HARVIES swimming pool will close and a brand new facility built within the new Ardrossan Academy, after councillors voted in favour of the proposals.

The £62m education and community campus looks likely to be built at North Shore, Ardrossan after a meeting of Full Council gave the project the green light last week.

Councillors agreed to an amendment which could see the current swimming pool building turned over to the community for their ownership.

The agreed proposal will be subject to statutory consultation over the next few months with a final decision will be made in the new year.

Council leader Joe Cullinane said: “There is a clear demand for good leisure facilities in Stevenston. In the past such council decisions would have resulted in us going straight to the decommissioning of the existing facilities once the new pool was open but my administration are absolutely determined not to do that. Instead we want to work with the community for the continued use of the swimming pool building at Auchenharvie Leisure Centre.”

The council had allocated £31.5 million to replace Ardrossan Academy.