A £1.1 million lottery award will help towards the construction of a new community hub in Irvine.

Fullarton Community Association will receive £1,127,389 to build the new centre which will feature a series of facilities for the local community, including doctor’s surgery, multi-purpose hall and community café.

In addition to the Big Lottery funding, Irvine Bay Regeneration Company has pledged £650,000 towards the project while North Ayrshire Council and other partners will also provide community development support as well as financial backing towards the overall £1.8m cost.

Patrick Wiggins, chief executive of Irvine Bay Regeneration Company, said: “We are really excited to be part of this community project. This is an innovative regeneration partnership which has been driven by Fullarton Community Association.

“It recognises the aspirations of local people and signifies the commitment of Irvine Bay to support communities to deliver local regeneration as part of our community legacy.”

Fullarton Community Association which help fund the new Fullarton Community Hub to be built on the site of the existing ageing centre in Irvine. The project will include a designated youth club space, a training kitchen, community cafe, multi-purpose hall, community garden, games area, informal meeting areas and office space as well as housing a relocated doctor’s surgery and pharmacy.

Alan Hill, cabinet member for connected communities at North Ayrshire Council, said: “This award is tremendous news for the people of Fullarton and is just reward for all their hard work and efforts over the past few years.

“Their dreams of creating a facility which will be used by all residents can now be realised. It has been ambitious project but the people of Fullarton really embraced the challenge.

“A new community hub will give the community a real shot in the arm. The area has experienced higher-than-average levels of deprivation and has some of the lowest life expectancy rates in Scotland so I hope this can be the catalyst for a bright new future for Fullarton.

“With support from public and private partners - including North Ayrshire Council, Irvine Bay Regeneration Company and the Health and Social Care Partnership - the plans can now really move ahead.”

The new hub will benefit over 3,200 residents of the Fullarton and Harbourside areas of Irvine.