£600m job boost with from south-west construction hub

Nov 23 2012 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post

Hundreds of jobs are to be created in South Ayrshire with the setting up of a public sector company.

The South West Scotland hub, made up of councils, health boards, emergency services and other public bodies, will deliver a long-term employment boost for the area.

And £600 million will be invested in the region’s infrastructure during the next 10 years.

A joint venture company has been set up by Scottish Futures Trust, which just weeks ago announced funding to rebuild a new Marr College in Troon.

Now it’s hoped that similar projects will be able to benefit from the huge funding pot made available over the next decade.

Bill Martin, programme director of the south-west hubCo programme board, said: “The structure means that it will bring real opportunities to local businesses as over 80 per cent of the construction value will be competitively tendered to small and medium enterprises on the supply chain. We are delighted with the outcome of the agreement which will deliver innovation and better value on all our construction projects.”

All three Ayrshire councils and Ayrshire and Arran Health Board have signed up to the agreement, along with agencies from Lanarkshire and Dumfries & Galloway.

John Hope, accommodation director at the Scottish Futures Trust, said: “Establishing the south-west hubCo marks a significant milestone in the Scotland-wide hub initiative, led by SFT, as it concludes the formation of all five Scottish hubCos. Over the next 10 years, over £1.5billion of investment will be made in community-based infrastructure across Scotland.

“And in the forthcoming financial year, over £300m of projects, including primary and secondary schools, health and medical centres and community projects will move into the construction or development stage which will be welcome news for the construction industry.”