DEVELOPERS of a landmark regeneration project on the site of the former Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock say it could create around 1,000 permanent new jobs.
The Halo Urban Park initiative has won £2 million of backing from the site owner – drinks giant Diageo – which is also donating the 23 acres of land, subject to the project meeting economic and community benefit goals and securing government backing.
East Ayrshire Council’s cabinet yesterday approved a further £2m of support for the project.
The council now plans to seek an extra £10m from the Scottish and UK governments through the Ayrshire Growth Deal, which was drawn up by the three Ayrshire councils and has a total project value of £359m.
The bottling plant shut four years ago with the loss of 700 jobs, ending a 192-year connection with the town. Diageo moved production to more modern bottling lines in its plants at Shieldhall, Glasgow, and Leven in Fife.
Ten acres of the Kilmarnock site have already been developed for Ayrshire College, which is due to open a new building soon in the next few weeks.
Kilmarnock-based developers the Klin Group’s proposals for the site include two business centres with a strong emphasis on digital technology, an enterprise, engineering, manufacturing and textiles centre for small and medium sized businesses; a cultural hub and a 1,000 capacity education, conference and exhibition centre. It also plans a sports centre, 3,000sq metres of offices, 175 homes, landscaping and a district heating system.
Douglas Reid, leader of East Ayrshire Council said: “These proposals are a key element of East Ayrshire Council’s ambitions for the Ayrshire Growth Deal and will greatly contribute to the regeneration of Kilmarnock, breathing new life into the remainder of the site previously occupied by the Johnnie Walker bottling plant.”
David Cutter, president of global supply and procurement at Diageo, said: “We are delighted to partner with East Ayrshire Council to support this regeneration proposal for Kilmarnock. Our ambition has always been to see this site redeveloped to the benefit of the local economy and community.
“Alongside the new college campus which is due to open soon at the site, we believe this regeneration plan will create a positive legacy for Kilmarnock and we hope it will gain the necessary support from the Ayrshire Growth Deal to make it a reality.”
Marie Macklin, chair of Klin Group, said: “Kilmarnock deserves the very best for this site and that is what we are setting out to deliver.
“We listened carefully to what the people of the town had to say and the Halo Project will provide a fitting and sustainable legacy for the Hill Street site that will last for generations of Kilmarnock residents to come.”
Klin Group has championed the project from the outset and had managed to secure an option from Diageo to develop it.
Since then there has been a wider consultation with the local community and research has been carried out locally, nationally and internationally.
The result is what the developers see as an imaginative, brown field regeneration scheme that is set to revitalise Kilmarnock and boost the wider economy of Ayrshire.
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