January 6 2020

Ayrshire Housing Association has firmed up plans to create 31 homes in the heart of Ayr with a full planning submission for their Carrick Street build.

Conceived in partnership with Alloway, owners of the Kyle Centre and Arran Mall, the gap site plan is being spearheaded by local practice ARPL to provide high amenity accommodation primarily geared toward the elderly.

Currently languishing as a car park the existing site sits within the historic core of the town in an area marked by haphazard modern development that has grown out of step with the established urban grain.

In its place would rise two wings of accommodation aligned with neighbouring streets, each flanking an entrance courtyard incorporating low-level planters to encourage gardening. Fully accessible roof gardens will also be formed to further seed a community spirit among residents.

Outlining their site strategy the architects wrote: “Rather than presenting a full-height elevation on Carrick Street which would dominate the street we have reinforced the street line with a single storey screen of accommodation of similar scale to the adjoining buildings.

“The higher blocks of flats then step back around a courtyard to align with the higher buildings of the shopping centre and office block. This approach maximises the amenity for the residents with all flats opening into the central landscaped courtyard.”

Carrick Street will employ a mix of facing brick for exterior facades with interior courtyard surfaces clad in timber panels.

6 Comments

#1 Posted by airdrieman on 7 Jan 2020 at 08:52 AM

decent scheme and thankfully AHA seeing sense on getting people back into the centre of town. demolish the long vacant retail space and bring life back!

#2 Posted by Pleasantfield on 7 Jan 2020 at 12:35 PM

Its a cleared site. This is a dreadful design. Just a box. Inarticulate and wholly out of character. Just as poor a design as the Council's office plan for the High Street.

#3 Posted by modernish on 7 Jan 2020 at 16:57 PM

Surely a better site for residential development is the other carpark 'languishing' (car a carpark languish?) on the other side of the Gaiety Theatre. At least it would have some decent aspects (as opposed to the back of a shopping centre). Pity the poor sods who end up looking on to that from their bedroom windows and across an access deck to their neighbours kitchen and bathroom windows.! The Gaiety carpark site would genuinely address the urban situation and help repair the fabric of the town forming an edge to Fullarton Street and Carrick Street.

#4 Posted by Chris on 7 Jan 2020 at 16:58 PM

For a mid-sized town I'd say this was pretty good.

#5 Posted by doonbradan on 7 Jan 2020 at 18:34 PM

Who came up with this idea?why are they turning ayr into a retirement town?its a tourist town,steeped in ancient history.build the place up to encourage people to come to ayr.enjoy the beach and town facilities.why dont they create a small market area in this part of town.sounds a more logical idea.

#6 Posted by Neil C on 8 Jan 2020 at 14:12 PM

Looks quite attractive, and it represents a welcome upgrade over the current car park and its Brutalist backdrop. However, I do worry the ground floor recess on the corner will end up becoming an impromptu after-hours urinal.

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