A Mauchline mum has said that plans to build a new petrol station in the town could have an adverse effect on her daughter.
Plans are being considered to build a new garage on vacant land on Kilmarnock Road, which was previously served by a petrol garage.
Karen McLellan lives with her daughter, brother and parents in a bungalow next to the site.
Karen's daughter Heather has learning difficulties, and Karen says she's worried about the impact on Heather and the rest of the family if the application gets the green light.
Under the plans, put forward by TPS Recoveries Ltd, the site would have four pumps, 17 parking spaces, and a shop, as well as extra features including cycle racks, a jetwash and an air pressure machine.
So far, the application has attracted 14 objections and five comments in support on East Ayrshire Council's website.
READ MORE: Demolished Mauchline petrol station to be replaced - by a petrol station
Karen said: "My daughter has got profound learning difficulties and these plans would just make access to our home a nightmare.
"We wanted to buy the land initially and make it into somewhere my daughter could go and spend her time, and maybe even make it something nice for Mauchline.
"I’ve got elderly parents living here as well, so where these planned access roads would be for this petrol station would be chaotic.
"If they open the exits that they’ve got on the plans, then it would be directly across from Hillhead Heights, and it would cause chaos on that road, which is busy enough at the best of times."
Karen said she hopes that the plans do not move forward.
She added: "It’s not just the cars going in and out for fuel that could affect us. There will be all the workers to build it and then all the delivery lorries and things like that when it’s built.
"There’s a constant need for unrestricted access to our house for all kinds of medical reasons. My dad is partially blind as well.
"We’ve already got a fuel station in Mauchline, so I’m not sure there’s a need for another one, but from a personal perspective it could have huge consequences."
Comments in support of the plans say the facility would be an excellent addition to the town.
One supporter said: "Excellent idea, [it's the] best that's been suggested for a long time.
"[A] second garage is well overdue. In years gone by we had several, and now Mauchline [is] expanding all the time, [the] other petrol garage needs someone to compete with them."
A decision on the application is expected to be made by June.
The number of objections mean it's possible, though not yet confirmed, that the application could be decided by councillors on the local authority's planning committee, rather than by officials.
You can view the full plans on the East Ayrshire Council planning portal, by searching application 24/0122/PP.
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