New flats and houses built in £1.2million project in Prestwick

Mar 12 2010 by Edwin Lawrence, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

TEN new flats and houses have been built in a £1.2 million project in Prestwick.

Kingcase Parish Church released land to Ayrshire Housing for the development.

In return, the church hall was enlarged, and a new church car park wil be completed in the next few weeks.

Scottish Churches Housing Action has highlighted the project nationally as an example of what a church with surplus land or buildings can do by working in partnership with its local housing association. The project also complements the substantial investment of South Ayrshire Council in their adjacent flats.

Prestwick councillor and former leader of South Ayrshire Council Hugh Hunter opened the development, christened Observer Court.

Two of the 10 homes have been especially adapted to suit tenants with particular requirements.

Councillor Hunter said: “I’m delighted that Ayrshire Housing has been able to secure more much-needed housing for rent through developing a successful partnership with the Kingcase Parish Church.

“We also see the benefits of the longstanding relationship between Ayrshire Housing and the council, which has ensured housing especially designed for people leaving residential care in the majority of its new housing developments.”

The project was supported by generous grants from the Scottish Government and South Ayrshire Council.

The design is by award winning Ayr based ARPL architects. Sadly the original contractor – the long established Moulds of Kilmarnock – went out of business last summer. The project was then completed by Prestwick-based Ashleigh (Scotland) Ltd.