A Perthshire farmer has been ordered to tear down an unauthorised cowshed after losing a planning appeal.
Enforcement action was taken against James Forbes after he built a barn on his land at Glenfarg, despite two failed attempts to secure consent for it.
The steading was being used for cattle and sheep in a field at Duncrievie.
In 2013, councillors threw out a retrospective application, claiming the shed would lead to an “unacceptable level of noise” for neighbours.
Last year, Mr Forbes launched a bid to overturn the decision with an appeal with Scottish ministers.
A spokesman for the farm argued that the council’s demand to have the shed removed within 28 days was unreasonable.
“There are presently 22 cows and a number of sheep all utilising the shed,” he said. “There is no other place where the appellants can adequately locate their animals and their health and welfare would be compromised without utilising this shed.”
Now the Scottish Government’s Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA) has published its ruling, upholding the enforcement notice but giving Mr Forbes more time to comply.
He has been ordered to stop using the cowshed within 120 days and remove it a month later.
In his findings, DPEA reporter John Martin said: “I acknowledge the appellants’ need to house the cows and sheep over this winter and that they would not have appealed if they felt they had no reasonable chance of success, so I am not convinced by the council’s arguments that they should have made other arrangements beforehand.
“While it may be ideal that the animals remain inside until May, there should be nothing to prevent them being returned to the land earlier in the spring.”
The erection of the shed angered building firm GS Brown. In a letter to appeal officers, chairman Geoff Brown blamed the shed for having a negative impact on four planned houses nearby.