Re: Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire
Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 11:13 am
Response received by Dawn Mair from Aberdeen Council:
"Thank you for your recent email regarding Aires Motorhome Network. I have been making enquiries with council officers regarding your proposal and they have advised me of the following:-
“As a city council, our ability to apply for rural funding is limited and it would also be a struggle to see where these facilities could be located. The fund is only applicable to rural areas as defined by the Scottish Government’s official Urban/Rural classification 5 and 6 – “accessible and remote rural areas” excluding settlements above 3,000 people and within a 30 minute drive time of a Settlement of 10,000 or more. It would exclude towns and larger villages within these locations. Primarily, it is to support infrastructure requirements around (nonpaid for) visitor or natural attractions, i.e. areas of outstanding scenic beauty, that have attracted increased visitor numbers and to stop deterioration of the natural and built environment, as well as benefitting local communities in the area.
Attached is the link to camping/ caravanning on the Visit Aberdeenshire site. Caravan Sites & Holiday Parks in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire (visitabdn.com). The Aires are sometimes part of motorway services, sometimes more pleasant surroundings.
In terms of your suggestions about car parks (specifically the Beach Waterfront, Old Hazlehead site and Torry Battery) the use of existing car parks wouldn’t raise too many issues assuming that any bylaws etc allow it. There have been incidents in the past where residents have raised concerns when Torry Battery car park was used by a worker from the harbour, however, the bigger concern would be any abuse of those sites in terms of waste and dumping and the enforcement of any charges. I am not sure a £5 charge (bearing in mind we need to collect it in some way) would cover those costs.
In relation to new sites, that clearly would require planning consent and as such might be something we want to consider guidance on if we felt there was a demand for it. That said, we don’t get many campervans at the Beach or at Torry and at the moment they can park there for free.
This is something we’ve been monitoring, particularly this year, with those on staycations. It is quite sad but we’re just not seeing the numbers coming to Aberdeen.
Yes we get the odd one but it’s not something that we’re seeing the numbers to warrant installing the required infrastructure.
These sites being mentioned normally have power supplies and waste stations, however, these would only be practical if the numbers increase.”
I’m sorry it’s not better news Dawn but it is certainly something Aberdeen City Council are monitoring, particularly at the Beach Area. It may be something for the future if numbers eventually increase.
Best wishes,
Marie"
On FB page I've suggested others write. I will be writing to her today - there are so many holes in her argument eg "we're not seeing the numbers to warrant installing the required infrastructure" ............ but visitors don't come because there's no facilities!
"Thank you for your recent email regarding Aires Motorhome Network. I have been making enquiries with council officers regarding your proposal and they have advised me of the following:-
“As a city council, our ability to apply for rural funding is limited and it would also be a struggle to see where these facilities could be located. The fund is only applicable to rural areas as defined by the Scottish Government’s official Urban/Rural classification 5 and 6 – “accessible and remote rural areas” excluding settlements above 3,000 people and within a 30 minute drive time of a Settlement of 10,000 or more. It would exclude towns and larger villages within these locations. Primarily, it is to support infrastructure requirements around (nonpaid for) visitor or natural attractions, i.e. areas of outstanding scenic beauty, that have attracted increased visitor numbers and to stop deterioration of the natural and built environment, as well as benefitting local communities in the area.
Attached is the link to camping/ caravanning on the Visit Aberdeenshire site. Caravan Sites & Holiday Parks in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire (visitabdn.com). The Aires are sometimes part of motorway services, sometimes more pleasant surroundings.
In terms of your suggestions about car parks (specifically the Beach Waterfront, Old Hazlehead site and Torry Battery) the use of existing car parks wouldn’t raise too many issues assuming that any bylaws etc allow it. There have been incidents in the past where residents have raised concerns when Torry Battery car park was used by a worker from the harbour, however, the bigger concern would be any abuse of those sites in terms of waste and dumping and the enforcement of any charges. I am not sure a £5 charge (bearing in mind we need to collect it in some way) would cover those costs.
In relation to new sites, that clearly would require planning consent and as such might be something we want to consider guidance on if we felt there was a demand for it. That said, we don’t get many campervans at the Beach or at Torry and at the moment they can park there for free.
This is something we’ve been monitoring, particularly this year, with those on staycations. It is quite sad but we’re just not seeing the numbers coming to Aberdeen.
Yes we get the odd one but it’s not something that we’re seeing the numbers to warrant installing the required infrastructure.
These sites being mentioned normally have power supplies and waste stations, however, these would only be practical if the numbers increase.”
I’m sorry it’s not better news Dawn but it is certainly something Aberdeen City Council are monitoring, particularly at the Beach Area. It may be something for the future if numbers eventually increase.
Best wishes,
Marie"
On FB page I've suggested others write. I will be writing to her today - there are so many holes in her argument eg "we're not seeing the numbers to warrant installing the required infrastructure" ............ but visitors don't come because there's no facilities!