Plans to expand an existing wetland at RSPB Airds Moss Nature Reserve near Muirkirk have been approved by East Ayrshire Council planning officers, subject to conditions.
The engineering works will enlarge an existing wetland basin by approximately 0.35 hectares, extending a wetland previously approved in 2023. The site lies about seven kilometres south-west of Muirkirk.
Biodiversity benefits
Planning officers said the project supports biodiversity by creating additional habitat and improving foraging opportunities for bird species.
The reserve is situated beside the Muirkirk Uplands Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area, prompting a detailed ecological assessment.
Mitigation measures
NatureScot did not object outright but advised that planning permission should only be granted with strict mitigation measures to protect hen harriers using the nearby SPA. The agency recommended that works must not take place overnight, or within two hours of sunrise or sunset, if carried out within 750 metres of a hen harrier roost. It concluded that, provided mitigation is followed, the project would not adversely affect the integrity of the protected site.
Planning officers also proposed conditions requiring ecological surveys before work begins and restricting construction during the bird breeding season to minimise impacts on protected species, including water voles, badgers and otters.
Public response
No objections or letters of support were received from the public. Officers said the habitat creation scheme represents an appropriate nature-based solution that would enhance biodiversity while safeguarding internationally important wildlife interests through planning conditions.
