A MULTI-million-pound regeneration including a new golf course is set to change the face of North Ayrshire's seaside towns.
More than £60 million will be invested in the creation of a new links, complete with an adjoining hotel and selection of holiday homes to be built on the waterfront of Irvine Bay.
The development of the 18-hole course, to be known as "the Ayrshi
re", will create hundreds of jobs and bring thousands of visitors to the area.
Jim Mather, the minister for enterprise energy and tourism, said: "The Ayrshire is an exciting development that, once built, will greatly enhance the ability of Scotland to attract more visitors from home and abroad."
The project is a major economic boost for the area around Ardrossan, Saltcoats, Stevenston, Irvine and Kilwinning, which has lost 35 per cent of its manufacturing jobs in the past five years, resulting in 40 per cent of its industrial space lying empty.
The new development is a joint venture between Australian businessman Brian Keating's KPT Limited, which has experience of building the renowned Machrihanish Dunes course in Kintyre, and the property development company Credential Holdings Limited. Mr Keating said: "The benefits to the area will be massive. Hundreds of jobs will be created in the construction of the hotel alone, and apart from Turnberry there really isn't an alternative quality hotel in Ayrshire.
"Currently around 300,000 visitors come to play golf in Ayrshire each year, of which most arrive via Prestwick Airport. The amount of visitors from the United States is pretty dismal because of what has been going on with the dollar but the Danes, French and the Germans are all coming to Scotland to play golf in increasing numbers so the Ayrshire project is perfectly placed."
The new course has been designed by David McLay Kidd, the man behind the Castle course in St Andrews, Machrihanish Dunes and the Bandon Dunes in Oregon.
The development of the Ayrshire is a major coup for the Irvine Bay Regeneration Company.
In a second project, the regeneration company will appoint another partner to help develop Irvine Harbourside.
About £30 million will be committed to the building of new homes, commercial premises and leisure facilities next to the harbour district of the town.
Construction of the par-70 golf course and hotel with clubhouse, professionals' shop, spa, restaurant and conference facilities will take at least 20 months and should see the creation of about 250 construction jobs.
The build will be overseen by Euan Grant, recruited from the Old Course at St Andrews, where he was the head green-keeper.
The full article contains 442 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
