The Ayrshire Growth Deal is good news for businesses investing in North Ayrshire. Over £251 million will be invested in Ayrshire over the next 15 years focusing on:
- Advanced Technology and Digital Automation
- Environmental Sustainability and the Circular Economy
- Tourism and Creative Arts
The Ayrshire Growth Deal is the first to be funded by the Scottish and UK Governments to prioritise a non-city region, and puts inclusive growth at its centre to ensure continued economic development. Funding is also being contributed by North, South and East Ayrshire Councils.
Initiatives which are benefitting from the Ayrshire Growth Deal include:
- i3 Irvine Enterprise Area
- Hunterston: A nationally significant development site
- Ardrossan Waterfront: a £100 million+ redevelopment plan
- The Great Harbour: up to £9 million to develop and regenerate The Great Harbour, at Irvine Harbourside and Ardeer, plus £4 million from North Ayrshire Council, to develop a major coastal visitor destination
Inclusive growth creates opportunities for everyone and ensures the benefits are shared fairly across the community.
For North Ayrshire Council, this means working in new ways to deliver inclusive growth. The council was the first local authority in Scotland to pilot the Scottish Government’s Inclusive Growth Diagnostic, for which it won the 2017 Scottish Public Service Award for Policy Development.
In North Ayrshire, target groups for inclusive growth are:
- Young people
- Those experiencing long-term health problems
- Those experiencing in-work poverty
- Females