Holiday park plan raises concerns

Letters from 28 objectors to PKC planners

Objections are stacking up against a proposed eco holiday park opening in Perthshire.

Eco Camp Scotland wants to create up to 60 tent pitches, 25 camping pods and eight timber holiday lodges at Kinvaid Farm north of Moneydie in order to offer visitors a “low-cost, low-impact” break.

In a design statement submitted to Perth and Kinross Council, the company’s Pitlochry-based architects, APTUS, say its proposals will “retain and enhance ... the beauty of the site” as well as “protect the wildlife ... present on the site” and “enhance biodiversity”.

And a separate transportation statement completed by planning consultants Cundall Johnston and Partners LLP concludes the proposed eco camp “would create a trip generation rate that could be reasonably accommodated on the existing public road network”.

But the local authority has now received at least 28 letters objecting to the application, including one from Luncarty, Redgorton and Moneydie Community Council (LRMCC), disagreeing with that assertion.

The group says in its objection the application has attracted “a lot of interest in the community”, adding that “a substantial number” of local people “are solidly against” the proposed development.

The group’s letter continues: “The public access roads serving Moneydie are largely single track minor roads serving farms and the handful of houses leading on to similar small communities in the vicinity.

“The proposed development would have a significant impact on these narrow, twisting roads where there are no pavements and often very restricted verges.

“The increased traffic of visitors staying at the campsite travelling to and from the site and attractions elsewhere will lead to road safety problems not only for motorists but also to cyclists on the signposted cycle route and pedestrians.

“The community council intend to take forward as a separate issue a concern regarding the road use at present let alone how the situation would become should the traffic flow increase significantly.”

The letter continues: “The site drainage is to an SUDS [Sustainable Urban Drainage System] pond at the south west corner of the site.

The proposal is to have some 600mm free board to allow for heavy rainfall, silting and vegetation growth.

“The SUDS pond would then drain through the soil into the underlying soil layers leaching into underground aquifers.

Both the Tay and Shochie burn form part of [the] Tay Special Area of Conservation and are an important fishery asset.

“As mentioned in the application papers the Shochie burn runs very close to the site and we are concerned that during periods of sustained heavy rain or snowfall the site drainage and run off into the SUDS pond may be sufficient to cause it to overflow over the roadway and into the local watercourse heading to the River Tay.

“In conclusion, the community council feel the road safety issues and the impact the application and site drainage might have on the local and much wider community have not been fully addressed and bring these to the planning authority’s attention.

“We, therefore, object to the proposal for the reasons given.”

The application awaits a decision by PKC planners.

Community council feel road safety and drainage impact not fully addressed