A new 'high standard' hotel is set to be built in a gap site in Largs in a boost to local tourism to encourage more people to stay in the town.
Plans are to be submitted to North Ayrshire Council next month by local businessman John Corrigan in relation to the new development in Gallowgate Lane.
Last month we reported that Mr Corrigan has new plans for the derelict site which had been criticised for its poor state after a neighbour had contacted the 'News' to bemoan the sight his property faced for many years.
The area had already received planning permission for an eaterie, but due to market forces, Mr Corrigan told the 'News' that he had to drop his original plan for the site, but is now concentrating on a hotel development.
It is a marked departure for the town after a number of hotels have closed, and in some cases, recently demolished such as The Victoria Hotel, a short distance away.
Mr Corrigan said: "I am hopeful of getting a fresh planning application to North Ayrshire Council within the next two weeks. It will be a mid-market studio type accommodation fitted out to high standard for professionals and tourists, and will be perfect for the Largs market."
The four storey build will including 14 rooms, and will blend into the area which is set for regeneration with Gallowgate Square figuring in the Largs Masterplan improvements to be made into a market space and live music venue, while we also revealed last week that an application has gone into North Ayrshire Council for a Post Office/cafe development at the vacant shop premises which used to be the SNP shop.
Mr Corrigan added: "It will generate some more town centre accommodation which is badly needed with all the hotels that have closed. We have had various applications for the site over the years but the business market has meant that we have had to alter our thinking on each occasion.
"It was more a case of coming up with adapting a planning application to suit the site, and we think that a hotel development will be it. If you attract people towards staying over then everyone wins from all the pubs to places offering breakfast. There have been changes in the economic environment and with the success of Airbnb, options for people looking for accommodation are changing."