A £300,000 award from the Magnox - owners of Hunterston ‘A’ power station - has helped secure the long term future of UK’s oldest marine research centre at Millport.

Just two years ago the facility was temporarily closed with its future uncertain. Originally run by the University of London, the Field Studies Council (FSC) was asked to advise on possible business models, but stepped in and acquired the site at the start of 2014.

The centre has now been transformed to allow for the expansion of the facility, and phase one of the development is complete which includes a new accommodation building with 32 twin en-suite rooms, a 150-seat lecture theatre and teaching laboratory/teaching room.

The total cost of phase 1 was just over £3 million with funding coming from North Ayrshire Council, the Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

To complete the project, work has begun on phase 2, costing £1m and includes a new aquarium and further improvements to teaching facilities.

A cheque of £300,000 for this work was presented at the Phase 1 completion ceremony at the beginning of July.

This is one of the largest awards made by the Magnox Socio-Economic Scheme in the three years it has been in operation covered 12 Magnox sites across the UK.

Full story in this week's Largs News.