People power has forced the developers of the controversial Largs forestry plan to rethink their options.
Following over 250 representations, Forestry Commission Scotland confirmed that the Stakis proposals for Halkshill and Blairpark are unacceptable in their current form, sending them back to the drawing board.
Consultees, organisations, MPs, MSPs, the ‘Save the Gretas’ campaign and the public have all had their say, while concerns from the online petition, which received over 1200 names, have also been taken on board.
The proposal would likely have ‘a significant and unacceptable impact on the core path access and the Greeto Bridge area’, while the visual impact in some areas ‘would likely to be higher than set out in the environmental impact statement,’ it was concluded.
Large patches of sitka spruce ‘will intrude into the skyline and more distant hilltops when viewed from key viewpoints’, and the proposed broadleaf planting was deemed to have ‘a masking effect on distinctive and characterising features’ in the back hills.
The commission stated: “The predicted impacts on the visual resource as a whole are likely to be significant and unacceptable.”
“In its current form the project is likely to result in a significant environmental impact in relation to the primary reasons for requiring consent and consequently cannot be consented without further mitigation.”
Suitable mitigation measures have been identified, and are available, the commission pointed out.
Ian Dippie of the Save The Gretas group, said: “Let’s hope the developers are more considerate of local concerns if they go ahead with a re-design.”
Largs Community Council Chairman Douglas Blair said: “The Forestry Commission did say that the Community Council views with conditions effectively covered most of the concerns raised by the general public. They recognised the work of Largs Community Council over the past three years from the very first meeting with them and in engaging with the public, including our public meeting, and with other groups and agencies by making them aware of the Environmental Impact Assessment.”
Cllr Alan Hill said, “Following discussion with the community council and the Save the Gretas campaign, officers of North Ayrshire Council pulled together a submission which sought to reflect the views of the majority of local people. An extensive piece of work was then carried out by council officers including several site visits and meetings with the Forestry Commission and Stakis. The final submission by the council was then approved unanimously.”
Fellow Largs councillor Grace McLean continued, “Work by council officers did not stop there and there have been ongoing meetings and discussions between them the Forestry Commission and Stakis.
“I would like to pay tribute to the individual officers of the council for the enormous amount of work, and am delighted that it appears to have been successful thus far.”
Cllr Alan Hill added, “This will force Stakis to have a major re-think and will hopefully encourage them to work more closely with local people.
“The hillside above the town is an asset of us all and should not be the plaything of a private company or individual to this extent. I would strongly urge Stakis, and especially Tillhill, to get round the table with local representatives and agree an acceptable way forward.
“Most local people simply want an appropriate form of development and some meaningful community benefit. “ 
MSP Kenneth Gibson said: “As expressed in my own submission to the consultation it is clear that much work still has to be done to make this project acceptable.
“On 12 October I met with Tim Liddon, Forestry Director, Tilhill, Specialists in Woodland investment and forest management and which is acting for the applicant.
“Mr Liddon took on board directly many of the concerns raised by local people, and I’ll meet him again on 11 November to discuss a more detailed and sensitive design for the project. Only with such changes should this project progress.”
Councillor Tom Marshall said: “I warmly welcome the decision to demand additional measures to mitigate the significant impact of the proposed forestry.