A FORMER Three Towns care home will become the site of a national drug rehab facility without the requirement to consult the community first.

It has been confirmed there will be no community consultation over the proposed national drug rehabilitation centre in Saltcoats - because planning permission is not required to convert the existing care site into the facility.

The proposals for the rehab centre were announced in August as part of the Scottish Government’s response to the rising drug death crisis.

Phoenix Futures have confirmed to the Herald that Seabank is a potential location for their new service site.

They have stated the site already has appropriate planning permission to operate as a care home, and therefore there will be no community consultation process for the site as planning permission is not required.

A spokesperson for Phoenix Futures, said: “Phoenix Futures was established 50 years ago as a charity specialising in providing registered care home services.

“We have identified the former Seabank Care Home in Saltcoats as the potential location for a new National Specialist Family Service.

“As the property has planning permission to operate as a care home, Phoenix Futures has submitted an application with North Ayrshire Council as part of a process to confirm planning permission isn’t required. Instead, an application for a Certificate of Lawful Use has been lodged to North Ayrshire Council.”

However, despite the lack of consultation required, the service have said they will reach out to the community and their representatives as part of the process of setting up their operation in the town.

They continued: “We are looking forward to being in touch with the local community and their representatives in the near future so that our neighbours are well informed about our work and understand what we do.”

The announcement that Saltcoats would host the national centre came days after it was revealed that Scotland had another record total of drug deaths in 2020, with 1,339 deaths.

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “We have received an application for a Certificate of Lawful Use for 92 Canal Street, Saltcoats – the former Seabank Care Home.

“The application seeks to certify that it is lawful to use the property for the provision of residential accommodation and care.

“Such an application only considers the history of the use of the site.

“If it is established that the site has been lawfully used for the provision of residential accommodation and care, then a certificate can be issued.”