News

A major funding award of £3.2m from Transport Scotland will act as a catalyst for the creation of an ambitious masterplan for Kilmarnock town centre. The funding will accelerate the transformation of the former multi-storey car park site, marking a significant milestone in the town’s regeneration plans.

On Saturday 25 October 2025, Marks and Spencer Plc announced plans to move from their current location in King Street, Kilmarnock to Queens Drive on the outskirts of the town.

The Douglas Valley Advisory Group (DVAG), a community group set up to direct large-scale, strategic investment proposals in the local area, is looking for community members from  Muirkirk to join the group.

Top planners from all over Scotland will focus on  “The Power of Planning – a Force for Good” as they gather for their prestigious annual conference at Kilmarnock’s Centrestage this month.

Partnership working, inward investment and regeneration in Kilmarnock were the focus as UK Government Minister Alex Norris MP came to town to meet with enthusiastic representatives of the many organisations who are collaborating to bring about exciting new changes in the area.

Moves to create a proposed National Park in the South West of Scotland got conditional endorsement from East Ayrshire Councillors  as they agreed their submission to the National Park Consultation at their Cabinet meeting this week.

Planning Permission in Principle has been granted for a major expansion of the Moorfield industrial park in Kilmarnock as part of the Ayrshire Growth Deal.

East Ayrshire Council and East Ayrshire Leisure Trust (EALT) are hosting a community information session to give members of the public an opportunity to view design proposals for Cultural Kilmarnock, including the refurbishment of the Palace Theatre and Grand Hall complex in Kilmarnock.

The drop-in event will take place on Thursday 29 August between 4:30pm and 7pm, in the foyer of the Palace Theatre.

Large scale drawings and artists impressions will be on display along with a fly-round video presentation of the proposals. Visitors will also have an opportunity to discuss the project with members of the project team and to provide feedback on the proposals.

The latest piece of Supplementary Guidance to sit alongside East Ayrshire Council’s recently adopted Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2), has gone out to public consultation. 

When East Ayrshire Council planners gained approval for their Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2) in March, they said they were immediately starting work on their next plan.  And true to their word, Cabinet has just just agreed their next steps in creating LDP3, which will eventually supersede the current plans.

The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership, the charitable organisation delivering projects in conservation, enterprise, education and climate resilience across southwest Scotland’s UNESCO-designated area, has put out a call for new members to join its board of Trustees.

Planning decisions in East Ayrshire will now focus more clearly on improving infrastructure, following good design practices, tackling climate change and creating healthier environments for people and nature, thanks to the Council’s adoption of its new Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2).