Proposals for a new holiday village concept in Millport are still on course, and the director of the project is urging islanders to support the development as it could bring many spin-offs to island businesses and sport facilities.
The proposals include 150 high class holiday lodge caravan units with scenic views of Arran, Ailsa Craig and Kilchattan Bay, based at West Bay, with future hopes for a swimming pool and function hall to possibly include a cinema - West Point Holiday Park and Village. Talks are already underway with a major holiday operator in relation to coming onboard.
Neil Gallacher, who is managing director of the project, is also involved in the 5MW Millport Solar Farm development which has gained full planning permission and is set to begin construction this year.
Speaking to the 'News' about his holiday village vision, Neil said: "At present, the island is struggling with accommodation. We have the Royal George Hotel, the Westbourne Hotel which has done a fantastic job developing the area, and some very fine guest houses. By providing 150 units with an average of four people in them, it is going to be a real benefit to the island. "With Cal Mac's lower tariffs thanks to the road equivalent tariff, I see no reason why we can't be an all year round staycation facility. The benchmark for us is Auchrannie in Arran which has a 90% occupancy rate. This would in turn benefit the island and local businesses, as well as the golf and bowling clubs as we could look towards offering sporting packages."
"The Westbourne Hotel has done a fantastic job developing the area - I appreciate our site will be across the road, but I do believe there is room for both companies to be working in tandem. The island has plenty of great places to go including The Minstrel has done really well, as has the Newton Bar is well established, and you have the Harbour Restaurant. You have people investing in the place like the Crocodeli and the Crocodile Chippy. We would hope to bring 150-200 extra people to the island on a regular basis. Yes it is taking a lot of time and money, but it would be great to get the island support. We are working with professional tourism operators coming to work in tandem with me, and it could have great benefits for Millport business in general."
Neil stressed that the holiday village would be a base for people for the island, and is happy to work with island committees, and said: "There is no reason why we cannot collaborate together as it is only to the benefit of the island. I want to work with the community."
"The island is crying out for support and the only way they are going to get it is by having more people staying on the island. Last year, hundreds of thousands of people came over to the island but 99% of them went home at the end of the day. I hear it in the pubs and restaurants - 'is there anywhere we can stay?' 
"This site is coming to fruition. The funding is in place for the development and we are submitting our pre-application and application, and subject to favourable views to that, we will put a full application in for phase one, and there will be three phases after that.
A spa facility including hydro pools would mean elderly people on the island can get hydrotherapy and fitness classes which they would have to otherwise get elsewhere. The function suite would cover 150 people with a cinema.
In the future, there will be thirty units for over 55s in a defined area, and fully inclusive disabled access units and facilities. A small area will be set aside for glamping.
Asked about the financial input for the project, Neil said: "I have investors lined up for the solar farm, I have private investment secured for the development. This investor also has major business interests in civil engineering and construction. And for the holiday investment, I have private investment secured given we gain favourable outline planning, and a phased development means that we can create our finances, but there are monies secured with new partners to take that forward, and the long term vision would be to tie in with one of the major holiday operators."