Irvine set to get new golf resort

EXCLUSIVE Plans in place for £60m development in the heart of Ayrshire

Developers are ready to break ground on a brand new golf resort in Ayrshire as soon as the necessary funding is found to underwrite the reported £60m cost of the development.

‘The Ayrshire’ is slated for construction at a 171-acres site on Marine Drive in Irvine and will comprise an 18-hole links course, complete with adjoining hotel, and holiday homes.

The project is being developed by The Ayrshire Golf Company, a joint venture between property investment and development company Credential Holdings Limited and KPT Limited.

FUNDING

The plans for the course have been drawn up by acclaimed golf architects Glen Golf Design and is expected that the completed resort will create over 130 new jobs.

A planning application for the resort was submitted in spring 2013 and later granted last winter and, according to a spokesperson, the only thing holding up work is finding the necessary funding.

“There are one or two interested parties and we are hopeful that things will get moving soon,” said the source, who also added that a couple of internationally renowned hoteliers had been sounded out about operating the facility but declined to name names.

INVESTMENT

Meanwhile, work is underway down the coast on a new £1.5m clubhouse for Belleisle Golf Club in Ayr.

The facility is expected to be complete in time for the start of the 2015 golf season and is part of a wide-scale investment being made in its golf properties by South Ayrshire Council. A similar amount of money is being spent on upgrading the clubhouse at Troon Municipal Golf Club, while £169,000 is being spent on improvements to the facilities at Girvan Golf Club.

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