Delays to East Ayrshire Council’s CoRE project may not be a bad thing, according to a senior council officer.

Last week it was revealed that the original plans for the flagship £24.5m renewable energy project were ‘unaffordable’ due to the impact of the pandemic, Brexit and high inflation. 

The council’s cabinet largely welcomed the revised approach to the project, to developed at Knockroon, Cumnock, which aims to develop green energy schemes and the local skills needed for them via the Ayrshire Growth Deal.

The original intention was to present a ‘catch all’ business case covering demonstrator projects and the development of an educational innovation centre, the latter accounting for £16m of the over project cost.

The project has been paused since March 2022.

However, following discussions at a national level, the project will start progressing once again, with a change in focus.

READ MORE: Plans to make Cumnock the ‘green energy capital’ of Scotland 

Councillor Graham Barton said that the innovation centre element was the lower priority and argued that the funding should be more weighted towards the demonstrator projects.

He said: “The innovation centre can be decided at a later date.”

David McDowall, head of economic growth, communities and economy, said that there were now more opportunities for external funding.

Chief executive Eddie Fraser responded that he and other senior council officers met with officials from the UK and Scottish Governments to discuss how the Ayrshire Growth Deal, of which is part, is delivered.

He said: “Instead of having one outline business case and then one final business case was actually to break the final business case down into three separate sections.

“The separate sections are around first making sure we’ve got more immediate demonstrators that we can bring forward, then more substantial demonstrators and the third element would be around the building.”

Mr Fraser added that the intention is to ensure there is a balance between the developing the infrastructure and ensuring the money that is spent also provides for the benefit of learning skills and employment opportunities in communities.

Doon Valley Independent Councillor Drew Filson said “It’s a really exciting project and you see the expertise that is going to be around the table.”

He welcomed the involvement of the 9CC group, which represents a number of East Ayrshire communities.

Depute Council Leader and Cumnock Councillor Jim McMahon admitted he had some ‘reservations’ around the project, including concerns over the potential for partners at the University of Strathclyde ‘stepping back’.

However the report to cabinet stated that the council had now agreed a secondment of a Professor to work on the CoRE, which he welcomed.

READ MORE: Tory candidate believes CoRE project will be a major boost for area

He also pointed out that, while the CoRE work was on hold, other areas had moved on with demonstrator projects, citing Levenmouth’s hydrogen based heating project.

He said: “I had reservations as it hadn’t got out of the ground, to where we are now, I am encouraged by what I am hearing.”

“Eddie’s touched on the sustainability of that going forward and I think I’m reassured that the sustainability is there and, as technology advances, I’m hoping core will advance along with that technology.”

He did urge some caution around some retrofitting, particularly involving air source heat pumps, suggesting it would be best to see how hydrogen technology progressed.”

Mr McDowall responded: “I think it’s fair to say that it used to be that it was great to be first at doing things. I think that’s maybe not the case. We have got the public funds and we have to spend them wisely and making sure we’re we’re achieving what we need to achieve.”

Cllr McMahon said it is important that the project offered up cheaper forms of energy for local communities.