A LARGS community councillor is hoping to help Douglas Park 'grow places' by creating a new community orchard.

Calls were made earlier in the year for the public to step in and help protect the historic park after council budgets used to help maintain it were cut.

The reduced funding resulted in fewer flowerbeds and less grass cutting.

In total £30,000 was axed from the budget due to the depleting Common Good Funds.

However community Councillor John McFarlane is now hoping to revitalise the area with a low maintenance orchard.

He said : "I am looking in to the possibility of an orchard in Douglas Park. It would bring great value, not only for the community, but for insects, birds and flowers.

"Something has to be done in the park before someone decides to take over the area and throw more flats up.

"It is on my wish list for this year year to try and make this happen. It would be a relatively low cost solution and greatly enhance the natural beauty of the facility.

"We could plant the trees in the area where the grass doesn't get cut at the moment."

Independent Largs councillor Ian Murdoch previously suggested that a public group could be formed to help safeguard Douglas Park in a similar vein to the one that runs the Viking community garden at Largs Railway Station.

He said: "I agree something should be done at Douglas Park and this is certainly something that could enhance it, but we need to think of ways we can generate some money to help look after the park.

"The Common Good funds aren't being replenished by anything at the moment, so at some point these will run out. We need to start looking at ways of generating an income.

"If we could put something in place commercially to help bring new money into the pot, then it will ensure that the maintenance can continue and we can look at new ideas such as this."

Community Council chair Anne Carson, pictured, said: "I think the orchard is a great idea. If there is anything we can as a community council to help, we will.

"We should be encouraging people to have more community spirit and to consider what they can do within the area to assist.

"I think people need to recognise that funding is being cut by the council all the time and the best way to ensure that our area doesn't lose out is by volunteering and taking ownership of more things within the town."