67 and 71 NEW TOWN PLANS - by Crawford Fulton
This time we are going to have a wee look at the 'thinking' behind the shape of the whole new town. The first plan (1967) showed the locations of various land uses and the proposed road network; as you can see from the photo, it also showed the creation of a new town centre, somewhere to the south of Stanecastle. The 1971 plan moved the town centre to an area due west of Irvine's historic Cross. This necessitated: the demolition of a 400 year old bridge; the complete destruction of the heart of Fullarton (a separate community until the late 19th Century); the devastation of most of Waterside, a beautiful, tranquil, part of the town; the creation of ugly settings for three of the town's churches (Trinity, Wilson Fullarton and Fullarton); the visual cutting off of the town centre from the Harbouside; and the creation of a very poor impression of the Royal Burgh from the railway station. I could produce a very long list of other adverse consequences which flowed from this 1971 plan revision. To sum up this 1971 Masterplan in two words: 'completely nuts'.
It has been said that the relocation of the town centre was due to pressure the town's traders. I find it hard to believe that the IDC ever listened to anyone's objections to anything.
Irvine Town Centre North 1970 - by Crawford Fulton
