Action will be taken by council chiefs after repeated complaints of waste being dumping on private land – including one incident of a chemical drum left on top of a Beith reservoir.

Council chiefs will demand the owner remove all waste materials from the land at Kirkleegreen Reservoir to a licensed waste disposal or recycling facility and undertake measures against further fly-tipping within six weeks.

This comes after repeated incidents and complaints of dumping of waste – with one nearby resident reported a chemical drum on top of Kirkleegreen Reservoir when it was frozen over back in 2019.

Meeting papers state: “The waste dumped at Kirkleegreen consists of building materials, such as rubble, as well as other bulky items such as scrap metal and furniture.

“There is considerable evidence of waste materials having been set on fire, which has left parts of the ground scorched and covered in ash and metal wire.

“Overall, the condition of the land is unsatisfactory, and the presence of waste materials are harmful to the amenity of the rural setting of Kirkleegreen Reservoir, which is popular local beauty spot.”

North Ayrshire Council’s planning committee heard last week contact had been made with the owner to request the removal of all waste materials from the land and disposal to a licensed waste or recycling facility. However the flytipping officer reported the land had not been satisfactorily cleared of the waste and the condition was harming the amenity of the area.

The committee unanimously agreed to grant authority for the service of a Notice under Section 179 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 to improve and safeguard the amenity of the area at Kirkleegreen Reservoir, Beith.

The private landowner will be ordered to improve maintenance of the land, to include regular checks for waste dumping and its prompt removal.

The report adds: “Despite the landowner having undertaken a clean-up of one area of ground at Kirkleegreen on March 10, it was reported to planning services on March 11 that the materials had not been removed off the site to an appropriate waste disposal facility, as had been requested. The waste materials had, in fact, simply been moved to another part of the land at Kirkleegreen.

“Additional piles of waste materials were also identified by the council’s fly tipping officer on March 12. It was also noted that a series of metal posts had been erected by the owner alongside the road verge to restrict further vehicular access to the land.”