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FAQ's

What are you trying to achieve?

Burns Statue Square is a key initiative emerging from the Ayr Town Centre Framework. The project aims to reshape the southern entrance to the town centre as a new, attractive and appealing gateway — creating a more useable, connected, pedestrian-friendly, high-quality public space.

The project will support retention of the town’s major cinema, and kick-start regeneration south of the town centre to form a vibrant new southern gateway.

Burns Statue Square sits on the southern edge of Ayr’s Central Conservation Area and has long been dominated by traffic, with fragmented road geometry and wide carriageways. The two listed statues — the Burns Statue (1892) and South African War Memorial (1902) — are currently isolated on traffic islands and surrounded by street clutter.

The loss of the Station Hotel, gap sites from earlier office demolition, and the planned redevelopment of Ayr Station have created the opportunity to fundamentally reimagine this important gateway space.

The concept design proposes a new pedestrianised civic space extending along the south-facing tenement frontage from Killoch Place to Smith Street. Key elements include:

— High-quality natural stone paving with a meandering pattern

— Introduction of new planting, street furniture, improved lighting, and sustainable drainage systems where possible to enhance the public realm

— Retention and enhancement of the Burns Statue  and relocation of the South African War Memorial to a new prominent position

— A new Burns sculpture collection on stone plinths throughout the square

— A realigned A70 carriageway to form the southern boundary of the civic space

— Upgraded bus stops and pedestrian crossings

The project covers Burns Statue Square itself and the surrounding street network including Killoch Place, Smith Street, Dalblair Road, Dalblair Way and Beresford Terrace. The site boundary runs from Dalblair Road in the north to Station Bridge in the south, and from Killoch Place in the west to Smith Street in the east.

Yes the access to the Union Arcade will remain.

Burns Statue Square is identified as a priority project within the Ayr Town Centre Framework. The project directly supports the Framework’s placemaking objectives — making the town a more successful place to live, work, visit and enjoy, and establishing a high-quality southern gateway to the town centre.

The project is connected to the planned redevelopment of Ayr Station. Options for the station development are being explored with Network Rail.

The new civic space is designed to create a clear, attractive pedestrian route between the station and the High Street and Esplanade, with the square acting as the arrival point for rail passengers.

The concept design proposes a Burns-themed sculpture collection engaging with the local primary schools to select the themes which a local sculptor will create and place on stone plinths.  

Burns is a cultural icon represented by over 60 statues worldwide — more than any other non-religious figure except Christopher Columbus and Queen Victoria.

There will be a requirement to apply for a licence to permit businesses to undertake this activity.

The key traffic change is the realignment of the A70 carriageway southwards, away from the south-facing building frontages, to create the new civic space. This maximises the pedestrian area while retaining traffic access.

Changes to the road layout around Burns Statue Square are being informed by transport modelling. This modelling is used to understand how traffic may respond to different design options, including potential effects on journey times, traffic levels and road safety, before any final decisions are made.

 

The modelling work is still ongoing and forms part of an iterative process. Design options are tested, reviewed and refined to identify and address any potential issues, rather than relying on assumptions.

 

Traffic and junction modelling has been used to review and optimise traffic signal timings at Burns Statue Square, with the aim of improving safety and reducing congestion while minimising unintended impacts elsewhere on the network

It is proposed to relocate the existing parking in front of the cinema to the grass area at the side of the cinema.  Blue badge parking numbers will be retained and increased where possible.

will be prepared in consultation with businesses.

The number of parking spaces will not change significantly at Burns Statue Square. The existing car park in front of the cinema is proposed to move to the side of the cinema, which is currently a grassed area.  This car park currently includes 20 general parking bays, two disabled parking bays for blue badge holders, and two electric vehicle charging points. Where practicable, an increase in disabled parking bays will be reviewed.

Yes — bus stops will be relocated and improved as part of the project. Currently, stops are often on narrow, congested pavements without shelter or real-time information. The new design will provide better quality bus stops with shelters, accommodated on the carriageway or in laybys.

Yes — pedestrian crossings will be repositioned to better reflect desire lines and natural movement patterns, particularly the key route from the rail station to High Street. New controlled crossings and traffic signals are included in the project scope and cost estimate.

The project will not directly address vacant retail units, but it is designed to improve footfall, dwell time and the attractiveness of the town centre as a destination — all of which support a stronger retail and commercial environment.

The new civic space will enhance frontages to the cinema, food and beverage, and retail businesses in and around the Square and create new opportunities for outdoor pavement cafe use and commercial activity.

The safety works carried out by SAC at the Station Hotel were completed in June 2024. Since that time, discussions have continued with key partners including Network Rail and SAC remain committed to finding a solution for the site. Given that legal proceedings are still underway it would be inappropriate for SAC to comment further.

The Burns Statue Square project is being developed as a standalone scheme. Where appropriate, it takes account of the wider town centre context, including proposals such as Accessible Ayr, to help ensure a consistent approach to materials and design, and to inform consideration of potential impacts on the wider traffic network.

Yes, in several ways. The project will reduce traffic volumes adjacent to the new public space, reposition pedestrian crossings to reflect natural desire lines and improve lighting throughout the square.

The removal of protective railings around the statues and the creation of a unified, legible space will also make the area easier and safer to navigate for all users.

Access for disabled and elderly members of the community is being considered at every stage of the design. The designs are being developed in line with best‑practice standards and engagement with the South Ayrshire Access Panel.  The designs are also informed by a regular review of an Equality Impact Assessment, so accessibility can continue to improve as the project develops.

 

The concept proposes a homogenous, level surface in high-quality natural materials that creates a simple, accessible and legible space prioritising pedestrian movement.

Disabled parking spaces will be provided in the new car parking area, pedestrian crossings will be repositioned to reflect natural movement patterns, and the removal of street clutter and protective railings will make the space much easier to navigate. All surfaces and kerb details will be designed to meet accessibility standards.

Yes. The proposal will create a more accessible and welcoming environment for wheelchair users, with level surfaces, dropped kerbs and improved crossing points to support safe and comfortable movement. Improved bus stops and the removal of unnecessary street clutter will further enhance accessibility, while carefully integrated street furniture will meet a wide range of access needs.

The current public consultation period is running for 3 weeks from 16 May to 6 June.  Further engagement will take place as the project design develops. Details of how to submit your views will be available on the website and at the public events.

The concept design report was completed in March 2025 at RIBA Stage 1/2. The cost estimate assumes construction commencing January 2027, subject to design development, planning approval and funding confirmation.

Further transport planning work, ground investigations and utility surveys are required before detailed design can be progressed.

A detailed construction programme has not yet been produced at this concept design stage. Construction timescales will be confirmed as the design develops and a contractor is appointed. Given the scale of works, construction is likely to take a significant number of months.  The aim is to start construction in January 2027 and complete by March 2028.

South Ayrshire Council recognises that construction will have some impact on businesses in and around the square. Delivery access and servicing for businesses will be maintained, with loading areas located kerbside around the periphery of the works.

A detailed construction management plan will be developed to minimise disruption and maintain access throughout the construction period. Further engagement with businesses will take place as the project progresses.

The cost estimate is £16 million. This covers all public realm works including paving, kerbs, street furniture, statues and artwork, street lighting, drainage and planting, plus contractor preliminaries, contingency, optimum bias and construction inflation.  It also covers all consultancy and design fees.

The project is being funded through the Local Regeneration Fund (previously the Levelling Up Fund).  This is a UK Government Fund.

South Ayrshire Council is the client for this project and is leading its development. Details of the Council’s financial contribution will be confirmed as part of the overall funding package. Further information will be made available as the project progresses.

Two accessible parking bays will be provided within the new car park area. They will be located at the northern end and will be approximately the same distance from the cinema entrance as the existing bays.

The proposed car park will provide:

– 2 disabled parking bays
– 2 electric vehicle (EV) charging bays
– 1 motorcycle parking bay
– 18 general parking bays

The proposed layout may appear to reduce the number of lanes between Miller Road and Station Bridge; however, Miller Road is already predominantly a single-lane route, with an additional left-turn lane towards Killoch Place. Through Burns Statue Square, traffic is also generally accommodated in a single through lane.
The potential effects of the revised layout have been assessed using the traffic model, which has been calibrated against existing traffic flows and journey times. In addition, revised signal stages and timings are proposed at Miller Road and Burns Statue Square. These are intended to improve traffic progression through the area and help reduce the potential for congestion arising from the changes.
The modelled results should therefore be considered in the context of the existing lane arrangements, rather than as a direct reduction from two to one lane

The proposal includes three dedicated loading bays around the perimeter of Burns Statue Square:

– On Smith Street, opposite the taxi bays
– On Killoch Place, opposite the junction with Dalblair Road
– On Burns Statue Square, between the bus stops

Additional loading provision is also proposed on Killoch Place outside The Twa Dugs, on Burns Statue Squareoutside the funeral directors, and on Beresford Terrace outside Mr Basrai’s World Cuisine. This provides six loading bays in total.

The Station Hotel site does not form part of this project. However, the plans have been coordinated with South Ayrshire Council and Network Rail, who are responsible parties for the site.

The modelling undertaken considered a range of road-layout options for the Burns Statue Square redevelopment. The findings for each option were presented to the Ayrshire Roads Alliance to inform the scheme’s development.
The assessment used a microsimulation model focused on Burns Statue Square and the immediate surrounding network, including potential impacts on general traffic and public bus journey times.

As part of the modelling assessment, bus movements were re-routed via Dalblair Way and Alloway Place, before joining Miller Road, to assess the potential impacts of the proposed layout.
However, the final routing arrangements have not yet been confirmed and would be subject to the relevant bus operators decision on which route to take.

The Dalblair Way junction with Miller Road has sufficient visibility splays at the junction. Swept path analysis of the junction shows buses can maneuver out of the junction.

The specific impacts of routing buses via Alloway Place, including journey times, delays and congestion associated with the additional traffic signals, were not assessed as part of the modelling undertaken to date.
Accordingly, no quantified assessment is currently available for this section of the route. Any final routing arrangement would require further consideration and confirmation with the relevant bus operator.

That is correct. The modelling indicates that some vehicles may reroute via parallel roads, including Park Circus, to access Carrick Road while avoiding Burns Statue Square.
Traffic travelling from Smith Street to Carrick Road would either need to use the roundabout to complete the required manoeuvre or be redirected via Mill Street and Station Road to avoid the 360-degree turn at the Market Inn roundabout.

The modelling assessment indicates that eastbound traffic, particularly during the evening peak period, would experience increased delays at this roundabout. As a result, some traffic may reroute via alternative routes to avoid the congestion.

No vehicle manoeuvre bans are proposed at the Holmston Road roundabout.
Buses would be able to turn right just east of Burns Statue Square through a designated bus gate route, avoiding the need to make a U-turn at the roundabout.

That is correct. Vehicles travelling to the Home Bargains car park from Carrick Road, Miller Road or Smith Street would need to use the extended route.

That is correct. The taxi rank on Smith Street is being retained; however, taxis travelling to Carrick Road or Miller Road would need to cross Station Bridge, turn at the Market Inn roundabout and return over the bridge, as private cars would.

The assessment focused primarily on the overall traffic impacts of the proposed changes around Burns Statue Square, rather than specifically modelling taxi movements from the Smith Street rank.
Therefore, the impact on taxis using the extended route via Station Bridge and the Market Inn roundabout has not been assessed separately.

That is correct.

The traffic model has been calibrated against existing traffic conditions and journey times, so the current congestion between Parkhouse Street and the Holmston roundabout is represented in the assessment. The proposed changes have then been tested using the model to assess their impact on traffic flow, queues and journey times.
As part of the proposed changes to the road layout, new signal stages and timings have been introduced. These have been designed to prioritise and smooth the main east–west traffic flow, helping to minimise the potential impact of increased congestion in the area.
The purpose of the scheme is not to provide a general road-improvement or capacity-increase scheme. Its primary objectives are to improve the pedestrian experience and ensure that public transport journey times and reliability are not adversely affected. The modelling has been used to identify and assess the traffic impacts of achieving those objectives, including the potential for congestion at the Holmston roundabout and on Station Bridge.

The traffic modelling assessment focused on the morning and evening peak periods, as these are generally the busiest and represent the worst-case conditions during the day. The impacts of the proposed changes outside these peak periods have not been modelled separately.

As part of the assessment, no general increase in traffic demand within the area was assumed. The main exception is the potential rerouting of eastbound traffic from Miller Road towards Parkhouse Street. The model indicates that approximately 100 additional vehicles would make this movement, with the greatest impact occurring during the evening peak, when increased queuing is forecast. Therefore, the model expects that this traffic may travel along Racecourse Road and Park Circus Lane to avoid Burns Statue Square.
For westbound traffic, the modelling does not indicate a significant increase in vehicle flows as a result of the proposed road layout. The assessment therefore does not indicate that traffic on Castlehill, Holmston Road or Station Road would come to a standstill, although the potential for additional queuing, particularly during the evening peak, is recognised.
The operation of the Holmston roundabout was not specifically included within the scope of the modelling study. However, a wider modelling study that includes the roundabout will be undertaken.

On-street parking on Dalblair Road will remain in the same location as it currently does. Parking on the right-hand side of the road is permitted, and vehicles must face the direction of traffic, as per the highway code. Dalblair Road in this section good visibility of oncoming traffic.

All traffic management proposals will be discussed and approved by the local authority prior to implementation. This will be for both vehicular and pedestrian movements.

Access will be maintained at all times for all businesses. Any works to be carried directly outside shop and business accesses will be completed at a time agreed between both parties.