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Kilmarnock: Building Our Future

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Kilmarnock: Building Our Future Page 1 KILMARNOCK:BUILDING OUR FUTURE INTRODUCTION Kilmarnock, at the heart of East Ayrshire, is a town in transition. The combination of increasing numbers of people choosing to come and live in the town as well as an improving economic outlook provides a ‘window of opportunity` to recreate a prosperous, invigorated town. This strategy seeks to grasp these opportunities and re- establish Kilmarnock as an important economic driving force for the West of Scotland. Our strategy for Kilmarnock sits at the heart of the East Ayrshire Community Plan and shares the vision set out within that document, that: ‘East Ayrshire will be a place with strong, vibrant communities where everyone has a good quality of life and access to opportunities, choices and high quality services which are sustainable, accessible and meet people’s needs` It is within the context of the Community Plan that the strategy will be successfully delivered. Audit Scotland on behalf of The Accounts Commission in a recent audit of East Ayrshire Council’s performance in relation to Best Value and Community Planning stated that: ‘It (the Council) is firmly committed to tackling the problems of unemployment, poverty and health that exist within a number of its communities. Through strong leadership…., a positive attitude to change throughout the organisation and effective working with its community planning partners the Council is becoming well placed to deliver on its long term vision for the area` (page 6). Page 2 The Community Plan sets the challenge to maximise the development potential that exists within Kilmarnock which, when realised, will benefit not just the inhabitants of the town itself but the wider economy of East Ayrshire, Ayrshire as a whole and play a significant role in the growth of the economy of the Glasgow Metropolitan Region. The process of reinvigorating the town will have a tangible impact upon the lives of local people. Our approach seeks to harness every available opportunity to the benefit of the people of East Ayrshire. The development process, in a physical, economic and social sense will be driven forward within the context of sustainability. The ‘green’ agenda will inform many of the actions detailed in the later sections of this strategy document. KILMARNOCK:SERVING THE HEART OF AYRSHIRE SOME HISTORY The town of Kilmarnock, standing at a natural crossroads at the western end of the Irvine Valley and almost equidistant between Ayr and Glasgow, has had a varied but positive economic and social history since its establishment as a settlement in the 7th century by St. Marnock. In its earliest days the town became a centre of trade for the surrounding areas, a function which was enhanced by the development of industries such as bonnet-making, hose-making, shoe-making, tanning and carpet-weaving. Consequently, the town began to rival the ancient Royal Burghs of Ayr and Irvine in trade with home and foreign markets. As the Industrial Revolution unfolded Kilmarnock established a world-wide reputation as an industrial town based upon entrepreneurial spirit and a skilled labour force. Indeed, one of the first railway lines in Scotland was built from Kilmarnock to Troon to carry coal from the Duke of Portland’s mines near Kilmarnock to Troon harbour. Regular rail services from Kilmarnock to Glasgow and Carlisle commenced in 1850. Page 3 These resources maintained Kilmarnock’s diverse economic base until the 1970s. In the space of a decade world renowned companies such as Massey Ferguson, Saxone, Glenfield and Kennedy and BMK (Carpets) either closed down entirely or substantially contracted. East Ayrshire was also adversely affected by the decline of the mining industry when approximately eight thousand jobs were lost to the local economy during the 1980s and 90s. These changes were further compounded as more and more countries entered the global economy offering cheaper manufacturing locations. Kilmarnock inevitably suffered during this period as unemployment increased, town centre businesses lost trade and people left the town. This has created long term structural issues characterised by concentrations of deprivation within certain communities in the town. Recent years have witnessed a change in Kilmarnock’s fortunes; new uses have been found for gap sites; new private sector housing developments have been constructed; the town centre has been pedestrianised; and infrastructure improvements such as the upgrading of the M77, the Rowallan Business Park and the Moorfield Industrial Estate will continue to assist the economic transformation of the town. As a result of these initiatives, social change is taking place within the town with an influx of new people coming to live in Kilmarnock attracted by quality housing developments. Our task is to lead this transformation and to build a prosperous, progressive Kilmarnock. Accordingly this strategy document will detail how the participating organisations intend to make this happen by; • Setting out the economic and social challenges and opportunities faced by Kilmarnock; • Taking advantage of the context provided by national and local strategies; • Helping to deliver the activity which will enable the rebirth of the town; and • Ensuring that we implement and monitor the progress of the plan. Page 4 At this stage the projected costs associated with the process of regeneration are indicative and the individual projects detailed in Appendix 1 will be subject to the appropriate approval protocols of the participating agencies when the time comes to transform vision into reality. This document will provide the strategic context to drive that process forward. CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY: THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT CHALLENGES In common with much of Ayrshire, East Ayrshire faces similar challenges; high unemployment; a low employment rate; limited job creation activity; and an over- reliance on the manufacturing and construction industries. (Nomis, 2006). This is despite significant progress being made on a number of fronts. In October 1996, for example the unemployment rate in East Ayrshire stood at 7.6 %, today it is 4.5%. Equally the employment rate within the area has increased within the same period from 64% in 1996 to 70% today. In addition strategies to bring inward investment and new jobs to the area have brought many opportunities for local people. The recent announcement by Telecom Services Centre to create more than 500 new jobs is a current example of the success of this policy. However there remains much to do. The changing habits of shoppers themselves are challenging town centre retailers. The use of out of town shopping parks, internet shopping and the dependence on the car are impacting upon profitability with implications for the long term wellbeing of shop owners within the town centre. Improved ‘footfall’ is a necessity to stimulate growth and encourage improvement in the local shopping experience. Furthermore, the following statistics add weight to the social challenges facing the partner organisations (Source: Scottish Executive East Ayrshire Economic Briefing-February 2007): Page 5 • The unemployment rate in East Ayrshire is 4.5% (Scotland 3.1%); • The employment rate is 70% (Scotland 75%); and • 19.2% of benefit claimants are unemployed for 1 year or more in East Ayrshire (Scotland 15.3%). In addition: • 13 datazones in Kilmarnock fall within the worst 15% in Scotland including the Town Centre itself; • In a recent survey by Colliers, Kilmarnock is placed 5th in the UK league of poorly performing centres; and • Retail expenditure leakage currently stands at £106m per annum for comparison goods. OPPORTUNITIES Since its inception East Ayrshire Council and its partners have striven positively and creatively in their efforts to create a thriving economy and alleviate the social impact of long-term unemployment. The regeneration of Kilmarnock is a further example of this approach. To support the partners in their task there are significant opportunities which will drive forward the regeneration process. Ayrshire accounted for 8% of Scotland’s total overseas exports in 2002 (Source: Scottish Enterprise), a high figure considering the size of the area’s economy. Indeed Ayrshire’s position as a major centre of aerospace and pharmaceuticals and as a destination for tourism makes it likely that the area will continue to account for a high proportion of overseas exports and for a sizeable percentage of Scotland’s sales of services to other parts of the U.K. Page 6 Kilmarnock’s connection to the Scotch Whisky industry gives the town global recognition as the home of Johnny Walker, especially in the emergent markets on the Pacific Rim in general and China in particular. Record levels of production have been achieved at Diageo’s plant in Kilmarnock. There is an opportunity to exploit this developing market relationship. Ayrshire is also an internationally recognised brand through its connections to Robert Burns. Homecoming Scotland in 2009 will focus upon Burns, Whisky, Ancestry, Golf and Innovation and will draw people to Scotland to celebrate its contribution to the world as well as its exciting future. Kilmarnock's links to Burns through the ‘First Edition’, the Bard’s first work which was published in the town, will provide the stimulus to attract ‘Affinityscots’ to the town and increase a sense of belonging and civic pride amongst its residents. The Burns Monument Centre will further enhance the attraction of the town. This custom built centre will provide East Ayrshire with a unique facility for family and local history researchers - amateur and professional. The centre will also provide a spectacular venue for weddings and other ceremonies. Improvements to the economic infrastructure of Kilmarnock through the enlargement of the Rowallan Business Park and the development of the Moorfield Business Park will enable the creation and maintenance of employment opportunities for local people. A key component of the strategy is the relocation of Kilmarnock College to a town centre site. The Community Planning partners support this proposal and, with the College have commissioned studies which have highlighted the positive impact that such a move would have.
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