Newmilns and Greenholm residents love their town – but they are not blind to its problems.

Newmilns and Greenholm residents love their town – but they are not blind to its problems. When asked what they disliked, they raised a long and pointed list.
In the survey for the Newmilns & Greenholm Community Action Plan 2022–2027, the biggest concern was housing and anti-social behaviour, accounting for 65% of responses about the town's weaknesses. Residents spoke of run-down housing, crime, anti-social behaviour and drug and alcohol misuse. Several criticised private landlords who rent out properties without maintaining them or properly vetting tenants.
The town's appearance was a close second at 62%. The state of the main street, and the poor first impression it gives anyone driving through, came up again and again. Residents pointed to buildings left to fall into ruin, cracked pavements and dog fouling.
Local amenities, location and transport links accounted for 53% of concerns. People are frustrated at the loss of essential services, and one resident said the whole valley was being starved of life as banks and the Post Office pulled out. Buses were described as expensive compared with some neighbouring towns.
Traffic drew some of the strongest comments. One resident criticised the council for abandoning plans for a bypass, which they believed would have transformed the town.
The local economy, heritage and tourism made up 50% of concerns. Residents spoke of a lack of jobs, and of empty shops and buildings that could be let or sold to bring in new businesses. Several wished the town had a decent pub or restaurant where families could enjoy a meal. One resident made a sharp economic point: few people will open a new business in a town where very few new houses are being built.
The concerns are reflected in the town's figures. The plan estimates the population at 2,759, a fall of around 200 since the previous plan, making Newmilns the smallest of the three valley towns. Galston has around 4,750 people and Darvel around 3,837.
The plan does not simply list the complaints. Each one feeds into a set of priorities and practical actions, from pressing absentee landlords to maintain their properties, to tackling dog fouling, to finding new ways to provide banking services.
As one resident put it in the plan's vision section, the aim is a vibrant town where people actively want to live and stay. The survey shows how much work is needed to get there – and how much residents care.