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Ayr Racecourse News |
Green Light For Ayr Racecourse Plans 16/05/06
AYR Racecourse will be developed into one of Europe’s top tracks after the Scottish Executive belatedly approved £35 million of developments on Wednesday May 10.
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Scotland’s premier racecourse will have a state of the art new entrance, a new Grandstand, racing themed sports bar, casino, multiplex cinema, hotel, racing academy, and upgraded stables. There will also be 400 houses built as part of the development.
A new road layout incorporating an underground tunnel will also be introduced as Ayr is elevated into the same league as Ascot, Longchamp and York.
The plans were called in by the Scottish Executive exactly a year ago after South Ayrshire Council originally approved them in February 2005. And a three week long Public Inquiry was held in Ayr last November.
Following that inquiry the Scottish Executive granted outline planning permission this week which elated owners Alan Macdonald, chairman of construction giants, The Dawn Group and Richard Johnstone, Chairman of Thorntoun Health Care.
The pair bought the course for £10 million from the Western Meeting Club in June 2003 and since then have spent more than £8 million on significant improvements to the facilities including transforming Western House, a mansion house and former HQ of the Western Meeting Club, into a four star hotel and wedding venue at a cost of £4 million.
The latest round of development will take the total spend on the course to more than £53 million.
Alan Macdonald, Chairman of Ayr Racecourse, said : “This is a fantastic news not only for everyone at Ayr Racecourse but for the whole of Scottish Racing.
“When myself and Richard Johnstone bought Ayr Racecourse in June 2003 it was our dream to develop it into one of the finest in Europe if not the world. Once these plans are implemented our dream will be realised.
“Richard and I have travelled extensively looking at other racecourses and what we will achieve at Ayr will be based on the very best of what we have seen.
“We had hoped this work would all be done in time for our centenary in 2007 but that won’t be possible but the important thing is it will now be done and that is tremendous news”
