North Ayrshire Council has secured nearly £250,000 of funding to help digitally enhance one of Irvine's most scenic and popular areas.

The funding from the UK Government’s Smart Infrastructure Pilots Programme will be used to establish cutting-edge 5G and wireless infrastructure at the Irvine Harbourside area.

North Ayrshire is the only local authority in Scotland to receive the funding from the £1.3 million Smart Infrastructure Pilots Programme.

North Ayrshire will receive funding to trial new multi-purpose street columns which will house equipment to support the rollout of advanced wireless networks like 5G sensors boosting connectivity and enhancing the visitor experience.

The project will be delivered with the support of the Scotland 5G Centre and its HALO Kilmarnock Innovation Hub.

North Ayrshire Council is currently developing plans for the ‘Great Harbour’ project at the Irvine Harbourside.

The Smart Infrastructure funding will ensure 5G and wireless coverage is available to enhance the visitor experience and to make sure interactive aspects of the Great Harbour run smoothly and efficiently.

Councillor Tony Gurney, Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy, said: “What is great about this technology is that it’s discreet yet incredibly effective.

"We have big plans for the Irvine Harbourside through the Great Harbour project.

"They are a key part of the Ayrshire Growth Deal and have the potential to put the area on the map nationally, making it a place that families from right across Scotland want to visit.

“We want to maximise the visitor experience and having 5G and wireless coverage is vital.”

Luca Campanalongam, Technical Business Development Manager at The Scotland 5G Centre, said: “We're excited to welcome the winning consortium to our HALO Kilmarnock innovation hub, offering our knowledge, demonstration spaces, and a cutting-edge private 5G network for prototyping public sector solutions.

"We look forward to collaborating with North Ayrshire Council in continuing to champion 5G developments within the region.”