Planning permission has been granted to turn a former mining site in Ayrshire into a new eco-wellness park.
The Barony Colliery was located between Auchinleck and Ochiltree, but closed in 1989 and is preserved only by the A frame from the site and some other machinery, which have been given listed building status.
East Ayrshire Council has given planning permission in principle for the creation of a recreation and leisure space, which is said to be the first true nature-based wellbeing destination in Europe.
The scheme will include managed planting of native Scottish flora to increase biodiversity and encourage future natural development.
It's hoped the park will stimulate economic growth in the area, which was hit hard by the loss of the mining industry.
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The application received strong backing from local organisations including Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce, Auchinleck Community Council and Auchinleck Community Development Initiative (ACDI).
Irene Bisset, Chair of National Pride UK, said: “We are delighted that this scheme has been approved for planning permission in principle (PPiP) today and would like to thank the Council Planning Officers for their support. As the project develops, we look forward to continuing to work with them in delivering this.
"We understand and accept the imposed Conditions including the mitigation of any adverse impacts on the biodiverse nature networks and the natural environment on this site, which we will achieve through careful planning and design.
"Our hope is to continue to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to deliver wholly sustainable and ecologically friendly solutions that will achieve the best development outcome for this beautiful site.
"We would also like to recognise and appreciate the significant support of local groups in backing our proposals and to convey our sincere thanks to them for this.”
Barony Colliery opened in 1907, and at its peak employed more than 1,200 people, largely from surrounding towns like Auchinleck, Catrine, Cumnock, New Cumnock and Ochiltree an produced 1,520 tonnes of coal per day.
In 1953 an adjoining power station was built as part of a modernisation drive, along with the A frame which still stands today.
On November 8, 1962 the colliery's number 2 shaft collapsed, entombing four men - Henry Green, John McNeil, Thomas Fyvie and George Wade - beneath the ground. Contemporary reports stated that the drilling of a ventilation shaft had caused the cave-in.
The bodies were never recovered.
That led to fears that Barony would be shut down altogether but after a local community effort and political pressure from Willie Ross MP, the Secretary of State for Scotland who held the neighbouring Kilmarnock constituency, it was saved.
The colliery had returned to full production by 1966, though it operated under the constant threat of closure.
That is believed to be behind its branch returning one of the lowest votes for industrial action in Scotland when balloted by the National Union of Mineworkers ahead of the 1984-85 strike.
Barony remained open until February 17, 1989 when the last cage was wound and the remaining 400 workers were laid off.
The A frame which remains on the site is the only one of its kind in Scotland, and in 2014 was used as the site of a rave as part of the Auchinleck Alive and Kicking Festival.
That led to complaints from some of the former miners, one of whom dubbed it a "rave on a grave" due to the bodies of the four men killed in the 1962 disaster still being buried beneath the ground.
A separate garden and memorial stone are nearby to commemorate the men who lost their lives.
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