Plans to build a new multi-million pound links course on the west coast of Scotland close to Turnberry, Prestwick and Troon have taken a major step forward.

The Ayrshire Golf Company has completed negotiations with Irvine Bay Regeneration Company to construct a new 18-hole links course complete with adjoining hotel and a selection of fraction-freehold holiday homes next to the existing Dundonald golf course at Western Gailes.

Construction of the par 71 golf course and hotel facility with clubhouse, professionals shop, spa, restaurant and conference facilities is now expected to start next year (2010) and should see the creation of around 250 construction jobs once final planning permission has been obtained from North Ayrshire Council.

The £60million project, known as The Ayrshire, will be overseen by the same team who were responsible for what has been dubbed the world’s most environmentally friendly golf course, Machrihanish Dunes.

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"The project is very exciting, it’s the newest links course on the west coast of Scotland," said Brian Keating, Director of The Ayrshire and founder/developer of Machrihanish Dunes.

"We see the project as a bookend to Turnberry. One of the most exciting things for me is that it is in Ayrshire. A lot of people forget that while St Andrews is the spiritual soul of golf Ayrshire is definitely the heart of golf.

"It’s where the Open started and it’s close to Prestwick Airport which brings in hundreds of thousands of European golfers every year to play in Scotland."

At Machrihanish Dunes developers worked closely with ecologists and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to ensure the handmade course caused as little environmental disturbance as possible.

The course was redesigned to avoid several rare plants and other sensitive wildlife while the greens were all cut and laid by hand. Even the rough was managed by a breed of rare Hebridean sheep instead of using a lawnmower.

"The Ayrshire site isn't as environmentally sensitive as Machrihanish Dunes but it will still be a major consideration." said Mr Keating.

"We will redevelop the land, which has had an assortment of industrial uses, and try to take it back to how it probably looked 150 years ago, as well as carefully restoring any damage that has occurred on the SSSI fringe of the site.

"Looking after the environment is vital when you're building an authentic links course. We are the only people who have built a golf course on a SSSI site so you could say we are the most sensitive golf course developers in the country."

On completion The Ayrshire will require the staffing of around 90 full time and 45 part time jobs ranging from green keeping staff to bar tenders, caddies and hotel managers.

(GK/BMcc)