Main Issues Report

Successful Town Centres (Issues 16, 17 and 18)

Local Development Plan 2 Successful Town Centres

Section 6 of the Main Issues Report focuses on achieving Successful Town Centres through the next Local Development Plan (LDP2).

This section outlines the need for LDP2 to support its town centres in such a way as to ensure they compare favourably with other centres and destinations in the region. See Issues 16, 17 and 18: Page 51-60).

The adopted East Local Development Plan (2017) identifies five key town centres in : (prime), (Strategic), Galston, and . Town centres are key areas of socio- economic activity and it is crucial that they There are also seven local town centres: are successful, accessible and vibrant , , , , , places. and . What are the issues?

The Main Issues Report (Issues 16, 17 and 18: page 51-60) provides detail on the issues, which are summarised below:

Town Centres (Issue 16) Town Centre Living Boundaries (Issue 17)  Town centre living and residential development  Demand for retail space in town centres close to town centres is essential to increase has fallen in the past decades: reflective vibrancy and support economic activity. of the well documented growth in online shopping and changes to traditional  We will consider whether town centre living shopping patterns. boundaries should be included in LDP2, or whether appropriate policies should support the  The structure of town centres needs to reuse of both ground and upper floor units to change and adapt. residential use.  Increased ground floor vacancy rates Town Centre Strategies (Issue 18) provide an opportunity to concentrate retailing and enable periphery streets to  In collaboration with the local community, work on become more residential in nature. a town centre strategy for Kilmarnock is being undertaken. There is opportunity to take the  Core areas should reflect where the prime findings from town centre health and develop footfall generating uses are centred. action plans for the other four key town centres: Cumnock, Dalmellington, Galston & Stewarton. Our Preferred Options

The Main Issues Report sets out our preferred options (approach) for creating successful town centres. The document also provides an alternative options, see Issue 16, 17 and 18 (pages 51-60).

Town Centres (Issue 16)

Town Centre Living Boundaries (Issue 17)

Town Centre Strategies (Issue 18)

Do you agree with the Council’s preferred options or alternative option? If not, is there an alternative approach you think would be appropriate? Have your say!

This is your opportunity to have your say on potential land- uses, possible sites and emerging policies which will be used to direct and critique future development in East Ayrshire.

You must submit your representations before 4pm on Friday 31st July 2020.

You can make your comments online using our Smart The Representation Form has a box for each Survey: issue covered in the document, simply fill in the https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/LDP2MIRconsult/ sections you wish to comment on and send to: [email protected]

Or by post to: Planning and Economic Development Or representation can be made by downloading our Development Planning and Regeneration Team “Representation Form” from: https://www.east- Opera House ayrshire.gov.uk/Resources/PDF/L/LDP2-Main-Issues- 8 John Finnie Street Report-Representation-Form.pdf Kilmarnock KA1 1DD Thank you!