A much-delayed housing development next to Ailsa Hospital in Ayr has been given outline approval despite councillors’ concerns about school spaces and access roads.

Developers Wilson Hampshire Ltd submitted an application for planning permission in principle for the project, which includes around 250 homes, local shops, hospitality, offices, care home and creche.

Around 25 per cent of the houses would be affordable homes, managed in partnership with Ayrshire Housing.

It is part of a wider Ayr South plan that had aimed to have hundreds of homes already in place.

Despite having the aspirations in place for such a large increase in homes, concerns were raised about the clear lack of capacity at nearby schools – including the likes of Alloway Primary which is currently at 94 per cent capacity, leaving very little room to cope with an influx of new pupils.

Councillors were also sceptical about the assurances that the access road that would be shared by the estate and Ailsa Hospital would be managed.

But they eventually approved the proposal to delegate the powers to planning officials to work on a detailed plan for the housing.

Tim Ferguson, representing the developers, described the plan as a ‘golden opportunity to deliver affordable family homes to Ayr’.

He said: “This application has been approved and required to be delivered since 2014. Not a single home has been delivered. It is understood that around 750 new homes should have been delivered by about now.

“This application is six years overdue. Now is the time that we all start working together and look at better, quicker and more deliverable ways of getting this allocation underway.

“This proposal represents a real opportunity to deliver new family and affordable homes, with major house builders ready to start with immediate effect.”

There are also social and financial benefits, he said, citing 77 new jobs, £337,00 in council tax receipts and a capital investment of almost £40m.

He also stated that the plan was made more viable by its proximity to the road and utilities network, which would not require major works to connect to.

There were concerns about the sharing of an access road with the adjacent hospital campus.

However, Ayrshire Roads Alliance did not object, with the Mr Ferguson stating that the flow of traffic going to the hospital would be in the opposite direction from the residential estate

Labour councillor Ian Cavana was one of the sceptics about the assurance and suggested that in the event of covid restrictions loosening the road would return to being one of the most congested.

Mr Senior replied: “There are complications respect timings of any major developments and that is Covid. The applicant has undertaken surveys at a time when the hospital has been operating at a reduced capacity.

“That is something been acknowledged and we have sought conditions.”

Councillor Alec Clark said he also had concerns about traffic, but moved onto the issue of school capacity.

Gavin Cockburn, of South Ayrshire Council Place service, said: “The immediate challenge is that the council has no single non denominational primary school neighbouring the site with sufficient capacity.”

He explained that Alloway Primary School was currently at 94 per cent capacity, while the next, at Kincaidston was at 82 per cent.

He added: ”Catchment is by address and rezoning is extremely rare due to disruption of families.”