New housing development in Mauchline officially opened

Wallace Court, East Ayrshire Council’s assisted living housing development on Kilmarnock Road, Mauchline has been officially opened by Councillor Jim McMahon, Spokesperson for Housing, Transport and Communities.

Named after not one but two local Wallaces – the Wallace family who operated a market garden on the site and Margaret Wallace, a former MSP and Community Centre volunteer – Wallace Court, which was built for the East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership, provides 17 assisted living flats, three wheelchair accessible bungalows and an onsite staff base.

Wallace Court is similar to award-winning developments across East Ayrshire, including Andrew Nesbit Court in Hurlford and Quarryknowe in Auchinleck, but this build was the first net-zero assisted living development.

This means that carbon emissions associated with regulated operational energy is equal to zero due to the installation of air source heat pumps and solar panels. Councillor Jim McMahon, Council Spokesperson for Housing, Transport and Communities was joined at the official opening by Leader of the Council Councillor Douglas Reid, local members Provost Claire Leitch, Councillors Alyson Simmons, William Lennox and Linda Mabon;

Margaret Wallace, and Gordon and Elizabeth from Wallace Court.

He said:

“It was a great honour to officially open Wallace Court by unveiling a plaque.“Wallace Court assisted living development and bungalows enables residents to live independently and safely within the local community, with support from health and social care services, in an environment that promotes social interaction.

“The development was informed by collaborative working between the Council’s Housing Service and East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership and has been genuinely life-changing for the people who live there.”The development was built by the Council’s Developer, CCG (Scotland) Ltd. CCG Director Calum Murray said: “Wallace Court is one of a dozen developments that CCG has delivered for East Ayrshire Council since 2017, and one of three constructed to a ‘net zero ready’ build standard.

“It is a brilliant example of how collaborative working can help transform brownfield sites into developments that truly address local needs and hearing how much these homes have transformed the lives of residents is evidence of its success.

”The project was developed with £1.3m of grant funding from the Scottish Government and contributes to their target of delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.