As has been reported in the local news recently, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has plans to develop an area in King’s Cross as a timber transport facility. (See also Letters in this issue for Katy Clark’s MSP correspondence to FLS). Local residents have formed the Friends of King’s Cross group, and you can find out more about the proposals on their website. For readers who are not on Arran and may not be aware of the proposals, details of the campaign to try and prevent the development going forward are as follows:
Campaign to prevent the industrialisation of King’s Cross
Join us & help preserve this unique corner of Arran
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) intend to develop the fields at Whitefiled Farm and existing slipway to create a timber transport facility in King’s Cross similar but much larger than the existing facility at the industrial zone in Brodick.
Friends of King’s Cross has been formed to prevent the existing farmland being transformed into an industrial site that will be both noisy and visually intrusive to many including local properties, users of the many footpaths in the area, the retreats on Holy Isle and the centre of Lamlash village.
We care deeply about the unique beauty of Arran’s landscapes and wish to preserve these special places for all to enjoy. Please join us in our campaign.
Here is a short video showing the beauty and tranquility of the area and how much would be destroyed with this development. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REJaFm7bOas&t=3s
Lorries will transport felled timber from various forests on the island to King’s Cross, where it will be stacked and stored on some of the fields before being loaded onto a timber barge for transport elsewhere. A new track will have to be constructed through the fields to the new stack yard above the slipway.
Katy Clark MSP has held meetings with residents and sent a recent statement on the issue to the Voice earlier last month. She has said the plans must be rejected:
“It is clear the site in question is highly unsuitable for what is being proposed. This is a tranquil and biodiverse area of Arran which attracts tourists every year. Creating a new stackyard and seaborne loading facility, along with all that entails, would have a visual impact and have significant effects in terms of noise, pollution and traffic.
“Residents know that this project will scar the local area and affect their livelihoods when there are other alternatives that could be explored. I am urging Forestry and Land Scotland to rethink their decision to pursue a project which I expect will be almost unanimously rejected by islanders.”
A brochure with background information has been made by Friends of King’s Cross which can be accessed here
Featured image shows view from King’s Cross, credit Friends of King’s Cross.