AN £80million investment to make Ayrshire one of the UK’s leading centres of Aerospace and Space activity was secured last week with the official signing of the Ayrshire Growth Deal.

The multi-million pound investment package that will change the face of Ayrshire was rubber-stamped on Friday by the three Ayrshire Councils and the UK and Scottish Governments.

The UK and Scottish Governments will each invest £103 million. This will be supported by South, East and North Ayrshire Councils which will be investing upwards of £45.5m in total.

It is hoped the deal will create approximately 7,000 jobs across a wide range of sectors. The investment will be delivered over a 15-year period.

The deal will position Ayrshire as the UK’s leading hub for aerospace and space and sees approximately £80m being invested to support the ambition of establishing a horizontal space launch facility and visitor centre at Prestwick Airport, and a range of high-quality flexible commercial business space around the airport to support the continued growth of the sectors.

The magnificent Ayrshire coast and islands will benefit from approximately £25m investment to support the growth of tourism and targeted investment at key points will see the transformation of some of our destinations for the benefit of visitors and residents alike.

Ayrshire’s three Council leaders were joined by the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Rt Hon David Mundell MP, and Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson MSP, to sign the Heads of Terms on the deal.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: “We are investing in a raft of exciting and ambitious projects right across Ayrshire. Initiatives include an aerospace development at Prestwick, a low carbon energy scheme at Hunterston, a local electricity supply project in Cumnock and a digital subsea cable to improve connectivity.

Councillor Douglas Campbell, Leader of South Ayrshire Council, welcomed the Deal being signed: “Today is the pinnacle of more than three years of incredibly hard work based around partnership, persuasion, perseverance and – most of all – potential, and it really is a proud day for Ayrshire.

“Across Ayrshire, we have always been clear that by working together to deliver investment, jobs and business growth, we can be greater than the sum of our parts and create a legacy for generations to come that will spread far beyond our Council boundaries. That is exactly what we have before us today – a deal that will turn our ambitions into reality and help make Ayrshire more successful, competitive and the best place to learn, live and work.

“I am especially overjoyed to see such a significant level of investment around Prestwick Airport. Combined with our own funding, this will deliver more than £100 million to ensure Ayrshire is the go-to place for the aerospace and space industries.”