Major development at former Ayrshire maternity unit progress

North Ayrshire Council planners have issued a 'certificate of lawfulness' for 184 new energy-efficient homes for social rent at the Irvine site.

And a planning application has now been lodged to build a further 16 homes on the land and to refurbish two gate lodges.

North Ayrshire Council bought the land, to the south of Ayrshire Central Hospital, from the NHS in 2021, and demolition work began on the site's maternity residence buildings in April last year.

The £50m development, supported by around £20m in Scottish Government funding, will include a mix of general needs properties along with homes for wheelchair users and amenity bungalows to meet a wide range of residents’ needs.

The proposals for the site were first revealed in June 2022, and final plans were put on public display at the nearby Castlepark Community Centre in October.

The 202 planned new homes on the site - the council's largest-ever housing development - are  a key part of the local authority's plan to build 1,625 new homes across North Ayrshire by 2027.

The derelict site was demolished in May last year (Image: Kevin Lundy)

A design and planning statement, which can be viewed publicly on the local authority's website, states that the overall development will provide a mix of general needs properties, homes suitable for wheelchair users and amenity bungalows.

It states: "The proposed development is designed to reflect the style of the buildings previously on-site, using similar colours, materials, roof styles and window features in order to retain local distinctiveness.

The old maternity unit buildings lay empty for 17 years after maternity services moved to Crosshouse in 2006 (Image: North Ayrshire Council)

"The two-storey houses, though more modern in appearance, use colours, materials and window styles which are present on the Ayrshire Central Hospital buildings (as is visible on the existing Horseshoe Building).

"The varied arrangement of house types creates a distinctive sense of place, with spaces of different characteristics that encourage social and friendly interaction, creating a welcoming feel to the development. These become places for neighbours to meet and children to play."

Work on the development is expected to take around two years.

The now-demolished maternity residence buildings lay empty and increasingly derelict for 17 years following the move of maternity services to the new Ayrshire Maternity Unit, at Crosshouse Hospital, in 2006.

Ayrshire Central Hospital now provides young disabled and rehabilitation services, including the Douglas Grant Rehabilitation Centre, as well as a general outpatient department and assessment beds for elderly mental health services.

The council initially agreed a deal with NHS Ayrshire and Arran in 2019 for 100 new homes at the site.

For more information and to view the latest planning application visit North Ayrshire Council's planning application portal at eplanning.north-ayrshire.gov.uk and search 24/00132/PP.