Ayrshire Growth Deal agreed

Scottish Secretary David Mundell was joined by council leaders and the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for transport, infrastructure and connectivity, Michael Matheson, to sign a transformational growth deal for Ayrshire.The deal will see the UK government invest £103 million into the region over the next 15 years. This figure will be matched by the Scottish Government, and bolstered with further investment from regional partners bringing the total to more than £250 million.The multi-million pound investment will help drive economic development across the region, boosting jobs, creating opportunity and encouraging further inward investment.Ayrshire comprises the three local authority areas of East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire and is home to approximately 370,000 people. The growth deal will invest in growing sectors including aerospace, energy and life sciences as well as building on Ayrshire’s existing strengths in food and drink, manufacturing and engineering.Some of the projects, which are all subject to approval of final business cases, include:£80 million investment to position Ayrshire as one of the UK’s leading centres of aerospace£23 million to build on Ayrshire’s proud history of manufacturing£24 million to help harness the potential of local energy generationA further £18 million to create a Centre for Research into low carbon energy at the Hunterston industrial hub£14 million investment in improving the region’s digital connectivity and infrastructure