Ayr's controversial £45m leisure centre proposals have been made public — revealing the centre has shrunk since the last plans were published.
South Ayrshire Council had insisted that they could not provide a replacement for the Citadel sports hall, as well as diving, squash and other facilities, as it would leave them unable to meet their aims for swimming.
But rather than maintain the indicative High Street layout it published ahead of the March 2021 consultation and utilising the space that had been given over to the hall, the new plan sees the swimming area increased overall, mainly in the wet changing area.
Instead, the reduction has resulted in far more space surrounding the proposed building, which the council says provides new 'civic' space and gardens.
The plan also sees the old Hourstons of Ayr store appear more separate from the centre itself, connected by a lengthy corridor.
Despite the impact of space constraints on the facilities that can be housed in the new building, much of the reduced building footprint has been given over to gardens and more than 70 car parking and accessible parking spaces.
In its proposals, the council states: "The location and design of the site and building will encourage the regeneration of this part of Ayr town centre.
"It sits in the heart of the town and is adjacent to retail, commercial and transportation hubs, and routes.
"Locating it in this way will encourage more people to utilise the complex and will encourage more people to come to the heart of the Town.
"The design of the site and the buildings must encourage the making of a Civic and Humane Place in the town centre."
They also insist that car parking will not be an issue as there are '2000 car parking spaces' within a five-minute walk.
The blurb adds: "This design will create increased biodiversity and ecological value by returning part of the site to a public garden that links Dalblair Road and Alloway Street. The massing and placement of the building will provide a Civic space or square to meet and gather from Alloway Street."
The facilities in the new plans include a 25m main pool, smaller teaching poll and a leisure pool. There is an upper floor fitness studio, which the Hourstons building would house multi-use spaces, studios and consulting rooms.
The consultation continues until the beginning of November.
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