Professor Seamus McDaid,  principal and vice chancellor of the University of the West of Scotland. said: “We are delighted that our exciting Ayr Campus  development has received the full support of South Ayrshire Council. [It]  will provide significant benefits not only to the University, but to the local community and the west of Scotland as a whole. It will enable us to expand our course provision and develop an international dimension to our operations in Ayr, with a campus that will attract students from across the globe.”

The new campus will incorporate the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) which will move out of its base at Auchincruive once work is completed. The campus will include general teaching space, a gym, a refectory, a library, a lecture theatre, a drama studio and computing labs.

Professor Bill McKelvey, (left) principal of SAC was "pleased to be joining UWS on this new campus. It will," he said "reinvigorate SAC in Ayrshire and provide our students with a great environment in which to study.”

The new campus designed by Glasgow based architects RMJM incorporates the A listed Craigie House. Neil McLean from the firm said: “This is a major development for higher education in Scotland. We have been inspired by the fantastic natural setting of the existing estate and now look forward to delivering a unique building that students can enjoy both inside and out.”

The new campus is scheduled for opening in September 2011.

SAC developments at Auchincruive
The SAC's has plans to transform its business and estates,  enabling reinvestment to provide state-of-the-art facilities and services in Ayrshire, including development of Craigie Campus in Ayr. 

The SAC will also retain an element of research and business related functions at Auchincruive.

The phased transformation of that estate outlined in 2007 will take account of its rich natural, historic heritage, retaining a number of historic aspects of the site.

The listed buildings located within the site boundary, including Oswald Hall, Oswald's Temple/Tea House, Wilson Hall (right)  and Gibbs Yard will be retained,  refurbished, upgraded and reused for a variety of purposes.

Oswald Hall (left) will become hotel and conference centre, an 18-hole championship golf course, equestrian centre, additional leisure and outdoor facilities. Important landscape features, such as the extensive woodland copses, ornamental gardens and the arboretum will be retained and restored, and in the woodland areas, will be supplemented as necessary.

The proposal anticipates the creation of state-of-the-art business and research units, a sensitively developed residential element, providing opportunities for individuals and families to both work having access to leisure opportunities on-site. It is estimated that in total the project could create over 2,000 jobs, value to the economy generated by the  development estimated at £80m per annum.