FOLLOWING a site visit to the Honda Garage in Ayr, South Ayrshire Council rejected plans to extend the dealerships operation.

Due to the success of the garage on Doonfoot Road, its owners proposed an application to create a surfaced yard area with access onto Cunning Park Drive, with a secured fence and the expansion of the service bays, showroom and the sales facility.

There would have also been the removal of customer parking from Cunning Park Drive to create secure off-road parking.

This application received a number of supporting comments, however, it also racked in almost 50 objections to the development.

Due to the high volume of on street parking on both Doonfoot Road and Cunning Park Drive, the development would be seen as an ideal plan because it would decrease the number of cars on the road, however, it was argued at a previous meeting that the proposed site would destroy a ‘beauty spot’ and the home to ‘many forms of wildlife’.

It was also suggested that the extension to the garage would bring in more jobs for the local economy.

At a recent Regulatory Panel at the council offices on Wednesday, October 4, councillors moved the motion to reject the application.

Cllr Ian Cavana, said: “At the site visit, it was just mobbed with cars. 

“I do believe it would add to a real confusion in that street but I’m between a rock and a hard place because we want to bring business to this town and we keep saying we need more work here but I am really having problems with the parking of the vehicles in this street.

“I believe that this is also in the context of safety on that street so I’m sorry but reluctantly, I will have to refuse this application.”

Cllr Peter Convery, added: “This is certainly a good business and it has been there for a long time and we want to give as much help and support as possible.

“I think the difficulty is, is that the ground is somewhat sacrosanct to many of the people that use it.

“I think it was very adventitious to go and visit and see exactly what the issues are and clearly it’s not so much about the garage. 

“Every single day, practically, of the year, there will be a considerable amount of cars parked on the entry road and the issues there, I think need to be addressed.

“The bottom line is that I would really like to support this but I am finding it very difficult to do that at the moment.”

Cllr Cavana moved the motion to reject the application, with Cllr Convery seconding this “with reluctance”.