Angry residents are calling on South Ayrshire Council to take action after it was revealed that a drain vital to prevent more flooding of properties in Dundonald was deemed ‘not fit for purpose’.
The council has admitted that the drainage isn’t fit for purpose, but have chosen not to enforce the deadlines they gave to Dundonald Community, Sports, Recreation and Heritage Association (DCSRHA).
The group had already carried out extensive work to flatten out ground at the village’s recreation park for a football pitch without planning permission.
The raising and levelling of the ground led to the amount of water draining from the pitch increasing, in turn leading to the flooding of adjacent properties.
A planning application was only submitted once the substantive work had already taking place and Ayrshire Roads Alliance has had to step in with emergency measures, including sandbags and trenches.
The council’s planning committee agreed to approve the application despite the concerns, but added a condition that required the association to undertake a survey of the condition of the single outflow pipe to demonstrate that the it could handle all the water.
That was due to happen within one month of the decision taken on December 14, 2022.
This condition touched on a bone of contention with residents.
They say that Ayrshire Roads Alliance had initially accepted the volume of ‘runoff’ water from the pitch would have to take account of both the direct rainfall onto the pitch and that which flows down from the adjacent castle hill.
However, by the time of the first planning meeting in November, officers had shifted the view and accepted that only the direct flow of water from the pitch needed to be taken into account when determining the capacity needed from the drain.
They also demanded that, should the outflow pipe be insufficient, an alternative proposal would have to be submitted to council planners two months after the panel’s decision.
According to the council’s own timeline, the deadline for getting an alternative approved by the council would have been February 14, while work would have had to be underway by March 14.
In a response to the residents, Mr Braidwood, head of Ayrshire Roads Alliance, had said that the reason the runoff water from castle hill onto the pitch had not been calculated was down to planning guidelines which only require it to be considered where new properties are being built and could be at risk.
He stated: “There are no new properties being built.”
He also initially argued that there would be no additional surface water created by the development.
In response, residents submitted a report which argues why run off from adjacent areas must be included and highlighted why the raised ground levels shed water much more quickly from the field.
In an email to the residents on February 24, Mr Braidwood stated that the pipe was in poor condition, was unable to be surveyed and was not suitable.
Mr Braidwood said that ARA would once again look at all of the sources of water.
A council spokersperson confirmed that the applicant had submitted a condition survey which had shown it was not adequate.
However, they have opted not to abide by the planning condition timeline.
The council spokesperson added: “The ARA has confirmed that ‘based on the information provided it is concluded that the outflow pipe is not currently in a condition that is capable of accommodating the calculated greenfield run-off rates.
“Remedial works to the defects identified and then further survey of the so far un- surveyed sections is advised, after which the additional information can be considered’.”
Dundonald Community Council supported the call for action by the council when it met on Thursday, March 9.
In a statement, the Dundonald Playing Field Residents group, said: “At Committee it was stated by South Ayrshire Council officers that if this condition was not met, enforcement action would follow.
“It is now early March, the existing outfall has been shown to be unsuitable, no alternative has been proposed, so we ask why no enforcement action has been taken by South Ayrshire Council?
“Residents have to live with ongoing worries over flooding. It is surely time that South Ayrshire Council stepped in and protected residents from this ongoing debacle which is not of their making”.
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