A LARGS pensioner with breathing difficulties says toxic fumes will kill her if the council's 'wicked plan' for a 40ft chimney goes ahead.

Jacqueline Taylor, 70, was distraught after the News reported last week how residents had uncovered moves to install an industrial-sized biomass boiler and 'monstrous' chimney outside their homes.

Like the other residents living close to the new Flatt Road development, Jacqueline was unaware of the plan and says they will harm her health.

The Holehouse Road resident suffers from emphysema and is currently awaiting tests which will show whether she has lung cancer.

She says the council must listen to residents and says she will 'chain herself' to the site to stop the bulldozers if she has to.

She said: "I am furious.

"If I have to go to the site and sleep in the mud to stop the bulldozers, I will. I don't care if it kills me, because ultimately the fumes are going to kill me anyway if this goes ahead.

"With my condition I already struggle to breath. As soon as they start that boiler going the fumes coming out of it will stop me from breathing all together.

"It will kill me if they put that chimney in there."

The planned development at the former Largs Academy site is for 122 homes, including 22 supported accommodation houses and a 28-unit sheltered housing complex.

However residents are outraged by the biomass boiler, which they say was never detailed at public consultations.

They have now rallied all four town councillors to demand a u-turn.

However, the council say that potential installation of the Biomass system would be subject to an Environmental Planning Assessment which is designed to ensure that there are no risks to human health, and that any proposals are compliant with stringent environmental regulations.

They have since met with the residents and say they will carry out further consultations to discuss the plans.

Jaqueline says this has given her little confidence that changes will be made.

She added: "If standing up and telling the council that this will effect my health will make them stop then that is what I am going to do.

"It is the most wicked thing to have done to the residents living in the surrounding streets.

"I am raging over this and absolutely devastated that this could be allowed to happen.

"I was part of the original prom protest and I will protest again if I have to."

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “The council has already successfully installed biomass boilers at a range of locations across North Ayrshire,with no adverse impacts. In order to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, sustainable technologies like biomass are becoming more commonplace.

“We have already consulted extensively on the housing proposals at Flatt Road, and have committed to a further event to discuss the district heating proposals with local residents.

“Any scheme will meet the Scottish Government’s objectives to support the roll-out of low carbon district heating, which is common elsewhere, for example in Scandinavian countries.

"It will also comply with Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland programme, to ensure homes are greener, warmer and more efficient.”