A multi-million pound regeneration plan for a town in Ayrshire has been given the green light by the UK Government.
Westminster has allocated more than £1.1bn to support overlooked towns across the country, with the process led by residents of the towns themselves.
A £20m investment plan for Kilmarnock, which will take place over the next 10 years and be delivered by community-led group We Make Kilmarnock, in partnership with East Ayrshire Council and the East Ayrshire Leisure Trust, has been approved and initial work has already begun.
The group will first address the most common themes identified by local people via surveys and community consultation. That will include a ‘Brighten Up’ programme to tackle litter, graffiti and visible signs of neglect in the town centre. In addition there will be upgrades to shopfronts in the town centre, improvements to the Foregate and other gateway areas, and upgraded street furniture, lighting and planting.
We Make Kilmarnock will continue to work closely with the local community through ongoing consultations and surveys to ensure their voices are reflected in the transformation of the town. Since its conception, We Make Kilmarnock has collaborated with community-led alliances from the North, South, East, West and Central areas of Kilmarnock, as well as a Youth Alliance, made up of young people from across the town.
In 2024, We Make Kilmarnock gave £9,000 to each alliance to kick-start initiatives important to their area. In just six weeks, amongst a long list of positive impacts, the alliances successfully: provided £1,000 of tools to the local tool library, enabled building improvements, updated sports and IT equipment, arranged days out for community groups, orchestrated litter picks, tackled areas with overgrown Japanese knotweed, pooled funds to make all the Kilmarnock Fair Festival funfair rides free which boosted the event’s success, and much more.
Fiona McKenzie OBE, Chair of the Kilmarnock Neighbourhood Board, said: “This is a hugely significant moment for Kilmarnock and a real vote of confidence in our community.
“The ‘We Make Kilmarnock’ programme has been shaped by the voices, ideas and ambitions of local people from the very beginning. Now, as we move into the delivery phase, we are committed to ensuring it remains a truly community-led and council-enabled process — one that supports the creation of a town centre and neighbourhoods we can all feel proud of.
“Now is the time to build on that momentum — to turn ambition into action and deliver the meaningful, visible change our town needs and deserves.”
We Make Kilmarnock will also host the third Kilmarnock Fair in the Howard Park on June 27, featuring fairground rides, delicious food, local stalls, and performances from bands including The Rampants, The Longhorns and Colonel Mustard and The Dijon 5.