Futuristic railway on the cards for Kilwinning

Nov 6 2009 by Lorraine Howard, Irvine Herald

FAST TRACK TO THE FUTURE

A KILWINNING businessman is behind a plan to give the town a futuristic railway station complete with two-storey car parking linked to the platforms by a glass-covered walkway.

Property developer Peter McLaughlin wants to team up with Strathclyde Passenger Transport and Irvine Bay Regeneration to make the busy rail junction the envy of the country.

He has bought the neighbouring disused builders’ yard which has been cleared with the ground earmarked for a 350 space car park complete with lifts linked to the station by a walkway.

Peter, boss of Ardoch Properties, is already in talks with the council’s roads department to secure a new entrance to the car park from Alexandra Terrace.

His plans also include an office block and retail development on the site as well as a motel.

“I bought that land and knew straight away there was a problem with parking at Kilwinning station,” said Peter.

“We got help from Irvine Bay and spent £50,000 clearing it before we sat down and looked at what we should do with the space. It’s a prime site and a survey we had carried out found that the station has one million people passing through it. Now that’s a lot of people and I firmly believe that it could be upgraded and re-developed to benefit the whole town.

“I want to connect all the platforms in the station, I regularly see old women struggling with suitcases up down the stairs and believe that the whole station needs brought into the 21st century.

“I would like to be the one to help do that, ideally with North Ayrshire Council, SPT and Irvine Bay supporting it.”

On Monday, a spokeswoman for the Irvine Bay Regeneration Fund confirmed they had been in contact with Peter.

She said: “Earlier this year we supported his clean-up of the former Hay and Anderson yard and though we are in the early stages of talks, if the plans support our work and look likely to be of benefit to Kilwinning, we’ll get involved.”

To let the community know more about his plans and show he is committed to the town, he is holding a car boot sale on the grounds on Sunday, November 21.