A Perthshire former prisoner of war camp could be developed into a major visitor attraction if the idea wins community backing.
Plans are already in place to convert 10 of the buildings at Cultybraggan near Comrie into tourist accommodation but locals are to be asked how they see the rest of the site developing.
Next year the Comrie Development Trust (CDT) will be 10 years old and as part of the strategy for the next decade a meeting will be held in the White Church, Comrie, at 7.30pm next Tuesday to gauge local feeling.
A trust spokesman said: “Alongside a look back to what has been achieved, the CDT board wants to bring trust members together early in the new year to finalise plans for the next five years and agree a vision for 2025.
“It was the people of Comrie, with support from elsewhere, who first came together to form the trust 10 years ago and to use new right-to-buy possibilities in purchasing Cultybraggan Camp from the MoD (Ministry of Defence).
“It will be the trust members from Comrie and elsewhere who will decide what direction to take with their camp and how to use the funds which that asset could produce in the village and local area.
“The trust board believes one of the ways to make best use of Cultybraggan Camp would be as a major visitor centre, attracting people to come and see the nationally and internationally important former prisoner of war and MoD site.
“This would also involve developing catering and educational resources, which would be available to people coming to the camp for other purposes, such as sports, the orchard and the nearby trust-owned hill ground.
“Trust members have an opportunity (at the White Church meeting) to discuss these proposals and make their views known about them. This will also be a time for those who believe a different way forward would be better for the camp and village to say what they think the alternatives should be.”
Bill Thow, CDT board chairman, wants to encourage as many members as possible to get involved.
“Sixty individuals and organisations have already demonstrated they believe in a positive future for Cultybraggan Camp as a means to benefit local people,” he said. “They have bought community shares to the value of over £13,000 in the proposed self-catering development at the camp.
“The trust is still looking for other investors before the share offer closes early next month but the trust board is also looking to its members to decide on the overall development of their Cultybraggan site.