Cover Story
Proposed plans for the Prestwick Spaceport facility
The region – home to a cluster of global companies including BAE Systems, GE Aviation, Spirit, UTC and Woodward – already employs 4,000 people which accounts for 50% of its workforce in Scotland. The Deal provides the opportunity to double this. A key project will be the creation of a spaceport at Glasgow Prestwick Airport (GPA), with related infrastructure improvements.
A purpose-built 10,000ft² Aerospace and Space Innovation Centre (ASIC) will drive new technologies and skills acting as a central hub to encourage growth, supporting aerospace and space businesses in Scotland and the UK. A range of high-quality flexible commercial business space around the aerospace campus and improved transport infrastructure will support the continued growth of the sector.
The further development of Ayrshire’s proud history in manufacturing and engineering will be significantly enhanced with approximately £60m being invested to create a range of high-quality business spaces to stimulate the start up and growth of entrepreneurial enterprises.
One of the projects is HALO - a transformational brownfield regeneration project being promoted by The HALO Kilmarnock Limited (THKL) in Kilmarnock. It will see the mixed use redevelopment of the 23 acre former Johnnie Walker whisky bottling plant site and re-establish this as a centre of employment in Kilmarnock and Ayrshire.
An Ayrshire Engineering Park in Moorfield, Kilmarnock, will also create 15,000 square metres of serviced and high-quality business space, with wide choice of bespoke and ready built units in various sizes, to support the advanced manufacturing and light engineering sectors in Ayrshire.
The Ayrshire Manufacturing Investment Corridor (AMIC) in
Kilmarnock will provide an Innovation Centre of Excellence on site which, combined with on-site support and start-up units, will allow advanced manufacturing sector businesses to start-up and grow, and further the growth of existing businesses.
The establishment of a subsea fibre-optic cable landing point to Irvine in North Ayrshire is also seen as hugely significant in making Ayrshire a world-class digitally connected region ripe for investors.
New developments, supporting the area’s Life Sciences and Pharmaceutical sector, are proposed for the i3 Irvine Enterprise Area in Irvine. The project will create a regionally
significant and nationally recognised Digital Automation Centre of Excellence, relevant testing/R&D equipment and specialist staff. This facility will be developed in partnership with Strathclyde University.
“These are all really exciting plans,” said Sharon.
“These are sectors in which we already succeed, but the Deal can help us really explore new, exciting ways to make them even bigger and better. As I said previously, it’s up to us to get this right.”
The plans will also enhance Ayrshire’s coastline, capitalise on the superb opportunities provided by Ayrshire’s harbours and ports, and address issues such as the provision of land for the development of new housing.
The Great Harbour plans, for example, will make the Harbourside area of Irvine a national maritime, culture, leisure and watersports hub. Medium and longer term ambitions include major development on the 900 acres of the Ardeer Peninsula which sits directly opposite the Harbourside.
The Growth Deal features prominently within a new Ayrshire Regional Economic Strategy which also encompasses a variety of other projects.
This is currently under development and will shape how the three authorities - East, North and South - and partners from the public and private sectors work together to achieve the best possible results for Ayrshire and the wider Scottish and UK economies.
Underpinning both the Strategy and the Deal is a commitment by all the partners to inclusive growth – a belief that growth should be for everyone.
Sharon says: “Inclusive growth is key to these proposals and we firmly believe that the Ayrshire Growth Deal will deliver economic growth that will enrich all our communities. Ayrshire has under- performed but we feel the Growth Deal can help us create new high quality jobs and opportunities across Ayrshire, which will help secure the future prosperity of the area, its businesses, and ultimately, its people.”
For more information please email Sharon.Hodgson@east-ayrshire
gov.uk
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COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MONTHLY 2019
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