THE housebuilding firm behind plans for more than 200 new homes in West Kilbride has said the development could deliver up to £33 million of investment in the local community and create 140 jobs.

Persimmon Homes is seeking planning permission for 220 houses at Portencross, in a field off Snowdon Terrace.

The land, between Summerlea Road and Portencross Road, is allocated for housing in North Ayrshire Council’s (NAC) local development plan.

However, Persimmon's proposals have attracted more than 70 public objections since being submitted in December 2021.

The Herald understands a decision will be made on the application at the end of this month, with a meeting of NAC's planning committee scheduled for January 25.

The proposals include a variety of "high-quality new homes", ranging from two-bedroom terraces to five-bedroom detached properties.

READ MORE: Villagers continue battle against 220-home development more than a year after plans submitted

Persimmon says the houses have been specifically designed to meet the needs of the local housing market and include 16 homes purposely constructed for older people.

New play parks and areas of open public space will be key features of the development, while funding for upgrades to the local primary school, new pedestrian crossings on the A78 to improve road safety and new links between the site and the local path network have also been suggested.

Persimmon estimates that the development would create around 80 jobs in the construction sector, with a further 60 positions in services and other local firms.

Chris Logan, Persimmon West Scotland managing director, said: “The Portencross development will deliver much-needed, high-quality new homes, create jobs and see a significant investment made in improving the local community.

“Nearly half of our customers are first-time buyers and we’re proud to be opening the door to home ownership for more local families.

"The overwhelming majority of our home buyers are also under the age of 40 and we want to continue to work in partnership with North Ayrshire Council to help grow the working-age population.

“I want to thank all those who have engaged with us throughout the consultation process.

"We’ve listened carefully to the feedback from local residents and taken action to prioritise road safety and help upgrade the local primary school.

"If the application is approved, we’ll continue to work with the community and other stakeholders to ensure this significant investment delivers lasting benefits for the local area.”

You can view the plans in full by searching North Ayrshire Council's online portal for the reference code 21/01174/PPM.