The seafront path in Fairlie has taken a step forward after North Ayrshire Council secured £165,000 in funding towards the project.
The windfall comes from access charity Sustrans. All four councillors for Fairlie voted to approve the proposals but only a small section to the south of the village has been completed so far.
Latest drawings have been made available for the stretch of path from the north end of Ferry Row to the south end of Bay Street terminating at the ramp at the jetty.
The multi-user path will allow disabled people, bikes and prams to use the route when completed. A short section between the south side of the Fairlie Burn to the car park entrance road was constructed last June.
Fairlie Community Trust has been taking a close interest in the design of the path and is seeking to ensure there is regular dialogue between the local community, council and the path designs and contractors throughout the progression of the work both to achieve the best possible design and to minimise construction disruption. Three full council consultations have already taken place over the past three years on the project.
Largs News ‘Access All Areas’ campaigner Zoe Maclean has been a strong supporter of the new village path.
Zoe said: “There definitely needs to be a new path, and with this new proposal, it would mean that I would be able to get from one end of the village to the other, and stay off the busy main road area.”
Although the decision proved controversial after large posters were erected around the village, asking if the seafront path is what people really wanted, but path campaigners said it would provide all round access along the seafront for all users for the first time.
Fairlie resident and councillor Alan Hill said in 2014 that the seafront path was of the ‘utmost priority’ when the proposal first surfaced in April 2014 to provide a safe pathway alternative to the Main Road which has a number of narrow pavement areas and busy traffic.