The 14-unit development, which will be similar to the Lillyhill Gardens development in Kilmarnock, will ensure that older and vulnerable people can remain in the heart of their community within a safe and supported environment.

Working closely with colleagues from the East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership, East Ayrshire Council’s housing team will ensure that the new homes will be wheelchair accessible, have wet floor bathrooms, rise and fall kitchen units and assistive technologies to support older people to live independently. The older people will also receive high-quality care support from care providers located within the development.

Councillor Elena Whitham, cabinet member for housing and communities, said: “Based within the heart of Mauchline, the new 14-unit housing development will provide specially designed homes for our older people ensuring that they can live independently within their own community for as long as possible. Lillyhill Gardens, an award-winning housing development within Kilmarnock, provided the blueprint for future developments that we will be building as part of the council’s Transformation Strategy.

“In Hurlford, a supported living development is currently being built by our strategic partner CCG (Scotland) Ltd which will provide 13 assisted living homes for local people. The housing development team has worked closely with the local community ensuring a positive dialogue throughout the build process and this successful model will be replicated in Mauchline. We will liaise closely with the community as plans develop for the new housing development and we will ensure that people are kept informed of progress throughout.

“This is an exciting time for the people of Mauchline. In April, we announced grant funding of over £1.8m, from Historic Environment Scotland and the council that will dramatically transform historic buildings within the town. From now until March 2024, the Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) will provide significant funding for the repair and restoration of key buildings; small grants for building repairs; shopfront improvements and replacement of uPVC windows and gutters with traditional materials; training and educational and community-based projects including artworks.

“There are going to be visible improvements to the townscape and the new housing development will have an important role to play in the regeneration of Mauchline.”

The Mauchline housing development has been informed through collaborative working with the Health and Social Care Partnership and forms part of the ambitious East Ayrshire Strategic Housing Investment Plan 2018-23 that allows for the development of 888 affordable homes to be delivered across East Ayrshire by the council and its Registered Social Landlord partners.

The development will be built on the site of the former Mauchline Games Hall, which will close on September 30.