The sheltered housing complex, off St Winning’s Road, has been completely transformed into state-of-the-art homes for older people.

North Ayrshire Council provost Anthea Dickson officially celebrated the official opening of the new-look homes which have undergone a £2m refurbishment, supported by £1m of Scottish Government funding.

The transformation saw a complete external and internal overhaul of 22 properties at Friars Lawn, delivered by contractor McTear Contracts.

All refurbishment works were completed in the spring, with tenants delighted by their new-look surroundings.

Councillor Tony Gurney, cabinet member for green environment and economy at North Ayrshire Council, said: “In addition to our commitment to build 1,625 new homes across North Ayrshire by 2028, we have also pledged to build homes for our older residents which suit their unique needs.

“The fantastic refurbishment of Friars Lawn is just one of many – we have made a commitment to deliver a wider £25m programme to upgrade sheltered housing complexes in the area.

“I’m delighted to see not only the work being completed but the life-changing effect it can have on residents, giving them a comfortable and affordable home which meets their needs.

“The homes were designed with the needs of our older residents in mind, even taking into account simple measures such as kitchen finishes, flooring and fittings which contrast to improve visibility utilising dementia friendly design principles.”

New energy efficient boilers have been installed at the site and the external building fabric has been enhanced with new windows and insulated render helping to improve the thermal efficiency of the building. Water saving fittings have also been installed at Friars Lawn.

Friars Lawn is just the latest investment in North Ayrshire Council’s sheltered housing complexes, with a number of redevelopment projects completed and more in the planning stage.