The Edinburgh South MP and Secretary of State for Scotland met the owners of a city holiday park on Friday.
The Rt Hon Ian Murray met the family owners of a major holiday park in his Edinburgh South constituency.
He was welcomed to Mortonhall Holiday Park by Henry and Catherine Trotter of Meadowhead Parks, and other members of Mortonhall’s management team.
Mr Murray was invited to inspect a range of new facilities at the park which had received approval from visitors this year.
He saw recent initiatives taken by the Trotter family to protect nature in the 200-acre country estate on which the park is situated. These include a plantation of Italian Alders which marked the Diamond Jubilee of Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
Despite being just four miles from the centre of Scotland’s capital Mortonhall has been described as a “wildlife wonderland” for its raft of plant and animal species.
Mr Murray said: “It was fantastic to visit the Mortonhall Holiday Park this morning to chat with the team.
“It’s a stunning spot and great for visitors and locals alike. We’re very lucky to count this area among a number of exceptional green spaces in the south of Edinburgh.
“And of course The Stable Bar has some great food and good value for a small libation.
“Despite my best efforts my team would not let me stop off for a nap in one of the wigwams! Well worth a trip if you can.”
Sarah Allanson, Scottish director of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA), and Debbie Walker who is the organisation’s UK director general also met Mr Murray.
Mortonhall park manager Andy Wallis told Mr Murray that the park had “gained popularity as an idyllic rural base for exploring both the surrounding countryside and the city of Edinburgh”.
He said that Mortonhall had also this year once again proved a hit with visitors and performers attending the festivals. Accommodation options at the park include luxury holiday caravans, including those for people with impaired mobility, plus fully equipped glamping wigwams and shepherd huts. There are also pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents – and Mr Murray was shown the new world-class shower and amenities centre opened this year.
Operations manager, Alex Benson, outlined that all new developments on the park are created with the accent on sustainability as Mortonhall continues its own journey towards net zero.
He said that the building has extremely high levels of insulation and is clad with locally-sourced larch, whilst heating and hot water is delivered by the latest energy-efficient technology.
These policies, along with the park’s successful initiatives to protect its flora and fauna, have resulted in Mortonhall being a longstanding winner of David Bellamy Conservation Award.
Mr Trotter explained there are plans for a solar energy development to provide electricity for the holiday park and its bar and restaurant with any surplus energy being exported to the National Grid.
Elsewhere on the estate, plans are underway for a 49MW battery storage renewable energy development, expected to be the single biggest generation source in the City of Edinburgh.
Sarah Allanson told the MP that the Association would be holding its UK national conference in Edinburgh next February where many of Britain’s 3,000 parks will be represented. She offered an invitation to Mr Murray hoping that he would be able to attend part of the event as a guest, and to meet some of other 200 Scottish parks in membership of BH&HPA.
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