The £1.74 million development is a key part of East Ayrshire Council’s strategic housing investment plan, providing eleven new build affordable homes for rent in the heart of the village.

There will be eight two-bedroom homes, two two-bedroom homes specially designed for older people and one two-bedroom home designed for wheelchair users.

Councillor Douglas Reid, leader of the council, visited the site with Councillor Elena Whitham, cabinet member for housing and communities, and local members for Doon Valley, Councillors John Bell, Elaine Dinwoodie and Drew Filson.

Councillor Reid said: “The Barbieston Road housing development is being built on the site of the former community centre and library which have been relocated to new, modern facilities within Dalrymple Primary School. The homes have been designed to a very high standard, will be built using modern methods of construction and will be energy efficient.

“I was delighted to visit the site and will be keeping up to date with progress throughout the build. This development is sure to help make Dalrymple clean, green and vibrant once again.”

Built in partnership with CCG (Scotland) Ltd and supported by funding from the Scottish Government, work commenced on site in November 2017 and the homes are due for completion in autumn 2018.

Calum Murray, director, CCG (Scotland) Ltd, said: “Over the past two years we have worked on several contracts for East Ayrshire Council including the conversion of the Ingram Enterprise Centre on John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock, a tenement development that was reconfigured to high-spec office space, as well as the structural upgrade of seven properties in Hearth Place, Cumnock.

“The latest development at Barbieston Road launches a strategic partnership that will help deliver up to 400 homes in East Ayrshire over the next four years. Our capabilities in construction, utilising our expertise in offsite manufacturing, will ensure that the new homes are delivered quickly and to the highest quality and environmental efficiency standards.”