Council homes for people with mental health problems are to be built in Ayr town centre.
Eight flats and four bungalows are earmarked for a conservation site at Fort Street and Citadel Place. They will sit in the place of the old Billy McEwan organ music shop.
Work on the £3 million construction project is due to start this month and is predicted to take a year to finish. The council has agreed to appoint a contractor to carry out the build.
The homes will be suitable for two people and be equipped with video door entry access.
The properties must have cast stonework, roof slate and timber windows to make sure they don’t look out of place in the historic part of the town.
A council report presented to councillors at the South Ayrshire Leadership Panel said: “The location of the site within the Ayr Central Outstanding Conservation Area requires enhanced elements of the build to ensure that the appearance of the area is not undermined.”
The contents of the report were initially presented in private after the public were told to leave the meeting.
But the paper was released afterwards.
The report added: “The aim of the proposal is to increase the number of units available in South Ayrshire for tenants identified by the health and social care partnership with poor mental health and those with the need for amenity housing.”
The Scottish Government is contributing £69,000 to the cost of each build. Another £69,000 contribution from a Doonholm Road developer will also go towards it. The money comes from the firm because they didn’t provide affordable homes at the Doonholm Road development in Ayr.
Cash will also come from the council’s Housing Revenue Account.
