Work to regenerate vacant land next to Kilbirnie Loch will break ground next Spring.

North Ayrshire Council confirmed the plans at a meeting last week after securing £3.6 million.

The first phase of the development will begin next year and it is hoped that the new visitor and community hub to the south of the loch will be ready and open by spring 2022.

At the meeting, the council also confirmed it hopes to take over other parts of the site – currently owned by Scottish Enterprise – and use already-available cash from their Vacant and Derelict Land fund to create paths and play areas.

Leisure and walking routes will be created around Kilbirnie Loch and these will be complemented with active travel routes connecting to and through the site to Kilbirnie, Beith, Garnock Community Campus and Glengarnock station.

It is hoped that around 100 jobs could be created directly and indirectly as a result of investment in the site, while greening/tree planting on a large area of vacant/derelict land, will contribute the council’s climate change strategy.

Council leader Joe Cullinane said: “We are excited to be confirming details of our plans for Lochshore. It allows us to put our Community Wealth Building Vision into practice.”

“We are also creating jobs. We expect around 12 to be employed in the hub and we will again use our Community Wealth Building principles during construction phase which will again create jobs for local people.

Lochshore will be promoted as a key attraction within the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.