A number of concerns about the new crematorium between Largs and Kilbirnie have been raised by Fairlie Community Council.

Plans for the £2m ‘Clyde Coast and Garnock Valley Crematorium” were submitted to council planners last month. The proposals would see the crematorium built off the A760 - near to the existing entrance to Kelburn Windfarm.

During their monthly meeting at the Semple Centre, Fairlie community councillor Alastair Green said: “I am not sure the impact of the traffic on road safety has been properly assessed.” And former chairman David Telford agreed and said that slow moving hearses and funeral corteges could lead to frustration as drivers could take undue risk on the stretch of road, and added the winter weather including snow and ice could exacerbate the situation.

Former district councillor John Riddell stated that he believed the crematorium was not in accordance with a number of aspects in the Local Development Plan, which planning applications should adhere to.

Mr Riddell also asked if the crematorium was an ‘essential infrastructure’ and questioned if the proposals fit into the model for Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, where the development is proposed to be built.

Speaking to the ‘News’, community councillor Riddell stated: “It is important to emphasise that we are not objecting as yet. When you look at the application, it does not appear to comply with the rules of the local development plan. The main one as far as I can see is about policy about development in the countryside, and it is obviously countryside, and what it is basically saying is that it is for farming and forestry, but there is an exception essential infractructure is allowed if it can only be located in that place.

“Is it essential as opposed to desirable in that location? Is it essential that it is built in that area? Perhaps the council planners may turn around and say it doesn’t quite make the rules but taking everything else into account, we will go down that route.

The North Ayrshire development plan states that development in the countryside needs to be “essential public infrastructure with on site or where a range of alternative sites have been examined within settlements and no suitable site can be made reasonably available.” Jeremy Hamilton, from Respect Crematoria, who are behind the proposal, said: “The response from the local community has been very positive and supportive, including from the Fairlie residents that attended the consultation.

“The message has been clear: there is a real and immediate need for a local facility, to provide an essential service for local families at a time when help and assistance is most needed. “We spent over 12 months preparing the planning proposal, and have improved the plans following feedback from the public and stakeholders. We have also followed expert planning and policy guidance from the council, stakeholders and a range of specialists in the development of the final proposals. “We have met every community council across the local area, but have not had the opportunity to meet Fairlie despite a number of requests, and would have been able to address their points and provide more insight and information on the traffic analysis, and why we believe there is a strong ‘sustainable development’ case for the facility to be located in the area we are proposing.” Transport Scotland and NAC Roads Department have confirmed they have no objections to the proposed location, and initial consultation with Clyde Muirshiel Park confirmed the proposal is in keeping with their core objective: ‘To promote and foster environmentally sustainable development for the social and economic well-being of the people and communities within the park area.’ The Park have also provided expert guidance on the planting and landscaping proposals.