Ayrshire Growth Deal
The Ayrshire Growth Deal is a partnership being driven forward by the Scottish Government, the UK Government and East, North and South Ayrshire Councils.
The Deal presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the economic prospects of the area and with confirmed funding now in place, work is getting underway.
The ambitions and projects detailed here form the foundation of our long-term plans to attract new businesses, support existing companies to expand, create more jobs and bring new opportunities to the area – all of which will benefit people and places right across Ayrshire.
Thanks to confirmed investment from both the UK and Scottish Governments – of £103 million each – with further funding of £45.5 million from the three Ayrshire Councils, Ayrshire now has the opportunity to realise the area’s potential and become a world-class business region for the aerospace and space, energy, marine, manufacturing and tourism industries.
This investment is expected to unlock private investment of around £300 million and deliver around 7,000 new jobs across a wide range of sectors, transforming the local economy for the benefit of all our people and places.
Aerospace
Positioning Ayrshire as one of the UK’s leading centres of Aerospace activity
Economic Infrastructure
Creating conditions for economic growth, job creation and skills development across Ayrshire
Energy, Environment & the Circular Economy
Supporting innovation and development in energy storage and low carbon energy options in Ayrshire communities
Communities
Developing a Community Wealth Building approach to develop resilient, inclusive local economies across Ayrshire
Tourism
Enhancing the existing tourism offer to make Ayrshire a highly desirable place to visit and live, work and invest in
Ayrshire Growth Deal
Latest News
A collaborative project at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland’s (NMIS) Digital Process Manufacturing Centre (DPMC) in Irvine has demonstrated how private 5G mobile networks could support growing demand for secure, high-capacity connectivity in modern manufacturing. Interest in 5G within manufacturing continues to grow, driven by the need for faster and more secure connectivity to support increasingly data-driven production systems. However, many organisations remain uncertain about how the technology will perform in real operational environments. To address this, the project simulated a manufacturing use case and tested network performance under increasing demand in a controlled, factory-like setting. Funded in part by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s 5G Innovation Programme in Ayrshire, it brought together experienced teams from NMIS, Merck, North Ayrshire Council and Folk Consulting. The trial used a private 5G mobile network deployed at the DPMC, where engineers developed a simulated plant room environment based on Merck’s industrial…
Ayrshire is in a strong position to sustain long-term digital growth, economic resilience and competitiveness thanks to their participation in the 5G Innovation Project. The region received £4.4million from the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) team in 2024 to become one of ten 5G Innovation Regions (5GIR) across the UK. And a report, commissioned to assess the impact of the 5G Innovation Region Project, says the funding and support has positioned Ayrshire at the forefront of digital technology. The report highlights how the 5GIR programme has not only helped create new digital systems across key businesses and sites in Ayrshire but also helped bring together public, private and academic partners to support long-term digital growth, collaboration and innovation across the region. Some of the other highlights of the project include: This enhanced connectivity at key locations such as Ayr Low Green, Dean Castle Country Park and…
North and East Ayrshire Councils have launched a new Shared Economic Development Service, as part of a coordinated approach to delivering economic priorities across the region. The new shared service has been designed to support delivery of the Ayrshire Regional Economic Strategy, the Ayrshire Growth Deal, and future regional economic priorities. By working together, the councils are positioning Ayrshire more strongly to attract, secure and maximise future funding opportunities. The Shared Economic Development Service will bring together key economic functions including economic policy, business support, tourism, digital renewal and Ayrshire Growth Deal delivery. This collaborative approach will enhance strategic leadership, capacity and resilience, while reducing duplication and providing a more consistent, joined-up offer to businesses, communities and partners across Ayrshire’s economy. The new service will come into effect on 1 June 2026 and will be led by newly appointed Regional Economic Director, Louise Kirk, currently Head of Service for Economic…
