COUNCILLORS in South Ayrshire have poured praise on a plan to demolish the Arran Mall and bring the former Hourstons building in Ayr town centre back to life.

Earlier this month the Advertiser revealed the results of a feasibility study by South Ayrshire Council which suggested that demolishing the Arran Mall and turning it into a 'living well village' - featuring residential reenablement, care experienced accommodation, a family centre and day centre - was a viable option for the future of the site.

The same study said that using the original part of old Hourstons building as accommodation for the South Ayrshire health and social care partnership was also a viable option.

At a meeting this week the council's cabinet approved a recommendation from officials to go ahead with the demolition of the Arran Mall - apart from the building fronting on to Alloway Street, which is part of the town centre conservation area.

The study, understood to have cost £150,000, was commissioned to examine future options for the site - which had been earmarked for a new leisure centre until a new coalition of Conservatives and independents took control of the authority in May 2022.

The Conservative group had campaigned at last year's council elections on a platform of scrapping the leisure centre plans for the site - drawn up by the previous SNP-Labour administration - and instead revamping the Citadel Leisure Centre, and duly dumped the proposals after taking power.

The last of the Arran Mall's shops was relocated last year, since when the centre has lain increasingly derelict and been targeted by vandals.

Hourstons closed its doors for the last time in 2019 after 123 years in the town.

Members of the council's cabinet hailed the proposals as a "great moment" for the town.

Conservative councillor Lee Lyons, the authority's depute leader, told the cabinet meeting on June 20: “This is absolutely a great news story.

"There’s an awful lot of work going on behind the scenes and discussions about what this space is going to look like.

"This is part of this administration’s desire to acknowledge the elderly demographic that we have, to embrace it, and to work and develop ourselves in such a way that we can facilitate them to live well into their later lives.

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"It ties in with the ageing well strategy, it ties in with the community work that we’re planning to do in the town, it brings so many health and social care staff into the town.

"This is really about getting massive footfall back into the town and turning our OAPs into VIPs.

"It sends out a strong signal from this administration that health and social care is something that we take absolutely seriously, and I’m delighted to commend this report.”

Independent councillor Bob Shields said that the proposals answered persistent questions from local residents and businesses about the administration's plans for the site.

He said: “People will be vacating several premises when they move into this new build, and that will realise some capital as well.

"People point to this part of the town and say ‘well, what are you doing?’. Finally here it is in black and white. 

"We are doing something positive about it, and I think this is a big step in what the council has been trying to do over the last year or so.”

Council leader Martin Dowey said: “It's certainly a big step to a great moment. 

"We’re talking health and social care staff who need to be based in an office, who need to be based in the town centre, and everyone’s going to benefit from that footfall, plus what we’re going to do with our elderly community.”

The cabinet gave the green light to officers to complete draft tenders for the demolition of the Arran Mall, and to bring forward £11.26m of unallocated future capital funding for the project.

Detailed proposals for the site, along with funding plans, are now expected to be brought before the council's cabinet later this year.