Fairlie Community Council chairman Steve Graham has voiced his disappointment in the way the Jetty Road closure for 36 weeks has been handled.

During their monthly meeting at the Semple Centre, the councillors said there had been a lack of consultation before the signs had gone up. Cunninghame Housing Association are building a new block of 13 flats of amenity housing at the former Kelburn Hotel site.

Secretary Rita Holmes said: “It seems an awful long time in which to have the road closed.” MSP Kenneth Gibson pointed out that the closure would effectively last until mid-November unless they moved ahead of schedule.

Local councillor Tom Marshall said that the foreman for the works at the amenity housing, which is the reason behind the closure, was – Mark Brennan – if there were any issues or problems.

Chairman Steve Graham said: “We were given no notice that this was going to happen, and it wasn’t part of the planning conditions. My understanding is that it is within the legislation, and they do have the right to do it, but in my opinion it has been badly handled by North Ayrshire Council.

“If they have to shut the road, then they have to shut the road, but it would have been much better if they had had consultation.” Community councillor David Telford said that it was poor planning on the council’s part – and believed that there could have been other alternatives to closing the road but it was just a cost cutting exercise. The junction will have gated access for construction vehicles, services such as bin lorries and deliveries for the Village Inn, and there will also be pedestrian access.

Mr Graham fumed that the road closure signs were erected in badly positioned areas which blocked pedestrians, and said that somebody ‘nearly drove into one of the signs’.

Community councillor John Riddell stated that the housing association and construction company had followed the ‘letter of the law’ in terms of the signs going up seven days in advance of any works.

Mr Telford said that while the legislation had been followed, he had personally been involved in construction for many years, and said: “It was done for reasons of cost – they have save themselves money. It was a case of ‘Can we close the road – yes, tick the box!’ - no problem.” Mr Riddell stated that foreman Mr Brennan was approachable and ‘sympathised with the residents’ over any difficulties that may arise. He added that due to the construction of the development at the side of the road, the scaffolding would likely take up up to half of the road.

Councillor Hill said that he hoped that bin lorries would be allowed access as otherwise it would mean them having to reverse the length of Bay Street. It was also pointed out at the meeting that an arrangement had been made for deliveries for the Village Inn, and resident Danny McCarthy wondered if boat users at Fairlie Yacht Club would be affected.