Campsite approved to halt Salen decline

COUNCILLORS approved a 40-pitch campsite on Mull on Wednesday, hoping the extra £1.5 million annual income will help reverse Salen’s decline.

The application, phase one of a masterplan also approved that day by the Planning, Protective Services and Licensing Committee, proposed creating pitches for up to 30 tents and 10 campervans or caravans, as well as a central hub, bicycle building, and access and drainage works, on land south of Pier Cottage, Salen. Access to the site already exists, with plans to upgrade it.

A report presented by planning officers explained the campsite was ‘driven by a notable increase in the number of campervans visiting Mull as a result of the introduction of Road Equivalent Tariff’ (RET), which sets ferry fares on the basis of the cost of travelling an equivalent distance by road on the Oban to Craignure ferry route, reducing most ferry fares by around 50 per cent.

‘Motorhome single fares are now reduced to between £13 and £26, making the prospect of a visit to the island that much more affordable for persons touring Argyll,’ the report continued.

‘The experience to date is that increased campervan visits added to the vehicles available for hire on the island, have highlighted the paucity of serviced facilities available, leading to wild camping, overnight use of car parks, passing places and so on, in what can be inappropriate locations lacking in basic facilities.’

The masterplan added: ‘The development will initially create two full-time and two part-time jobs. The campsite is predicted to attract between 12,000 and 15,000 visitors per annum with an estimated injection of some £900,000 to £1.5 million (a predicted spend of £50 and £75 per visitor per day) into the local economy.

‘Historically, when Salen had a regular ferry service, the Pier Road was a main artery for economic growth. The village was a very prosperous place with plentiful employment. Since the closure of the ferry service, the village has been in steady decline.

‘A lack of amenities hinders development of the village as a residential choice or a tourist destination. It is hoped that the masterplan development will help to reverse this trend.’

Planning officers recommended councillors approve the application. Councillor Mary-Jean Devon agreed, saying: ‘Salen used to be a busy little village. This is badly needed.’ With no dissention, the application was approved.

But the committee’s vice-chairman, Councillor Rory Colville, slammed the process as ‘bureaucracy gone overboard’, asking officers: ‘Why has it required a masterplan and an ACE to provide something that is needed?’

Part of the campsite lay outside a Potential Development Area (PDA) earmarked for tourism and commerce, and planners required an Area Capacity Evaluation (ACE) to deem that area of open countryside was acceptable for development, due to the economic benefit it would bring.

For the part lying inside the PDA, the applicant Torr Gorm Developments submitted a masterplan, which set out the campsite as the first of a fivephase development, followed by pontoons, slipway and moorings, then yacht storage in 2020, three retail units in 2021 and four chalets in 2022.

Councillor Gordon Blair commented: ‘I am delighted we have this process, so we do not have the caravan parks in Argyll and Bute which have expanded and expanded.’