The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Residents accuse eco-camp developer of digging up land
Claims: Owner refutes suggestion adding he has ‘legal right’ to work there
Residents living near the proposed site of a controversial eco-camp have accused the owner of digging up land before getting planning permission.
Dr Colin Hood and his wife Alison claim the revised plan for the site at Kinvaid Farm, Moneydie, will ruin their “peace and privacy.”
They have lodged an official objection to the plan which has been submitted by Steven Mackie, of Eco Camp Scotland, and suggest if the 20 holiday cabin proposal goes ahead it will seriously disrupt transport in the area.
Mr Mackie recently resubmitted a revised plan which, if passed, would see 15 camping pods along with five timber holiday lodges built at the rural site.
However, Dr Hood said while Mr Mackie withdrew his previous application earlier this summer, he has never “actually gone away.”
“He has been actively developing his site, excavating with his five-tonne digger on a daily basis, causing untold mayhem,” he claims.
“There are no tourist attractions in the area for anyone to visit; neither are there any supporting services to provide for travellers. All visitors will have to come by car as there is no local bus service.
“This must be one of the most inappropriate sites to consider placing a holiday park in the whole of Perthshire.
“Another major feature of our communities’ objections to the last application was transport. Our local roads have been increasing in traffic, with cars, lorries, caravans and campervans all using it as a third lane of the A9.”
However, Mr Mackie has refuted most of these claims, stating he owns Kinvaid Farm and has a “legal right” to work on it.
“I have had a few discussions with Perth and Kinross Council about the work I have been carrying out and they confirmed that any agricultural works already carried out do not require planning permission.
“The land in the current application has not been touched as part of a goodwill gesture at the council’s request. The work I have been doing to date is to turn over the soil in preparation to plant a wild flower meadow (in the spring) around the border of the land that is not part of the current application.
“By making the site much smaller and having less accommodation on it, we have cut down the amount of traffic that will be using the site in a bid to address transport issues.”
The land in the current application has not been touched as part of a good will gesture at the council’s request. STEVEN MACKIE