Community Woodland Storage Unit East Ayrshire

Client: Community Woodland Group

Location: East Ayrshire

Approval Type: Full Planning Permission

Outcome: Approved with Conditions

Planning Authority: East Ayrshire Council

Date Approved: September 2025

Background

The application site comprises a section of Community Woodland located on the northern approach to Drongan. The wider woodland extends to approximately 7 hectares and occupies land formerly associated with opencast mining operations.

The site is partially elevated and undulating in character and is presently defined by regenerated woodland, grassland areas, ponds, boardwalks and informal recreational trails. The application relates to a smaller area within the northern part of the woodland, which is used for community access and outdoor activities.

The client sought full planning permission for the siting of a storage unit and the formation of a hardstanding area and access path to support the ongoing management and community use of the woodland. The development was intended to provide practical storage facilities and improved accessibility while supporting the long-term regeneration and community value of the site.

The Proposal

The proposal comprised the siting of a timber-clad storage unit together with the creation of an associated hardstanding area and access path within the woodland.

The development includes approximately 110 square metres of hardstanding and a permeable access path measuring approximately 25 metres in length and 1.2 metres in width. The storage unit is a prefabricated structure designed to support the maintenance and operation of the community woodland.

The works involve limited ground disturbance, primarily consisting of vegetation removal rather than excavation, reducing potential risks associated with the site's former mining use. The proposal does not involve the removal of trees or hedgerows and retains the natural character of the woodland environment.

The development is intended solely to support community woodland activities and is not designed for residential or commercial occupation.

Our Approach

The application was assessed against National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) and the East Ayrshire Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2).

Given the nature and scale of the proposal, the determining policies included:

Policy SS2 – Overarching Policy

Policy SS9 – Community Wealth Building

Policy NE13 – Contaminated Land

Policy HE4 – Gardens and Designed Landscapes

Relevant National Planning Framework 4 policies including:

Policy 7 – Historic Assets and Places

Policy 9 – Brownfield, Vacant and Derelict Land

Policy 21 – Play, Recreation and Sport

Policy 25 – Community Wealth Building

The key considerations included:

Compatibility with the woodland setting and surrounding land uses

Impact on the historic designed landscape setting

Ground conditions associated with former mining activity

Biodiversity and vegetation impacts

Visual impact within the woodland environment

Access arrangements for installation and use

The proposal was considered small-scale and unobtrusive, with very limited visual impact due to the surrounding tree cover. The development supports the continued regeneration and management of the woodland and provides improved facilities for community use.

No third-party representations were received, and Environmental Health confirmed that contamination risks were limited due to the low-impact nature of the works.

The Outcome

The application was approved under delegated powers by East Ayrshire Council.

The Planning Authority concluded that the development accords with the Development Plan and supports the regeneration and community use of Hannahston Community Woodland. The proposal was considered acceptable in terms of environmental impact, heritage considerations, biodiversity and visual appearance.

Permission was granted subject to advisory notes, including:

Notification to the Planning Authority if contamination is encountered during development

Potential requirement for further investigation if ground conditions change

These requirements ensure that any unforeseen ground contamination issues associated with the former opencast mining use can be appropriately managed.

Key Successes

Full Approval Granted: Planning permission secured without objection for community woodland infrastructure improvements.

Policy Compliance: Demonstrated alignment with East Ayrshire Local Development Plan 2 and National Planning Framework 4 policies supporting community use and brownfield regeneration.

Environmental Sensitivity: Development designed to minimise disturbance to vegetation and biodiversity within the woodland setting.

Community Benefit: Delivered practical infrastructure supporting the long-term management and accessibility of a valued local community woodland.

This project demonstrates how small-scale community infrastructure within a regenerating woodland environment can achieve planning approval where environmental impacts, heritage considerations, and policy compliance are clearly addressed in line with the Development Plan.