Bourtreehill

However, with more frequent police and Community Warden Patrols, this has gone down, though the area still suffers from the lack of employment opportunities in North Ayrshire.

Bourtreehill (and Broomlands) housing estates were built in the late 1970s to meet the demands of a burgeoning population.

Originally, Bourtreehill housing scheme was intended to be substantially larger than it is today, extending beyond the River Annick, further towards Perceton.

North Bourtreehill has been a troubled community since its inception with several different construction companies being involved, some of which went bankrupt partway through the project.

He has not been seen since despite the case being featured on the television programme Lorraine Kelly Investigates: Missing Children.

The community of Bourtreehill has a range of social problems such as drug dealing, underage drinking and petty acts of vandalism.

This has been blamed on the lack of facilities for young people in the area, although several projects have sought to address this.

With new regeneration schemes and building works planned for the future, the social problems of old should lessen if not cease.

It includes stores ranging from a Small Supermarket, a newsagent with an internal sub post office, bookmaker, Chinese Take-Away, a chemists, and a hairdresser.

The Irvine New Town Trail is a cycle and pedestrian route which passes through Bourtreehill, giving relatively 'car free' access to Girdle Toll, Eglinton Country Park, Broomlands, Springside, Kilmarnock and beyond.