Call of nature for popular Lothian reservoir

The reservoir, which is a popular attraction with walkers, lies north of the Pentland Hills, near the A70, to the south-west of Kirknewton.

Yesterday, the council executive agreed to endorse a draft agreement to help officially promote it.

The local authority will now provide the owner of the reservoir, the city council, with the draft agreement for its consideration.

Councillor Carl John, who is West Lothian's representative on the Pentland Hills Regional Park Joint Committee, said: "If the site were a Local Nature Reserve it would allow the management group to apply for future grants, which are currently unavailable to the council, to carry out further improvements around Harperrig Reservoir.

"We believe that it is in everyone's interest to turn the area around Harperrig Reservoir into a Local Nature Reserve."

If approved, the move would result in a second Local Nature Reserve for West Lothian, after Easter Inch Moss and Seafield Law was created in 2007.