Four aspects of new Ayr leisure centre that would change if plans are approved

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Facilities at a new Ayr leisure centre would have to be cut by a fifth in order to meet budget constraints, it has been revealed.On Thursday, South Ayrshire councillors will make a final decision on controversial plans, which ‘deviate significantly’ from the proposals agreed by the previous administration in August 2021.The project looked unlikely to be taken forward after the council voted against progressing with the centre, which the council had allocated £46m.The Conservative administration had made scrapping the centre a central plank of their manifesto and told the last full council that the costs were prohibitive.The proposal is already sitting £7m over budget, with the current inflation rate expected to see that figure rise even further.However, the terms of the contract with HubSW, which operates the framework for large public contracts, meant that they would have 30 days to work with council officials and return with a proposal which would bring the project back in line with the budget.On Thursday, at the last council meeting of 2022, councillors will be asked to decide on whether to progress with the reduced leisure centre, or back the administration’s plan to focus on refurbishing the Citadel Leisure Centre.The report to the council points out that it has already made compromises in the original design, by not including a main hall.HubSW have now returned to the council with a revised proposal, one which would see significant reductions to the centre’s facilities.The rear of Hourstons would be demolished, but there would be no refurbishment of the historic store to incorporate the facade along with new facilities.The facilities earmarked for that refurbished area would be transferred to the main building.This