Introduction
Irvine Bay, set up in late 2006, is one of Scotland's second generation of urban regeneration companies. It is the largest URC in terms of its land mass and its boundaries enclose an area of outstanding natural beauty spanning 14 miles of sandy coastline, the four seaside towns of Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston and Irvine and the abbey town of Kilwinning.
Along with Scotland's other URC's, its objectives are shaped by the Scottish Executive's strategic regeneration policy statement People and Place - but what sets Irvine Bay apart?
Its masterplan is ambitious but deceptively simple.
As its Chairman Baroness Margaret Ford says: "We believe that if we can develop our built environment to match the quality of our natural environment, we have a chance to kick start growth in our economy in a way that has eluded this area since the major industrial closures in the mid-1970's.
"New jobs are our top priority and the URC's responsibility is to create the physical conditions that stand the best chance of attracting new investment and creating sustainable employment. That is our clear focus."
Working with its funding partners North Ayrshire Council, Communities Scotland and Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire, and its many other partners from both the public and private sectors, its challenges range from a declining and aging population, a shrinking employment base, particularly in traditional manufacturing, a lack of investment in the physical built environment, a high incidence of multiple deprivation with high level of unemployment, particularly among the young and a low skills base with limited levels of enterprise.
These trends have resulted in a spiral of decline which the URC seeks to check and reverse in a 12 year programme.
Action is being focussed on the following:
- Providing new and appropriate housing for local people and new residents.
- Improving the five Town Centres to attract new and diverse businesses through increasing a demand for them
- Generating new employment through providing modern business property to attract and retain new business
- Better exploiting the outstanding natural coastal assets through developing visitor and leisure facilities
- Improving the physical and built environment and further enhancing open and public places
- Developing a clear role for the area within the wider Glasgow city-region and making the most of the area's links with the city .
Less than a year into its programme, the company has already taken early action on projects under the five core themes of its masterplan:
I Work: creating and spreading wealth.
The area around Irvine Bay lost 35% of its manufacturing jobs in the five years to 2003 and this resulted in some40% of its industrial space now lying empty.
In playing to the area's strengths , there continues to be potential for an energetics cluster at the ex- ICI site on the Ardeer Peninsula and further potential for new start-up businesses, especially in the tourism and leisure sector and there is more potential to grow service sector jobs.
I Live : a good place to live
This theme is about establishing Irvine Bay as a good place to live for all ages. The 9000 homes planned over the next twenty years all need to contribute to the regeneration of the area. The URC plans focus the majority of that housing in the five town centres to help renew the centres as hubs of the community.
One of the early action projects is the £40million development on an 11 acre site at Irvine Harbourside to create a community of new homes and businesses on one of the most exciting waterfront locations in the UK.
I Sea: rediscovering the sea.
The third theme acknowledges the sea and coast as the area's greatest asset.
Early action has already seen changes taking place at Ardrossan harbour where the historic but recently derelict Pumphouse is being redeveloped into a restaurant to sit amidst recent and planned new housing around the thriving marina and excellent harbourside public spaces.
A high quality hotel is planned for Saltcoats, a sports centre at Stevenston and a series of coastal paths and walkways will give local residents and visitors further opportunities to enjoy the coastline.
I Play : a good place to spend time
The fourth theme is about leisure and play for both visitors and residents alike.
Talks are underway on the potential to expand Ardrossan harbour into one of the biggest marina developments in the UK and at Irvine Beach Park, a new golf course and international standard hotel are planned.
Irvine Bay's links with Scotland's maritime heritage are strong. Irvine, at one time the third largest port in Scotland is now the home of Scotland's Maritime Museum and Ardrossan, an important port in its own right until well into the 1960's is now the ferry terminal for sailings to Arran.
I Bay: changing the image of the Irvine Bay area
The industrial and new town legacy has left the area with a poor image. This, as much as the reality, is what is stopping new investment, new residents and visitors.
Action here will involve setting new standards of quality for the design and construction of new housing, offices and town centre shops. A lighting plan will aim to illuminate the coastline and headlands and series of "coastal beacons" will be commissioned by architectural competition to become new landmarks around the Bay.
Our History
In 2005 North Ayrshire Council commissioned an economic analysis of the Irvine Bay area to better identify the current economic and physical issues and to develop a strategy for transformational change. The study analysed the conditions and prospects of the area; discussed the strategic choices and identified eight main challenges facing the area. These were to:
- Reverse economic decline.
- Improve housing quality and choice and raise values.
- Improve workforce skills and qualifications.
- Tackle poverty and exclusion.
- Modernise business property and infrastructure.
- Improve quality of life.
- Improve on the built and natural environment.
- Change perceptions and establish a new image.
The recommendations of the report set out a vision for the area and to explore options for their delivery. After a full appraisal of available options, the report concluded that an Urban Regeneration Company (URC) would be the preferred delivery vehicle to facilitate the level of transformational change required and to act as a catalyst for stimulating investment and start the process of economic recovery.
In 2005 North Ayrshire Council and Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire took the recommendations to the Scottish Executive and after a process of dialogue, consultation and further research and studies the Executive agreed to grant URC pathfinder status. Subsequently, Irvine Bay was recognised as a national regeneration priority as announced in the Regeneration Statement at its launch by the Minister of Communities in March 2006.
In October 2006, Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Company opened for business. The principle role of the URC is the physical transformation of the area. Through this, and by creating the conditions for sustainable private sector investment, it will facilitate the process of economic recovery leading to increased employment prospects for residents and a turnaround in the fortunes of the area.
Although relatively new in Scotland, Urban Regeneration Companies (URCs) have been operational in England since 1999. They were introduced to stimulate new investment into areas of economic decline and to co-ordinate plans for their regeneration and redevelopment. Evidence has shown that investment in URC areas is higher than in non URC areas. Their success comes from uniting public and private sector partners. URCs are independent companies, established by the Local Authority and Local Enterprise Company in Scotland (and by Regional Development Agencies in England). The URC will work alongside the Scottish Executive and other local stakeholders including employers, amenity groups and community representatives.