Objections have been lodged over plans for new developments at a drug rehabilitation centre near Ayr.

A planning application for a garden room and workshop at the former Scottish Agricultural College site, off the B743 at Auchincruive, is due before South Ayrshire councillors this week.

The Auchincruive site is run by addiction rehabilitation charity Independence from Drugs and Alcohol Scotland (IFDAS).

Its River Garden project, the UK's first long-term 'drug rehabilitation village', opened in 2018.

The garden room and workshop plans run run alongside an earlier application last month for three accomodation blocks to house up to 56 male and female residents.

However, only the garden room and workshop will be decided upon by the local authority's regulatory panel for planning this week.

But in a letter to South Ayrshire Council planners, local property firm Allanvale lodged an objection 'in the strongest terms' to the garden room and workshop application.

They have raised concerns about the dangers to pedestrians and motorists from increased traffic at the Nellies Gate access point, off the Ayr-Mossblown road, near their office premises.

In the objection an Allanvale spokesperson said: "Since the applicant took ownership of the land a series of applications have been consented including residential accommodation.

"These developments have necessitated construction of a 51 space car park, in addition to existing parking on the site.

"The new car park and continued developments including the current application, are bringing about a significant increase in the amount of vehicle movements utilising the Nellie’s Gate access."

Objectors have also raised concern at the cumulative effect of development at the site following the application for residential accommodation.

The former college site was bought in 2017 by IFDAS in 2017, which uses hands-on work such as horticulture, woodwork and cooking to help people recover from drug and alcohol addictions.

They run three-year residential programmes for recovering addicts which include hands-on work such as horticulture, woodwork and cooking.

Allanvale has also called for the residential application to be made the subject of an environmental impact assessment and to be regarded as a 'major development' in planning terms.

They added: "Given the historic and ecological sensitivity of the site, along with concerns of access this would be an appropriate approach.

"Allanvale feels that the true cumulative impact of the developments at River Garden has not been properly assessed to date."

IFDAS secured Scottish Government funding in 2021 to expand its River Garden service.

The centre is closely modelled on successful rehab communities in Italy and Sweden.

However Allanvale have called for more information on their plans before consent is given.

They said: "It is not clear what activity is proposed for this space, if it will involve visiting members of the public or if it will require regular servicing or delivery of materials.

"No details on the construction methodology have been provided so it is not possible to ascertain potential impact from construction traffic.

"Allanvale do not believe the application can be determined without this information and an accompanying road safety audit."

The project goes before South Ayrshire Council's regulatory panel for planning today (Thursday, May 11).