The means by which a Perthshire holiday village project would be funded may prove a stumbling block to gaining planning permission.
Councillors will have to decide today whether it is acceptable to give the go-ahead to a housing development in order to create the financing backing for the plan an avenue council officials are recommending should be rejected.
The application to go before the development management committee is for the construction of 30 holiday lodges, 10 houses, a reception and information centre, and the formation of cycle trails and woodland walkways on land to the west of Gellybanks Farm, Bankfoot.
The site, known as Gellybanks Wood, is approximately 4km south of Bankfoot and 6km north of Perth.
The 67-hectare site is located in open countryside, outside of any town or village development boundary.
Various aspects of the application that have led to a recommendation for refusal are outlined in a report to councillors by the council’s development quality manager Nick Brian.
“The holiday lodges do not adhere to the criterion contained within the economic development policies of the local plan, while the formation of the executive dwellings (to cross-fund the lodges) is contrary to the housing in the countryside policy,” he said.
“The development is considered to contravene criterion within the natural environment development plan policies. It is also worth noting that the status of the woodland in the environment statement as degraded is misleading.
“The Forestry Commission have confirmed that a substantial amount of the woodland was felled by the owner and the degradation is a result of the felled areas not being restocked, which is required by licence.
“While there will be improvements to the recreational and educational offering on the site, which forms a small part of the application, when taking account of the development as a whole the proposal does not adhere to the overarching thrust of the development plan.
“Taking all these factors into account, the application is recommended for refusal and there are no material considerations of weight that should lead to a different conclusion,” Mr Brian concluded.