Work to restore the industrial heritage of a village in East Ayrshire is underway, the local authority has announced.

Catrine, located in East Ayrshire, was formerly a hub for cotton manufacture and now a community-led initiative aims to restore that heritage.

Following years of planning and consultations, the Catrine Community Trust and East Ayrshire Council's plan for Catrine's post-industrial, eco-friendly future are now taking shape.

Already, construction work has started in the area to convert vacant buildings and a disused water system; and the project will see jobs, hydro-electric power, tourism, leisure, education, and community facilities provided.

The Catrine Environmental Heritage Partnership (CEHP) will see the redevelopment carried out in phases. The three main elements are:

-- Advertisement --

• The purchase of premises and the development of a Community education and visitor interpretation centre with space for start up businesses at 14 Ballochmyle Street

• The restoration of the weir and the voes which have silted up

• The resurrection of a 1950s hydro-electric scheme to provide an income to fund community projects.

Bob Pirrie, Catrine Community Trust Community Enterprise Development Officer, commented: "We're delighted with progress so far. This project has taken many years of discussions, meetings, grant funding submissions and huge input from community and council alike.

"The contractors have done a grand job with the water management which is not always easy with fluctuating river levels and the weir is due for completion around the end of this month.

"We purchased the former presbytery and church hall at 14 Ballochmyle Street some time ago and we're busy stripping out the house in preparation for converting it into offices for the trust, local start up businesses and meeting rooms for community use."

He added: "Our next stage will be to reinstate the hydro plant which dates from the 1950s. This whole project is a great way of celebrating, restoring and building on the past industrial heritage of Catrine to build a positive future with new and exciting opportunities for the present day community."

A number of organisations are helping to fund the project in Catrine, and include the Scotland Rural Development Programme, Heritage Lottery Fund, CES Climate Challenge and Powerdown and Scottish Natural Heritage.

(JP/IT)