North Ayrshire Council has approved funding of £3.6 million for work on a major regeneration project at Lochshore, which will have a significant economic and environment impact.

The first phase of the development will begin next year and it is hoped that the new visitor and community hub to the south of the loch will be ready and open by spring 2022.

At the meeting, the Council also confirmed it hopes to take over other parts of site – currently owned by Scottish Enterprise – and use already-available monies from their Vacant and Derelict Land fund to create paths and play areas.

Leisure and walking routes will be around Kilbirnie Loch with heritage interpretation and these will be complemented with active travel routes connecting to and through the site to Kilbirnie, Beith, Garnock Community Campus and Glengarnock station

It is hoped that around 100 jobs could be created directly and indirectly as a result of investment in the site, while greening/tree planting on a large area of vacant/derelict land, will contribute the Council's climate change strategy.

Lochshore has been earmarked as a key site in the Council's Community Wealth Building plans – and they are delighted to be delivering a project that feeds into their wide-ranging vision.

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Councillor Joe Cullinane, Leader of North Ayrshire Council and Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building, said: "We are excited to be confirming details of our plans for Lochshore. It allows us to put our Community Wealth Building Vision into practice.

"We are using our land and assets to build something substantial for the community. At Lochshore, there will be the opportunity for the community to take ownership of or lease parts of the site, for initiatives such as community food growing or community woodland. There is also the potential for community- led delivery of affordable housing through the establishment of a community land trust.

"We are also creating jobs. We expect around 12 to be employed in the hub and we will again use our Community Wealth Building principles during construction phase which will again create jobs for local people.

"We are also working with one of our anchor organisations – Scottish Enterprise – to secure the land that will allow us to think big with our plans.

"There is also the positive knock-on effect for the wider community as we move forward with the long-term vision."

David Wallace, Stakeholder Lead for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in Scotland added: "This is such an exciting project to be involved with. What impressed us was its links to any future industrial development that helps build a sustainable future for local communities long after Hunterston A site has closed. It's also a great example of true partnership working, and the ability of the local council to leverage funding from a wide range of sources for the benefit of local people."

Mark Newlands, Head of Partnerships at Scottish Enterprise, said: "We are delighted to be working on the Lochshore project which will create some exciting opportunities for the local area and demonstrate a wider commitment to Community Wealth Building."

The community and visitor hub and associated pathways and play areas will make up the first phase of the plan.I t is anticipated that the hub building will attract up to 145,000 visitors per annum by the third year of operation.

Lochshore will be promoted as a key attraction within the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park and act as a destination hub for The Coig, allowing Lochshore to benefit from partnership promotion.

The Council also hope to use ring-fenced funding from their 'New Green Deal' to plant hundreds of new trees on site during the first phase.

Other commercial opportunities such as 'glamping' will be explored in the second phase (years 3-6).