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Daily Record
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Ayr rugby chiefs lodge fresh plans as they seek approval for phase three Millbrae redevelopment
Rugby chiefs now hope to get the green light so they can plough ahead with the latest stage of the club's transformation. Top brass at Ayr Rugby Club have lodged fresh proposals for the multi-million pound redevelopment of their home at Millbrae. With work now complete on phases one and two of the ambitious project, rugby chiefs now hope to get the green light so they can plough ahead with the latest stage of the club's transformation. Phase one involved improved access to Millbrae, while phase two involved the installation of an all-weather pitch. Now phase three involves the refurbishment of the Millbrae clubhouse. Agents in this latest proposal are Jewitt & Wilkie Architects and central to the plan is the building of a new strength and conditioning gym. Also included in the design plans are a golf simulator room, club merchandise shop, multi-use rooms and more. General internal and external alterations to the Millbrae clubhouse are also being proposed in order to make the club's base one of the most modern around. The design and access statement said: 'Ayr Rugby Football Club (ARFC) propose to carry out an extensive Clubhouse refurbishment as part of a third phase in their redevelopment of Millbrae. 'Planning approvals have been granted by South Ayrshire Council for a new access road (Phase 1) and an all-weather pitch (Phase 2) and this application marks the third phase of the Club's redevelopment, which was made possible through the £3m Macdonald Legacy Award.' The statement continues: 'A third planning application (Phase 3) was submitted to South Ayrshire Council on 5th August 2024, which proposed internal and external changes, with a Strength and Conditioning Gym and Café extension to the north of the Clubhouse. 'This application was withdrawn due to the club's strategy to provide 'sports-based facilities' based upon detailed studies of alternative locations for new facilities to derive the optimum solution for the available funds. Much of the internal Clubhouse refurbishment remains the same in this submission.' The works involve the following: • Gym Extension to meet Sportscotland and Scottish Rugby Union criteria for strength and conditioning. The gym will also serve as a daytime 'leisure' provision to the local community and to provide valuable income and activity within the Club. • Upgrading and increase in capacity of male, female and accessible toilet (baby changing) facilities. • 'Clean' and 'Dirty' changing facilities for the new all-weather and existing grass pitches to meet Sportscotland and Scottish Rugby Union requirements for male, female, disabled and gender-neutral users. • New referees' changing for male and female match officials. • Refurbishment and internal alteration of bar, lounge and functions area, with associated works to the kitchen area. • Upgrading of the thermal fabric of the Clubhouse including the installation of energy efficient heating, lighting, ventilation and foul/surface water management systems. • New PV panels and low carbon heating installations. The proposals represent an overall increase in area of the existing Clubhouse of 288sqm. The design statement adds: 'The Clubhouse extension, refurbishment and external works serve to create a contemporary environment to reflect Ayr RFC's established achievements and ambitions, however, to respect the Club's rich history and tradition. 'The upgrading and extension will create a sporting complex to support an even greater community and commercial involvement and to provide facilities that met, or exceeded the standards required by the Scottish Rugby Union and Sportscotland. 'In addition to the support of existing uses, the addition of the strength and conditioning gym, club merchandise shop, golf simulator, multi-use spaces and enhanced facilities will increase capacity, participation and provide a facility used all year round and not just within the rugby calendar.' The proposals are listed as 'pending consideration' on South Ayrshire Council's online planning portal and a decision on them is expected around the middle of September.
Daily Record
18-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Ayrshire tennis club to take charge of courts and net £100k to upgrade facility
The club launched a bid to take ownership of the three tennis courts earlier this year- in an attempt to stave off the threat of closure. South Ayrshire Council's Cabinet has unanimously approved a Community Asset Transfer Request (CAT) from members of Coylton Tennis Club. The club launched a bid to take ownership of the three tennis courts earlier this year - in an attempt to stave off the threat of closure. And on Tuesday, Cabinet members rubber stamped the proposals - and handed the club a £100,000 cash boost. Ayrshire Live can reveal that not only did they approve the sale of the courts for £3,000, the local authority will also stump up a £100,000 one-off grant- from their Advancing Community Asset Fund- to help bring the ageing courts up to scratch. The club, based at the Coylton Activity Centre in Hole Road, sought to become outright owners of the three courts at the site, currently owned by South Ayrshire Council. And the group, which gained charity status in September 2023, submitted a £3,000 offer for the courts, which they hoped would secure the club's future. During Tuesday's Cabinet meeting ward Councillor Brian Connolly said: 'As a ward councillor, this ticks all the boxes from my perspective. It's a solid community committee who want to take this on and we have come up with a grant to assist them in doing that. It seems to be that it's very well supported.' Cllr William Grant also told the meeting: 'As a ward councillor I totally support this.' The club will, however, still need to secure additional funds in order to match their ambitious plans to improve the courts. Cllr Grant added: 'We are talking about a £100,000 (grant) here, but there's a shortfall of £57,000. Do we know if Coylton Tennis Club will be in a position to get the rest of the funding?' Council officer Colin Love said: 'The club has been quite proactive and they've had discussions with Sportscotland and the indications from Sportscotland are fairly positive - that they would be willing to act as a match funder to any award the council can offer. 'But there are other options the club can look at. Also, we'll continue to support them in their efforts to raise the additional match funding.' In their CAT request the club outlined their rationale for the move for ownership, saying: 'The current courts are 30 years old and are becoming unsafe and less acceptable for competition playing. 'The council, who own the courts, do not have the funds to replace them, so we have been told the only way to do this is to buy the courts as a CAT which will release some separate funding and allow the club to approach other bodies to make up the shortfall in funds needed to replace the courts and bring them up to standard.' The statement continues: 'Other tennis clubs in the Ayrshire area have started to complain about playing competitive matches on the courts because they are not up to modern, and safe, standards. 'The club is approaching its 100-year centennial and if the courts couldn't be replaced, the club would have to close. This would be a severe blow to the community and would involve travelling to other parts of Ayrshire to keep playing. 'It would also mean that younger children would be less likely to take up the sport, since it is always easier to play a sport that is on your doorstep as opposed to having to travel to get to somewhere else.' The courts are also used to provide coaching from a professional coach for both adults and juniors alike, at separate times. The statement added: 'The local schools have had their pupils use the courts in the past and the club is hoping to continue that use once the courts are brought more up to date.' Cabinet unanimously agreed to the recommendations in the report with regards to the CAT request. Councillor Hugh Hunter said: 'I think it's a really good news story as the community wants to take over this asset and run it. But we're not going to dump it on them. We're giving them support and I think we are giving them really strong support.' He added: 'It's an excellent message to send out to community groups. Come along with the correct business plan, the correct community plan and we will work with you, to help you establish the organisation after the community asset transfer.'
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Dumfries tennis centre on course to open this year
A new indoor tennis centre in Dumfries is on course to open later this Transforming Scottish Indoor Tennis (TSIT) project at the King George V sports complex has reached the halfway stage in its began in February on the three-court centre which will open towards the end of the is part of nationwide efforts to boost participation and will provide year-round access to tennis for players across Dumfries and Galloway. The £2.3m project is described as an important landmark in the ongoing efforts to improve access to the sport across will be the third indoor tennis centre built recently following sites in Edinburgh and Johnstone, who chairs Dumfries and Galloway Council's community wellbeing committee, said: "I am delighted to see the progress of the new tennis centre and look forward to it being completed."It will be a major community asset for us and will provide much-needed indoor facilities for tennis players in the region and beyond." 'A sport for everyone' Sportscotland chief executive Forbes Dunlop said it was exciting to see the progress which had been made."When it's opened the centre will be hugely significant for local tennis and the communities in Dumfries and Galloway," he Lawn Tennis Association said the project embodied its vision of ensuring tennis was "truly a sport for everyone".Blane Dodds, chief executive of Tennis Scotland, said: "This is a significant moment as we aim to continue making tennis accessible to everyone right across Scotland by providing year-round indoor facilities."The new indoor centre in Dumfries and Galloway is taking shape and we're all looking forward to seeing players get on the courts soon."
