NORTH Ayrshire Council has approved plans to invest £500,000 in the popular Arran Outdoor Centre.

And a new pricing structure will also come in to play to ensure the centre continues to flourish.

The facility has grown in popularity in recent times with visitor numbers soaring at the island’s residential retreat.

The centre – which holds fivestar VisitScotland accreditation for residential and outdoor adventure activity programmes – has seen midweek bookings go from 43 weeks to 50 weeks.

Centre usage at weekends has more than doubled from 17 weekends in 2015/16 to 37 weekends in 2017/18.

To continue providing a topclass service, a five-year plan has been introduced to replace centre equipment such as kayaks, dinghies and other water-based gear, as well as land-based equipment such as waterproofs, rucksacks, tents and sleeping bags.

The total projected annual replacement cost over a five-year cycle is £100,000 per year.

To ensure it’s continued sustainability over the coming years, the council recently undertook a detailed audit to try and counter this expenditure on new equipment and increasing staffing levels Last Tuesday, councillors approved a new pricing structure – which still see the centre being far cheaper than other comparable facilities.

Costs for a North Ayrshire school will rise by just £18 for a weekend of activities.

Other schools will pay £34 more. There will also a small increase in family stays, rising from £411 to £550 for a weekend and from £822 to £1100 for a full week. Full details can be found at www. arranoutdoor.com

Councillor Alex Gallagher, Cabinet Member for Economies, said: “These increases were absolutely essential to maintain the five-star service provided at Arran Outdoor centre.

“We have introduced a pricing structure which still makes it really competitive. In fact it remains far cheaper than other similar ones.

“With these changes, we will be able to reinvest in the centre and its equipment which will ensure this fantastic facilitiy continues to provide amazing memories and experiences for young people and their families for many more years.”