Council cash plea to revamp town centres

Jun 5 2009 by Lizzie Struthers, Irvine Herald

NORTH Ayrshire Council is asking for more than £1.75 million in government cash to revamp the town centres in Irvine and Kilwinning.

Members of the council’s executive committee agreed on Tuesday to back a bid for cash from the Scottish government’s £60 million town centre regeneration fund.

For Irvine, the council wants £600,000 to create more town centre car parking to service the High Street; £800,000 to spend on resurfacing and making High Street North more attractive and £350,000 to do the same to High Street South.

An undisclosed sum is needed to refurbish Bridgegate House in Irvine.

In Kilwinning, an undisclosed sum is wanted to buy land at the east of the town centre to provide new accomodation for businesses and homes.

In a report to the council’s executive, Ian Mackay, NAC’s legal boss, wrote: “It is believed that the proposed bids represent the best fit between the qualifying criteria of the TCRF and the council’s interest in town centre regeneration.”

The deadline to make applications to the government fund is tomorrow (Friday).