TOWN centres and streets in North Ayrshire are set to be improved as more details emerge of ambitious regeneration plans.

At a meeting of North Ayrshire Council’s cabinet last Tuesday, elected members considered the report and agreed to the recommendations for areas across the region.

Around £6million has been secured from a number of Scottish Government schemes – including the Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP), Vacant and Derelict Land Fund and Cycling Walking and Safer Routes programme.

Bids for further financial assistance are also being made to secure monies from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund and Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, Islands Programme and Vacant and Derelict Land fund. Details of whether these bids were successful will be provided at a later date.

Some of the highlights include:

  • £680,000 allocation for a town centre living pilot project at 36 High Street, Irvine, and Howgate, Kilwinning, to bring the sites into positive use 
  • £350,000 to support site and infrastructure works at Ardrossan North Shore
  • £250,000 to help deliver the Lochshore Masterplan
  • £50,000 to support the restoration of the Harbour Master’s Office in Irvine (pictured)
  • £385,000 to improve bus stop and queuing facilities for the Largs to Cumbrae ferry service
  • £250,000 to implement the next phase of the Irvine Cycle Friendly Town Study

 Money will also be ring-fenced to support a range of survey and masterplans to develop ideas for town centres, infrastructure, travel and other major regeneration projects. 

 The council launched its five-year regeneration plans (2021-26) last year and these are reviewed each year to take account of the funding opportunities and the Council’s and communities’ priorities.

Ardrossan councillor Tony Gurney, cabinet member for economy and climate change, said: “We have a number of priorities as a council but the scale of these projects show our ambitions.

“This report maps out some of the individual projects and also some of the broader, more strategic aims that we have.

“We will provide further updates and will consult with residents as we move forward with specific projects.”