Located at the site of the former Barony colliery, The Barony Eco-Therapy Wellness Park will occupy 108.8 acres should planning permission be granted.

The joint venture, which has a core ethos to create ecologically sustainable and ethical developments, completed the purchase of the site as The Barony NP (UK) Limited, from Hargreaves Land in July 2020 and has, since that time, engaged consultants to develop the masterplan to create a beautiful and restful place for all to enjoy.

The Barony will be a non-exclusive health and wellness destination, providing active health and mental relaxation facilities. Spa, exercise, craft activities and amenities including a mining heritage museum, as well as overnight accommodation in a parkland environment for guests to be close to the natural world. The project will include a path for the public to enjoy a walk along the Lugar Water and include refreshment areas showcasing healthy dining experiences.

An online community consultation event will occur on June 23 between 2pm and 7pm. 

Consultants will be available during those hours to answer any questions and receive feedback through a two-way chat system.

Feedback can also be submitted via the website, and information will be made available in paper format if requested. 

Those who cannot access the exhibition boards on the day of the event can contact Orbit Communications at hello@baronywellness.com; telephone: 0131 202 3259 or at 4 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JE and these can be provided.

Natural woodland at the location will be sensitively recrafted to enable visitors to develop mental and physical strengths and personal resilience, as well as being a restfulness centre for sufferers of life-changing illnesses and conditions.

Education and training opportunities, especially for vulnerable adults, will be a priority and the project will create significant local employment and also prioritise support for local businesses and jobs in the supply chain,

Today all that remains of the Barony Colliery is a huge pit-heading winding gear frame, the Barony A-Frame, which is an inspiring local landmark and testament to the industrial heritage of the site.

Barony NP (UK) Limited will support The Barony A-Frame Trust in the rehabilitation of the ‘Memorial Garden’ dedicated to those miners who tragically lost their lives in the coal mine from 1908-1969. The rehabilitation and enhancement of the Garden will be a place of tribute and remembrance for the local community and a permanent reminder of the area’s mining heritage.

A proportion of the profits will be reinvested back into community wellbeing projects and support NHS student training.

Volunteering opportunities will be offered for those of all ages and abilities in a welcoming and safe environment. With the proximity of the new Barony Campus, students and visitors will also be able to appreciate the natural environment and advances in carbon zero plus renewable energy technologies.

Should things go according to plan it is anticipated that, planning permission permitting, construction could start on site in quarter three 2022 with it completing at the end of 2024.

Irene Bisset, chair of National Pride, said: “We are incredibly excited to be inviting the public to have a first view of our development proposals for The Barony Eco-Therapy and Wellness Park.

“Visitors to The Barony will experience a safe, restful and enlivening environment in which to relax, rejuvenate and be healthy in mind and body, developing their mental and physical strength and personal resilience.

“Our pledge is to create a fantastic wellness destination which will also provide significant community benefits to the area through the rejuvenation of a much loved local amenity, and we look forward to inviting the local community to share our proposals for the project, both at this digital consultation event and as our scheme progresses.”