Renfrewshire is currently advancing plans to transform its future by attracting more tourists, investors and entrepreneurs to the area. Using an array of remarkable cultural, heritage and economic assents, residents and officials in the area are hoping for a brighter future by attracting more visitors, investors and business owners. Over the past two years, Paisley’s bid for the UK City of Culture 2021 has acted as an important stepping stone to achieving the vision to transform Renfrewshire, helping to kick-start a range of plans to give the town a new lease of life.
Significant Investments:
So far, £100m has been committed to transform Paisley, with cultural venues and outdoor spaces taking priority. Paisley Museum has seen a flagship refurbishment project, along with the Town Hall, which has had £22m spent on reviving and modernising the building. In addition, relocating and rebuilding the town’s Central Library has created more space on the high street for potential small business owners looking to move to and invest in the area.
New Jobs:
Thanks to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS), new jobs and major infrastructure investments for Renfrewshire and Paisley have been promised. AMIDS’ first project is the £65m National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland; an industry-led manufacturing expertise centre in the form of a collaborative project between the Scottish Government, Renfrewshire Council, the University of Strathcylde, manufacturing businesses, and national skills and enterprise agencies. The main aim of the institute is to assist companies across Scotland in implementing new manufacturing techniques and supporting cutting-edge research to help and inspire young people into highly-skilled, highly-paid future manufacturing jobs.
Connectivity:
With plans in place to improve the area for visitors, workers and investors, one aspect of this town that doesn’t need much improvement is its connectivity. With Glasgow Airport located just ten minutes from the centre of Paisley, the area is ideal for future investors thanks to its international reach. Glasgow Airport is well-connected to other major airports in the UK in addition to flying to over 130 worldwide destinations. In addition to investors, the town’s great connectivity has also made it ideal for events to drive visitors to the area; an additional £7m has been pledged to organise events that will grow and strengthen creative and cultural sectors.
Future Visions:
The vision for the future is very much alive and well in Renfrewshire and Paisley, according to Councillor Iain Nicholson, the leader of Renfrewshire Council. He went on to say that the area has already begun to see ambitions move forward into a reality of creating an appealing destination for people to work, live, invest and start businesses. If you’re currently living in Renfrewshire and want to contribute to improving the future of the area, there are many ways for you to leave your mark. This could include investing in something as large as starting your own business or supporting local businesses and tradesmen in anything from building new properties to whitewashing floorboards.
Would you consider Renfrewshire and Paisley to live, work or invest?