The Council will, through its Core Path Plan, and in association with relevant bodies, landowners and tenants, seek to develop a comprehensive local footpath and cycle route network for access and recreational use for local residents. Priority will be given to the development and promotion of new circular routes and footpath links between settlements, especially where these utilise existing disused railway lines, forestry access roads, minor country roads etc.
The Council will promote and be particularly supportive of the development of a long distance route from Darvel to Muirkirk which forms part of National Development 8 within National Planning Framework 3.
Development of new routes for core paths, footpaths, bridleways or cycle paths should demonstrate to the Council that they will not have an adverse effect on the integrity of a Natura 2000 site.
The Council will not be supportive of development which disrupts or adversely impacts on any existing or potential core path, right of way, bridle path, or footpath used by the general public for recreational or other purposes, particularly where the route concerned forms, or has the potential to form, part of the network of circular routes or footpath links between settlements, actively promoted by the Council.
Where such disruption or adverse impact is demonstrated to be unavoidable, the Council will require developers, as an integral part of the proposed development, to provide for the appropriate diversion of the route in question elsewhere within the development site or to put into place appropriate measures to mitigate and overcome the adverse impact expected.