Scottish Enterprise, North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) and developer Wilson Bowden have agreed to contribute £2m towards the second phase of a scheme to regenerate the former Ravenscraig steelworks.

The funding will be used to help draw up detailed planning briefs for the 450-hectare(1,250-acre) site in central Scotland, which will examine the options for developing a new town centre, an industrial area and a business park. Wilson Bowden and Scottish Enterprise have both contributed £800,000 towards the second phase, along with £400,000 from the council, which will help to outline future costs of the second phase and the level of public sector funding required to progress the scheme.

Liz Connolly, Scottish Enterprise's operations director West of Scotland, said: "The completion of the detailed planning briefs will be an important milestone for the project and is an important first step in terms of how we will take forward the options for phase two. "This is a long term project and as the first phase nears completion, it is important that all partners involved can evaluate progress to date and identify how we can continue to attract private sector interest and investment for the project going forward."

NLC leader Jim McCabe added: "Ravenscraig is a hugely important project for both the people of North Lanarkshire and the whole of Scotland and we are determined to drive forward with our partners to ensure that the project continues to be a priority." The £200m first phase of the Ravenscraig scheme has included the construction of a new regional sports facility, boasting a full-size indoor football pitch, a 120m athletics track with field event training areas and a sports hall.

Work has now started on the roof of the new sports complex after construction process reached the halfway stage. The facility is scheduled to open in autumn 2010. A new 280,000sq ft (26,013sq m) campus for Motherwell College has also been built to replace the institution's existing site in the town.

Image: The new regional sports facility