February 7 2019

McTaggart Construction has commenced delivery of a modern travellers site in Girvan, encompassing seven chalet-style bungalows.

Budgeted at £1.54m the project is being funded by South Ayrshire Council and the Scottish government and will replace properties lost to storm damage three-years ago.

Councillor Philip Saxton, South Ayrshire’s Council’s Community Wellbeing Portfolio Holder said the project would make a big difference, “With work now underway the local traveling community can soon look forward to modern, affordable homes which are energy efficient and cheap to run.”

Flood damage destroyed a prior traveler site in 2015, forcing occupants into temporary accommodation elsewhere on Troweir Road.

The new site is expected to complete by September.

 

7 Comments

#1 Posted by Pleasantfield on 7 Feb 2019 at 13:17 PM

Same site ie infrastructure already in and 5 smallish houses for a staggering £1.54million ie over £300,000 per unit. Quite astonishing price. I want to know the price per metre2. This is a ludicrous cost for a timber and wrinkly tin roof building. Who designed and QSd this? You could buy 5x 4 bedroomed Stewart Milne houses in Barassie for that price. More SAC buffoonery. No commerciality whatsoever.Well done Cllr Saxton.

#2 Posted by Walt Disney on 8 Feb 2019 at 11:37 AM

#1 I'd imagine a fair chunk of the £1.54m is being spent on roads and sewers and you would imaging flood mitigation, however, I totally agree that if the intention was to provide 5 houses, there are a myriad of more cost effective ways to provide them.

#3 Posted by Malky on 8 Feb 2019 at 11:42 AM

Surely this is no longer a traveller site, and is a housing development with permanent dwellings

#4 Posted by Artisan2 on 8 Feb 2019 at 13:56 PM

The provision or non-provision of accommodation for the travelling community is of relevance across all of Scotland, so this South Ayrshire traveller project is of national interest. Transparency is important. All the costs should be published and fully explained.
Should this development be emulated elsewhere?
Is this value for money?
Did travellers participate in the design process?

#5 Posted by Jim T on 8 Feb 2019 at 15:32 PM

Hey Comment Number 1. You might need you're eyes checked. It's 7 chalet style bungalows, not 5. You might also want to consider, that based on the image, it could be feasible that each bungalow contains 2 houses. So that makes 14 houses awhich is roughly £110K/house inc landscaping, and maybe even flood prevention measures. Something to consider before getting bent out of shape eh?

#6 Posted by Cadmonkey on 9 Feb 2019 at 10:58 AM

Hmmm
Why would “travellers” want permanent homes? Is being a “traveller” not a life choice?
Or is The Man trying to snuff out this way of life?

#7 Posted by ebenezer scrooge on 10 Feb 2019 at 07:38 AM

On costs for 'temporary' accommodation for alternative lifestyles. Leaving aside 'micro-living'-type structures, i recently completed (with warrant) a timber and straw insulated storey and a half 35m2 ground floor (kitchen /living /bathroom/bedroom) with 27m2 habitable first floor for c. £50-55,000 for a woodland 'temporary' dwelling (work-related). Alternative living should mean alternative costs in my book, otherwise what would be the point?

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