Campervans are to be allowed to stay overnight at Ayr and Girvan seafront for the first time ever, if councillors approve a new plan. 

Twenty new bays would be created for the vehicles at Ayr’s Blackburn Road and Girvan’s Knockcushan Street car parks. 

The cost for visitors would be £5 per night. 

South Ayrshire Council officials are proposing the new scheme would run from April to September this year as a pilot. It would cost £30,000 to roll out. 

It comes as last summer saw more camper van tourists bedding down for the night on the South Ayrshire coast for staycations in Ayr, Girvan and Ballantrae.

The council said “concerns” were raised over the “unregulated” practice at the time. 

Ruling SNP and Labour councillors are due to vote on the camper van proposal at the Leadership Panel meeting next week. 

A paper due to go before politicians said: “It is recognised that there is a need to balance proper management of long stay or overnight visitor parking whilst still encouraging and supporting tourism, which in turn benefits the local economy.”

Temporary “waste disposal facilities” are to be installed at the Girvan and Ayr car parks for the scheme according to a council paper. 

If there is a 75 per cent uptake of the parking bays, the council stands to make £27,300 according to the document.  

There is also a bid to crack down on people parking up overnight along the Ayr Esplanade and Girvan’s Louisa Drive and Harbour Street. 

Officers recommend a traffic regulation order should be introduced to impose the overnight restrictions. 

That proposal will also go before councillors for a decision.