National Park Place Programme

The National Park Place Programme is a new, place-based multi-year programme for prioritised capital investment in visitor management infrastructure and is a key action from the Joint Response Visitor Management Plan 2022. National Park partners are working with each other, and with local and national stakeholders, to develop the programme of visitor management infrastructure investment.

The position statement outlines the principles, approach, and priorities across land ownerships and aims to deliver multiple benefits for visitors, communities, and businesses. Taking a strategic approach, focused on where more impactful change can be made, it will also respond to and complement our work on the twin climate and nature crises.

Place Programme Fund

Complete an Expression of interest form

The Place Programme Fund is a targeted capital fund intended to help partners such as development trusts, public bodies and third sector organisations progress and deliver projects that directly contribute to infrastructure priorities identified in the Place Programme Delivery Route Map.

Funding is focused on priority locations and capital projects with a clear strategic fit, including design-stage development that can help unlock future investment.

The Fund has a strong emphasis on partnership delivery, match funding and project readiness. Priority may be given to projects, or clearly defined project phases, that can be delivered and completed by 1 February 2027.

Expressions of Interest are welcomed at any time, with full applications required no later than 1 September 2026.

Successful applications are expected to be awarded by early October 2026.

If you are developing a project that aligns with these priorities, we encourage you to tell us about it using the expression of interest form.

Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Development Studies

Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Development Studies were developed to identify areas of opportunity and identify actions to strengthen tourism infrastructure and place quality, address the needs of both residents and visitors, and create a framework to help secure additional funding for projects in key visitor management areas. The National Park Authority worked with Visitor Management Groups and local stakeholders to develop these strategic studies. 

The studies for East and West Loch Lomond were funded by the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF), established by the Scottish Government and managed by VisitScotland on its behalf. You can find out more by downloading the Place Programme report, the Partnership Projects Summary, and completed Studies below. The Partnership Projects Summary will be updated annually.

Balloch Pierhead Improvement Plan

Plans to improve Balloch Pierhead are progressing as part of our programme of investment in places across the National Park to deliver greater benefits for visitors, communities and businesses.

The Balloch Pierhead Improvement Action Plan has been developed following engagement with local communities, groups who use the area, landowners, businesses and partners over the last six months. It also draws on previous consultation on opportunities to make Balloch a better place for  visitors, residents and businesses, which recommended actions to improve the pier area.

You can read the Design Report outlining concepts for improvement actions which has been created by Page\Park Architects on behalf of The National Park Authority and West Dunbartonshire Council, by downloading the PDF below.