A former Largs community councillor has slammed North Ayrshire planners for earmarking hundreds of new homes in the Largs Brisbane Glen and Noddleburn district.

In a hard hitting letter to the Largs & Millport News Mr Iain Mills states: "I'm sure the planner's job is not an easy one. It must seem like every time a land use proposal is put forward, someone will oppose it. However, even allowing for that, some of the suggestions put forward in the draft local plan seem very difficult to justify.

Two areas in the north of Largs have been identified for future residential use, but both seem highly inappropriate for this. The first area ('Site No. 49') is on the west side of the Noddle Burn, starting just north of the Noddsdale Meadows development and running north from there alongside the burn. This area falls within Clyde Muirshiel Park. It's a matter of some concern that North Ayrshire Council would even consider permitting further development within the park. This would destroy another swathe of the natural landscape. It was largely to protect the landscape and wildlife of this area that the park was created in the first place.

The second area ('Site No. 48') is on the east side of Brisbane Glen Road, just north of The Rise. This is an area with well documented flood problems. Too much water coming off the hills into narrow culverts was a major cause of the flooding last September. More hard surfaces - roads, pavements, patios and so on - would mean more water running off the site and into the most vulnerable areas. The local MSP has already indicated that he would be against this, believing that a Rise Phase 2 would exacerbate the problem. It's hard to disagree with him on this." Full letter and page of letters in the Largs & Millport Weekly News of June 8