NORTH Ayrshire Council is targeting £1.3million of Scottish Government funding to help them upgrade facilities at Ardrossan and Arran ferry terminals.

At a meeting of their Cabinet, Councillors agreed that applications for financial assistance, via the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, should be made.

As well as the projects in Ardrossan and Arran, the Council has also submitted a bid of £1.25m to help develop land in the Irvine Enterprise Area.

The Council has previously received assistance from the Fund to help projects such as the Saltcoats Town Hall and the Millport Field Centre.

Work at Ardrossan is part of an overall £100m investment package to redevelop the harbour area, north shore site, and a replacement for Ardrossan Academy. The investment at the harbour will see a new terminal building, car park, a hotel development site and improved public realm around the facility.

The Council is applying for £1.2M of RCGF funding for the Ardrossan site which will be used to help extend the terminal building to create a commercial and community hub. They are also looking for £100,000 towards a total spend of £300,000 for for a combination of step ashore facilities, including offices and café, at the terminal in Brodick.

The £1.25 funding bid for the Irvine Enterprise Area is part of an overall £3.5m investment in offices and infrastructure to make the site attractive for business.

Councillor Alex Gallagher, Cabinet Member for Economy, said: “These are all big and important projects and it’s important that we access funds from as many sources as possible.

“The Scottish Regeneration Capital Funds have helped us complete considerable projects in the past and, if successful, will help us move forward with these proposals.

“As a Council our chief priority is ‘growing our economies, increasing employment and regenerating our towns’ and these projects certainly have that at their core.”

The RCGF has operated for four years. It was developed by the Scottish Government in partnership with COSLA and local authorities and has an annual capital budget of £25m.