News story: UK Government invests £3.5m in Ayrshire

The UK Government is set to invest £3.5 million in an ambitious regeneration programme in Kilmarnock. The HALO project in the former Diageo bottling plant will strengthen Ayrshire’s economic prospects, create nearly a thousand new jobs and benefit local businesses and residents.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell said:

This £3.5 million investment, part of the UK Government’s industrial strategy, will help create an innovation hub at the heart of this ambitious regeneration project. The scheme has huge potential to transform the Ayrshire economy, drive businesses innovation and attract new talent to the region.

The new innovation hub will foster the next generation of entrepreneurs, with a strong focus on innovation, digital skills, and cyber security.

The wider project will see the first commercial deep geothermal heat pump installed in the UK in nearly thirty years, providing green energy at below-market prices to nearby homes and businesses. It will also create new office space and retail areas which will attract dynamic businesses into Kilmarnock, as well as affordable homes.

The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy is helping industry succeed and supporting the private sector in achieving ambitious projects which can have a transformative impact in their local economies. Coming on top of around £1 billion invested in UK City Deals in Scotland, the support for the HALO project demonstrates the commitment of the UK Government to help support the Scottish economy and deliver for people in Scotland.