Members of South Ayrshire Council have taken a decision to lease additional land to the University of the West of Scotland for a new University Campus. This brings the total amount of land to be leased to 8.54 hectares or thereby.

In January 2008 the Council agreed to lease the University of the West of Scotland 6.15 hectares or thereby of land at Craigie in Ayr for a period of up to 125 years.

Since this time the planning process for the new campus has been progressed in parallel to the lease discussions. At a meeting of the Council's Regulatory Panel in April 2009 detailed planning consent for the new campus (not including the residencies) was granted subject to conditions.

Councillor Hugh Hunter, the Leader of the Council said: "I am absolutely delighted that all political parties recognised the benefits that the new University will bring to South Ayrshire and were reassured by the environmental conditions being placed upon the University and unanimously approved the lease of the additional land necessary to allow the project to go ahead."

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During the planning process it was identified that some additional land required to be leased taking the total to approximately 8.54 hectares.

"The additional land will allow the University control over the areas in which works are required to comply with their planning consent, including the car parking areas, use of which will be controlled by a permit scheme for university patrons.

"There will be no restriction on public access to the campus and there will be no permanent fencing erected. However, during the construction process for Health and Safety reasons public access to certain areas of the estate will be restricted," he said.

All the memorial seats and memorial areas within the estate have been catalogued. If any require to be moved while construction work is being carried out they will be returned to the original position, or as near as possible when the work is complete.

Through lease agreement, the Council will retain significant power to ensure that the campus is maintained to a desirable standard and that all landscaping is maintained to the same level as the rest of the estate.

Under the provision of the Town & Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1959 S.27(2A) (as amended) the Council had to advertise the proposed lease of the open space land in the local press.

(GK/JM)