Margaret Hamilton, speaking on behalf of the petitioners, said their main objection was that the new houses, being built in place of the majority of the trees, would be very close to the main road.

She said the development wasn’t in keeping with the rest of the road.

But the council refuted the claims of the petition saying more trees would be planted, the housing would be new and they had received a letter on behalf of the residents of Montgomery Court saying that they were all in favour of the new development going ahead.

It stated that they ‘can’t live in cherry trees’ adding: “Have a thought for us, the residents of Montgomery Court.” At the meeting, it was stated that phase one had to be completed by 2015 and if this wasn’t done, the council would lose out on funding from the Scottish Government.

Committee chairman John Hunter said the development plan would go ahead as proposed and building would begin later this month.