The announcement of levelling up funding has been a mixed bag for Ayrshire.
The UK government's announcement means that East and North Ayrshire have now shared £44m in levelling up investments, but South Ayrshire has missed out entirely.
Kilmarnock's 'cultural quarter' will see a massive £20m boost from the Levelling Up Fund, but a separate £20m bid to improve the vital Bellfield Interchange was not successful.
East Ayrshire Council had the option to submit a single larger scale bid, but opted to submit the two smaller bids. South Ayrshire Council missed out with its single bid.
The previous administration had sought £20m funding for a new Ayr Leisure Centre.
The bid continued under the current Conservative administration, despite the cancellation of the new centre, as the bid was not tied to that specific project.
But the failure of the bid means that the question of funding for both the refurbishment of the Citadel Leisure Centre and town centre regeneration is more complicated.
North Ayrshire had already been given £24m to improve the B714 in North Ayrshire north of the Sharphill roundabout and connect to the A737 Dalry Bypass in round 1.
This will 'provide greater and faster access to the job opportunities in Glasgow and Central Belt, encourage investment in the area through improved connectivity and increase visitor numbers.
The successful Cultural Kilmarnock project will see the creation of an 'enhanced cultural park sited immediately to the east of Kilmarnock’s town centre'.
Proposed works include the sustainable upgrade of The Palace Theatre and Grand Hall to expand its visitor offer and events, the creation of a new parkland setting to create an important amenity for the theatre.
"The venture will also benefit local community and businesses in the town centre, a new active route along Elmbank Drive, enhanced public realm and parkland to support The Dick Institute."
A UK Government spokesperson said: "A total of 111 areas have been awarded funding from the second of the government’s flagship Levelling Up Fund, providing greater investment in communities that will create new jobs, drive economic growth, help restore people’s pride in the places where they live, and spread opportunity more equally."
The government has also confirmed there will be a further round of the Levelling Up Fund, providing more opportunity to level up places across the UK.
East and South Ayrshire Councils have been approached for comment.
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