Kinneil Friends group urges ‘have your say on historic walled garden’

The garden, in the grounds of Kinneil House, dates from the 16th to 17th centuries “when Kinneil House would have been at its most magnificent”.

Now the council is examining ways of developing and managing the site in future, following the closure of the plant nursery there last year.

Under the Hamilton family the garden was historically the centre of some of the most refined horticultural practices and training of the time.

The consultation explores whether the nursery space should be given over to further community use and growing, and/or whether it might be a site for some sort of development integrated within the overall vision and Masterplan for Kinneil Estate.

This could see the estate presented as a heritage park capable of attracting visitors from far afield - while also serving the local community.

A Friends spokesperson said: “Development in the walled garden might somehow help to bring in more people from outside the area, and contribute to making the estate as a whole viable, supporting local jobs and economic activity”.

Options in the consultation range from community growing plots and beehives, or men’s sheds to a skills training venue, visitor centre and café, or conference centre.

The consultation can be found at https://www.falkirk.gov.uk/news/article.aspx?aid=6312