East Ayrshire Council is to receive additional funding of £832,000 from the Scottish government towards its programme to build new housing.

The Council says the funding means more local people will benefit from new social and affordable housing over the next 3 years.

Funding now sits at £4.709m, meaning the Council can continue plans for sites in Kilmarnock, Cumnock, Stewarton, Galston, Mauchline and Newmilns as part of its promotion of Town Centre Living.

East Ayrshire Council’s Strategic Local Programme has identified a number of sites for development:

• West Langlands Street, Kilmarnock

• Ayr Road, Cumnock

• Chapel Lane, Galston

• Skeoch Road, Mauchline


• Portland Street, Kilmarnock

• Witch Road, Kilmarnock

• Rennie Street, Kilmarnock

• Robertland Square, Stewarton

• Brown Street, Newmilns

Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council and Spokesperson for Strategic Planning, Management and Resources said: "Back in September Cabinet approved the draft Strategic Local Programme for 2012 -2015, which sets out key sites for the development of 134 new affordable homes for a variety of tenants including wheelchair users by the end of March 2015.

"At the start of December the Scottish Government advised that additional funds were available, and only this week we received further confirmation that our draft Strategic Local Programme for social and affordable housing developments has also received Scottish Government support. This is welcome news and will allow the Council to develop further sites.

"Work will continue to identify new potential housing development sites which would meet our needs to regenerate local towns while providing good quality affordable housing, and negotiations are ongoing with Atrium Homes in relation to the development of three sites – Ayr Road, Cumnock; Witch Road, Kilmarnock and Rennie Street, Kilmarnock with a response from Atrium Homes anticipated in the New Year."

(IT)