Projects in Scotland will share £122 million of funding as the UK Government announced the latest cash awards as part of its Levelling Up scheme.
With one project in Scotland alone receiving £37.4 million, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack hailed the awards as “fantastic news”.
That cash will be used to help create new, commercial buildings, better cycling and walking routes and more electric vehicle charge points across North and South Ayrshire.
The funding is part of £1 billion being distributed across the UK, with Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove saying the cash was “delivering local people’s priorities and bringing transformational change in communities that have, for too long, been overlooked and undervalued”.
As well as the money for North and South Ayrshire, more than £22.8 million will be invested in the South of Scotland, helping to renovate historic buildings in Annan and Peebles and going towards improved cycling and walking routes.
Moray will benefit from more than £18.2 million to transform Elgin town centre, while Glasgow City Council will receive almost £15 million to invest in Drumchapel town centre.
In addition, South Lanarkshire will receive £14.6 million to help regenerate the Shawfield National Business District and the nearby Polmadie Burn, allowing the Glasgow Riverside Innovation District campus to be relocated there, a move which will improve both employment and education in the local area.
There will also be £13.7 million spent improving transport links in Dumfries and Galloway, including new EV charging for cars, electric buses, and improvements to walking and cycling routes, with new transport hubs to be created in five towns in the region.
Speaking about the funding, Mr Jack said: “It’s fantastic news that these six, locally developed projects in north, central and southern Scotland have been given the go-ahead.
Sharing £122 million UK Government funding, they will transform communities through improvements such as better, greener transport infrastructure and connectivity, regeneration of buildings and land and creation of education, business and employment opportunities.”
The latest funding comes on top of £343 million already allocated to Scotland in previous rounds, meaning Scotland has received £465 million.
With 55 projects across the UK confirmed to receive cash in this latest round, Mr Gove said the Government was helping to “create new jobs and opportunities, power economic growth, and revitalise local areas”.
The Levelling Up Secretary added: “This funding sits alongside our wider initiatives to spread growth, through devolving more money and power out of Westminster to towns and cities, putting in place bespoke interventions to places that need it most, and our long-term plan for towns.”