Stevenston

A history of the town and the vision for the future

Stevenston is a close-knit community with a history as rich as the other towns.  It has, however, tended to be over shadowed by its neighbours and certainly as a shopping centre is a shadow of what it once was.  While Stevenston is a historic town, its environment has been shaped by its industrial past.  In the 19th century it included a colliery, pig iron works and the explosive works on the Ardeer Peninsular.  At the height of the ICI works three special trains were laid on for the workers, so many people were employed locally.  Much of the industry has gone and the seafront has been reclaimed and grassed and much of the housing has been improved.

With the growth once more of the energetics industry on Ardeer there is the potential to develop Stevenston as an attractive front door for the industry and an aspirational residential environment for its workers.  This will involve transforming the environment of the town, turning it back towards the sea and using the opportunities for residential development to create attractive neighbourhoods.

The vision for Stevenston is therefore of an attractive coastal town set within a forest with a distinctive residential offer.