EAST AYRSHIRE COUNCIL A PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

y existing bus stops on Hill Street which provide services to Onthank and to
Bellfield and Shortlees (via Kilmarnock bus station).
As part of the overall Masterplan for the future use of the Hill Street site,
Diageo commissioned an outline Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA), which
identified that the site is generally accessible to traffic. However, a large
school campus on the site, coupled with a new College Campus, could be
expected to lead to intensive traffic management problems, particularly in the
morning.
It is almost certain that the Hill Street/Witch Road junction would need to be
signalised to accommodate traffic flows and to provide safe pedestrian
crossing facilities.
Hill Street does not present a satisfactory drop-off area and nearby residential
streets are not suitable for this purpose. Given this it is possible that cars
would be likely to seek direct access to the site via Buchanan Street and
Balmoral Road. It may be necessary therefore to link these two streets to
provide a loop road to facilitate traffic movement. It may also be desirable to
investigate the potential for establishing a road connection between Balmoral
Road and Crathie Road which connects to Western Road at its roundabout
junction with John Walker Drive. This link road would make the site more
accessible from the west and could relieve congestion on Hill Street.
However, such a link would require acquisition of private land and demolition
of some units at the Western Road Industrial Estate.
ix.
Access to Town Centre
The Hill Street site is approximately 0.3 miles from the Town Centre as
represented by the Burns Mall. Of all the considered sites, this one is
therefore the nearest the Town Centre. The Town Centre manager has been
consulted and is of the view that the present pupil and staff population of
Kilmarnock Academy do bring trade into the town centre.
x. Architectural and Heritage Issues
Use of this site would mean that the present Kilmarnock Academy and James
Hamilton Academy buildings would be vacated. It is not thought that any
architectural or heritage issues will arise from leaving the James Hamilton
Academy site. However, the Victorian wing of Kilmarnock Academy is listed
and occupies a prominent position on the Kilmarnock skyline. While it would
be possible to conserve aspects of the educational heritage in any new
location, the Council would require to develop plans to ensure the future of
this particular building if this site option was used.
xi.
Decant
This option would not require a decant of the existing Kilmarnock and James
Hamilton Academies during construction and therefore there would be no
associated costs or issues arising from this option.
Consideration would have to be given to the future of the New Farm Primary
School which is located within the existing campus.
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