Council chiefs are planning to ban turning right on a major Irvine thoroughfare to make way for a new housing development – which hasn’t even been approved yet.

North Ayrshire Council placed a public notice in a newspaper two weeks ago detailing a proposal for a ‘No Right Turn Order’ on Tarryholme Road in Irvine.

The basis for the proposed order is stated as: “The introduction of 200 new houses in Tarryholme Estate will create significant increase in traffic using the Tarryholme Road/A71 junction”.

However, to date only 87 of the homes – which are being built by Irvine Housing Association – have received planning permission, fuelling speculation from current Tarryholme residents that the plans for 200 houses are a “done deal”, despite their many objections.

This week, North Ayrshire Council insisted the no right turn order was just for the 87 homes being built.

As previously revealed by the Times, residents in the plush estate are calling for a judicial review of North Ayrshire Council’s planning process – after finding out tenants were invited to apply for one of the new 87 houses in phase one, some FIVE MONTHS before planning permission was even approved.

Residents were also angered when it was claimed that Irvine Housing Association had not carried out a mandatory Otter Survey, before plans were rubber stamped.

Since then, Irvine Housing Association bosses say the survey has been carried out and no otters were found to inhabit the waters or grounds where they plan to build.

However they have refused to reveal the details of the survey, or even the company who carried it out, despite numerous requests from the Times.

Earlier this month when NAC revealed its Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) it included the same 200 homes in Tarryholme as part of its £170million blueprint for 1,700 affordable homes across North Ayrshire.

However council chiefs have denied jumping the gun in making orders and planning for 113 homes which have not had planning permission approved yet.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesman said the No Right Turn Order is needed for the 87 approved homes – despite the public notice quoting 200 homes.

He said: “The road alterations formed part of the planning conditions for the Tarryholme development.

“This new development will create a significant increase in traffic using the Tarryholme Road/A71 junction.

“This work needs to be carried out now in relation to the first phase – 87 homes – of the development.

“We have made clear our longer-term ambitions for the site but this is subject to approval through the statutory planning process.

“The council’s Strategic Housing Plan is a series of planned or potential projects. These can change over time and are all subject to the statutory planning process.”