Nigel Willis of Save your regional park group has written to the 'News' ...

One major point that seems to be being missed by Tilhill and Kenneth Gibson MSP, either by mistake or deliberately, is that the area proposed for planting is not only within Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.but also includes a large chunk of the area designated by Scottish Natural Heritage as "WILD LAND" (Area No 4). 

This is the only WILD LAND designated in the Central Belt - see http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/A1323225.pdf  with the next nearest areas being the Galloway hills to the south, The Arran mountains to the West and the mountains at the northern end of Loch Lomond to the north. 

WILD LAND is therefore considered very special and the Scottish Government's third National Planning Framework recognises WILD LAND as "nationally important areas requiring strong protection". The full spread of Area 4 can be seen onhttp://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/A2027800.pdf.

It is almost inconceivable that as a Partner Council within Clyde Muirshiel, North Ayrshire Planning Dept and Planning Committee could have ignored the WILD LAND when they approved the construction of the new road from Blairpark on the A760 across the WILD LAND to join the Green Road at the Greta Bridge. To plant this area with exotic non native softwood in the form of mainly Sitka spruce would be totally against the principles of WILD LAND and for the Stakis organisation and Tilhill to carry on with the current proposal would be totally inappropriate and adding insult to injury.

Regards

Nigel Willis
Chairman
Save Your Regional Park campaign