14/11/2008NAC fully endorses Irvine Bay's regeneration plans - read the vision for Kilwinning here!
The regeneration plans for each of the five towns' centres in Irvine Bay were fully endorsed by North Ayrshire Council on Wednesday. Key proposals for Kilwinning include include the refurbishing of the Main Street to create a town centre hub with increased shopping, office space, improved public realm works and the creation of commercial spaces. Making more of the town's excellent transport links is also on the agenda, as is improving open spaces through landscaping.
We post the vision for Kilwinning below, please read through and feel free to comment here on s1kilwinning.
The vision for Kilwinning: an attractive location to live, learn, work, visit and invest in
The new town regeneration plan for Kilwinning outlines a vision to make Kilwinning an attractive location to live, learn, work, visit and invest in. The plan focuses on how to make better use of Kilwinning’s strong assets which include excellent transport links, key historic buildings and a recognised town centre with a college and core of independent shops.
With its strong sense of community and attractive setting Kilwinning is already experiencing growth with new housing around the edges of the town. The new plan builds on the past and present to show what can be achieved over the next 10 – 15 years as we make the most of the opportunities.
The ideas at the heart of the new plans for Kilwinning are presented on the following pages. The full regeneration plan document is available on our website at www.irvinebay.co.uk
Shaping the future of Irvine Bay
The regeneration plan for Kilwinning is one of a series of plans for the five towns in the Irvine Bay area which have been developed during 2008. At the heart of each of the plans are the ideas, issues, fears, hopes and visions that people have for the future of their towns.
• Our plans are designed to inspire physical improvements and job opportunities within our towns
• Funding from both the public and private sector will be needed
• The plans for each of the town centres will be co-ordinated with the wider activity of Irvine Bay
• We can’t promise that everything within the plans will be done, and some projects will take some time to be developed. But we are confident that the plans are a real opportunity for improving our towns
Each of the town regeneration plans will be adopted by North Ayrshire Council as Supplementary Planning Guidance. As individual sites in the town centres are developed, the plans will provide an important context for development.
Across the bay, our vision is for the five revitalised town centres each with their own distinct and successful purpose to sit within a coastal park that spans the whole bay. The places will be well connected, creating an exciting environment that stimulates business growth and employment opportunities for the wider area.
Responding to the challenges
There are a number of particular challenges that we face in Kilwinning. These were clearly identified through the consultation process
• Maximising the assets of the town especially its rich heritage, James Watt College, transport links and the river setting
• Changing the perception of the town through the eyes of both residents and visitors
• Encouraging increased business activity and opportunity
• Increasing community use of the town centre
• Boosting investment into existing successful community facilities
5 strategic re-generation themes
The Kilwinning town regeneration plan has five strategic themes at its heart. These themes have developed from the research and consultation that took place during 2008:
1 Re-pairing Kilwinning
We need to restore that strong sense of place by the sensitive refurbishment of the town centre buildings to create ‘places for people’.
2 Re-connecting Kilwinning
We must make the most of the excellent railway links, roads and cycle tracks that connect Kilwinning. Within the town the river, railways and roads can make it difficult to move from one area to the other and improvements are needed.
3 Re-defining Kilwinning
There is a great deal of open space around Kilwinning but its quality needs to be improved to create places where people can relax and enjoy being outdoors. Tree planting and the use of high quality, robust materials will be important.
4 Re-investing Kilwinning
Local businesses are at the heart of the regeneration of the town. The refurbishment of the town centre must support existing businesses and encourage others into the area.
5 Re-activating Kilwinning
The town regeneration plan provides a real opportunity for improving the quality of life in Kilwinning. The plan includes ideas for creating an active, healthy and inclusive community. It also tackles some of the existing issues and challenges associated with the town.
Making better connections
Station interchange
Proposed improvements would transform the current railway station into a high quality public transport hub, making better connections between the train and bus services. The area around the station could be developed to provide a more welcoming gateway to the town for visitors and better facilities for local people.
As visitors arrive in the town they need good local information about the historical buildings, maps and information about cycle routes.
Additional parking would encourage people to park and ride. Other station facilities might include retail, refreshments and secure car and cycle parking.
Station Square and other areas around the station would be improved. There are also opportunities to develop business units at the new transport hub.
Lachlan Way
The appearance of the northern edge of the town centre would be improved along Lachlan Way to transform this area of the town.
At the moment Lachlan Way cuts through the town, separating the area to the north from the town centre. Better connections are proposed from the north of the town across Lachlan Way, particularly between James Watt College and the town centre.
Improved car parking arrangements and better signage would encourage people to park and shop in the town centre.
In the longer term a residential development is suggested to improve the environment in this area.
Main Street
The key to unlocking the economic potential of the town
Proposals for refurbishing Kilwinning Main Street are designed to create renewed interest and activity in the town centre. Paving, seating. lighting and landscaping would all contribute to make this a dynamic area that will attract new business, create jobs and increase visitor numbers.
By creating a ‘town centre hub’ the Main Street would lead the way in rejuvenating the whole area. Plans include better sign posting, improved shop fronts and vacant shop units reoccupied to transform the atmosphere, with a more diverse array of shops and improved opportunities for evenings. The Abbeygate area could be developed to create an outdoor space for markets, festivals and town activities. A business enterprise centre is proposed for the Main Street with accommodation for new businesses, space for local business networking events and links with James Watt College.
Together these activities can encourage new retail businesses into the town, support new jobs and lead to the wider regeneration of the area. Pedestrian activity would be increased, and a safe and appealing environment created, to act as a catalyst for future investment.
A number of the ideas for the town centre were developed through a project with pupils at Kilwinning High School.
The gateways to the town centre
The areas at each end of the Main Street are ‘gateways’ to the town centre that can welcome people and encourage them to visit the town centre. At the moment these key sites are not attractive and are failing to attract people into Kilwinning’s Main Street. By creating a much more positive impression at either end of the Main Street, we can alter people’s perceptions of the town and what it has to offer, and encourage passing trade to stop and enjoy the revitalised town centre.
Western gateway
The starting place for the development of the western gateway would be to refurbish the street with high quality paving, lighting, seating and tree planting. The building at the western gateway would be refurbished to create a façade that fits better with the surrounding buildings and the shop-fronts would be improved.
There is also the potential here to increase the population by creating high quality housing above the shops.
Eastern gateway
At the east end of Main Street the plans are very similar in nature. The street itself would be refurbished as an attractive entrance to the Main Street, with the facades of the surrounding shops and houses being the next area to receive attention.
A design competition is proposed for a new pedestrian bridge at the Bridgend crossing of River Garnock, adjacent to the historic bridge.
Improvement of the open space between the Main Street and the Riverside would be important to improve the connections between east and west.
Kilwinning past, present and possible
Kilwinning has a long and rich history which, along with the town’s current strengths and weaknesses can help to shape the future.
• Kilwinning past
As we look to the future we are reinterpreting the town’s rich history and the built heritage. This means surveying and analysing the legacy of previous planning and learning lessons from the past.
• Kilwinning present
The consultation process which ran through 2008 helped to identify the towns strengths and weaknesses and began to look at solutions that can benefit local people and businesses in the area.
• Kilwinning possible
The town regeneration plan looks at regenerating Kilwinning through a holistic, inspiring and realistic vision which encourages an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable town.
What will we be saying about Kilwinning in 2018?
Kilwinning is now a well known, proud, historic abbey town with a strong positive identity and a lively, distinctive and contemporary town centre.
Kilwinning is an exceptionally well maintained and friendly town. It has excellent sports, community facilities and a mix of attractions that appeal to individuals and families. There’s a range of quality independent shops, service businesses, galleries, workspaces, voluntary services and cafes/restaurants.
The facilities cater for visitors, people moving into the area and established residents who now have a real pride in the place. Kilwinning is an enterprising town admired for its flourishing independent retail and service businesses and its range of small manufacturing businesses and choice of business accommodation.
Kilwinning really is now a great place to live, learn, work and visit.
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Dear Sir/Madam,
Your website about Kilwinning is very good, I moved away from Kilwinning some 15 years ago and still have Kilwinning very much at heart. It is the town I grew up in, went to school in, but I only have the one comment: The Carnival to my knowledge was always held in McGavin Park and not the Main Street. The last time I went to the Carnival was 2001 and had a great day as is with the days of my childhood, but as I say the Carnival should be held in McGavin Park and not the Main Street.
- Do you have any plans to restore Eglinton Park, for example cleaning up the river by removing the falling trees and make it feel safe by stopping young people sitting around drinking and smashing bottles.