The planned 71-home development forms part of North Ayrshire Council’s vision to deliver 1,375 new properties by 2024.

Residents are invited to attend drop-in events being hosted by the council’s housing services at Irvine’s Harbour Arts Centre, on June 27.

The events will allow people to view the final plans and house designs, which include a mix of modern, energy-efficient housing on a vacant site opposite the old Magnum centre.

The development will provide 24 general needs homes, eight wheelchair liveable properties, 11 amenity bungalows and 28 properties within a sheltered housing complex.

All new homes will benefit from sustainable features including dual zone heating controls, low energy LED lighting and solar photovoltaic panels placed on homes throughout the site to provide free electricity for tenants. The older people’s housing will include the latest assistive technology to help residents live independently in their own homes for longer.

Initial consultation with local residents and businesses in December last year was constructive and the comments made have helped develop the plans further, ensuring the development will be sensitive to its unique coastal location. The proposals take a number of design cues from the attractive architecture in the surrounding area.

Cabinet member for place, Councillor Jim Montgomerie, said: “We all recognise that there is a pressing need to build more social housing and here in North Ayrshire, we have one of the most ambitious council house building programmes in the UK. 

“We also want to ensure that we build homes in the places that people want to live.

“This is a fantastic location and the harbourside housing development will be complemented by the exciting £14 million plans to develop the Great Harbour at Irvine, through the Ayrshire Growth Deal.

“This is a long-term investment in Irvine harbourside will hopefully unlock the area’s potential as a major tourist destination. With the right mix of public and private investment, Irvine Harbourside can be a major waterfront destination with huge appeal to tourists.”

Construction is currently scheduled to get underway in early 2020 and the homes should be ready for residents to move into by spring 2021.

The council has previously advised that ground decontamination works would be required before the homes were built. Site investigations have now been carried out and the necessary remedial works will be undertaken as part of the construction works.

The consultation event will be held at the Harbour Arts Centre on June 27. There will be two drop-in sessions - local people can drop-in anytime between 1.30pm to 3.30pm and 4.30pm to 6.30pm.