Ambitious proposals to help transform Ardrossan promenade have taken a major step forward.
Funding worth £748,000 has been confirmed from the Scottish Government’s regeneration capital grant fund (RCGF) in a bid to revitalise the area and attract visitors.
An award of £250,000 from the Big Lottery Fund will revamp the play area with North Ayrshire Council providing additional funding bringing the cash injection total to a whopping £1 million.
The money will go towards repurposing the semi-derelict toilet block to create a community café; associated kiosk; storage; play area; beach huts and accessible toilet facilities – and address accessibility issues to support beach wheelers and deckchairs, as well as wider improvements to the promenade and shoreline.
Ardrossan Community Development Trust (ACDT) and its partners, including the council, will take the proposals forward.
North Ayrshire Council leader Joe Cullinane said: “We’re delighted to have been successful in receiving funding from the regeneration capital grant fund which will help make this vision a reality.
“The transformation of the South Beach area forms an important part of our plans for the wider regeneration for Ardrossan and the Three Towns area, with improvements to the marina, harbour and the new community campus among the many initiatives in the pipeline.
“We want to see the South Beach area become a vibrant seafront destination once again, a place which makes the local residents proud and attracts visitors.”
Scott Mould, chair of Ardrossan Community Development Trust, said: “News of the successful RCGF bid is fantastic. The development trust were incorporated in 2019 to take ideas generated by the residents of Ardrossan produced through the former Our Place project.
"Our Place had ring-fenced just under £250,000 of lottery funding for a playpark for Ardrossan which the trust then applied for and were successful.
"Through further community engagement, the idea to regenerate the promenade grew, and so did the costs at just over £1m. This successful bid, along with the lottery funds, now ensures we have the funds required.
“The pandemic of the last few years has been tough for everyone. Despite this, we have collectively worked with the community, our partners and North Ayrshire Council to make this happen."
Mr Mould added: "There is still work to be done to make this project ‘land’ in Ardrossan in 2022/2023 and from early January we will be ensuring this happens.
“Huge thanks for the amazing support offered by the people of this town, we couldn’t do this without them. Thanks also to our partners, to Cunninghame Housing Association and to North Ayrshire Council for the continued commitment we receive from them under their incredible community wealth building strategy.
"Massive thanks from myself and the board of ACDT. We can’t wait to get started.”
As the promenade is part of two national long-distance routes – the Ayrshire Coastal Path and National Cycle Network Route 73 – proposals include bike parking, bike maintenance and e-bike charging facilities. All plans are subject to planning approval.
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