Around £31.5 million has been allocated to replace Ardrossan Academy but the local authority is keen to access Scottish Government funding that will allow it to bring the development forward to 2021/22.

The proposal would see the development of a multi-purpose community facility in Ardrossan. Plans are still at an early stage and are currently out for pre-consultation which will further inform proposals.

Similarly, multi-million pound proposals for a new primary school at Montgomerie Park in Irvine have been accelerated by two years with a potential starting date for construction in 2020/21.

Approximately £14.3m will be set aside to build the new school and the infrastructure required to support and encourage the ongoing housebuilding programme in the area.

Council leader Joe Cullinane said: “Education is key for us and we need to provide the kind of facilities which will give our young people the chance to reach their potential.

“The new school at Montgomerie Park will help reduce pressures on the school rolls in an area which continues to grow, while our ambitions for an innovative and ground-breaking community campus at Ardrossan can set new standards in education - by investing in our school estate, we are making an investment in the future.”

The capital budget will deliver a £255m programme of works by 2027/28, supporting investment in buildings, infrastructure and regeneration projects.

The budget also includes:

• An extra £3.6m to help meet the funding requirement for the Ayrshire Growth Deal, bringing North Ayrshire Council’s investment to £12.6m. With similar funding from South and East Ayrshire Councils and £100m each from the Scottish and UK Governments, a total of £240m will be invested in life sciences, tourism, manufacturing and aerospace across Ayrshire.
• Additional investment to support a major Flood Protection Scheme in Millport. The total estimated cost of the investment is £27.5m, with the Scottish Government confirming funding of 80% (£22m) and the Council contributing 20% (£5.5m).
• An additional £2.6m earmarked for the maintenance of North Ayrshire’s bridges infrastructure.

Separate from the Capital Programme is the Council’s ambitious Strategic Housing Investment Plan which aims to deliver more than 1,300 new properties by 2024.