Approval for short-stays at horse arena

Competitors visiting a recently-opened equestrian centre near Banchory will soon be able to stay there overnight near their beloved horses.

Bogenraith Equestrian had applied for permission to add five flat-roofed cabins to the Durris site.

The units will allow people visiting the site to stay overnight on a shortterm basis while they take part in competitions at the centre’s arena.

Owners of the fledgling business wanted to add accommodation following feedback from customers.

As there isn’t a lot of opportunity to stay nearby, the centre owners looked at providing this themselves.

They also hope that visitors staying over will visit the Fern Restaurant that would create further job opportunities and investment into the local economy.

Council planners had recommended the “unique” application be approved.

However, they wanted to grant temporary permission for three years in order to give the business time to create a higherquality and permanent replacement.

The proposal recently went before the Kincardine and Mearns area committee.

Councillor Alan Turner was happy to approve the cabins but asked for the timescale to be extended to five years instead.

This suggestion was backed by Councillor Dawn Black who thought three years would be “pushing it a bit”.

She told the area committee: “These pods will be put in, the business will see if this model is working, but then they need to raise more funds to be able to create the more permanent solution for the future.”

Following a vote, the fiveyear limit was backed by nine to three.

OVER THE HURDLE: A rider at the Bogenraith equestrian centre, and below, designs for short-stay cabins at the site.