Brora Rangers take advantage of deregulation to set up motorhome stopover next to clubhouse
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Brora Rangers Football Club is to provide a stopover area for up to five motorhomes on the concourse outside its clubhouse on Dudgeon Park Road, it has emerged.
The club has bypassed the need for planning consent or a site certificate by successfully applying for an exemption certificate.
Under current legislation certain organisation are able to issue exemption certificates permitting owners to have up to five motorhomes on their land.
But the issuing body, in this case MotorhomeFun is expected to carry out a site inspection and also consider objections from neighbours.
Local people have been made aware of the plan through a notice tied onto a No Unauthorised Parking sign outside the clubhouse.
The notice states: “No motorhome will ever become resident and a maximum 28 day stay is strictly observed”.
Brora Rangers board member David Dowling, himself a keen motorhome traveller, said the club had been inspired by the network of Aires to be found in Europe.
It is hoped to provide a chemical toilet and waste water disposal point on the site. A charge would be made for use of the site and any facilities.
Mr Dowling said the project would have a knock-on economic benefit to the village, bringing in visitors who were likely to spend locally on food and drink.
East Sutherland and Edderton ward councillor Deirdre Mackay said: “This is a positive thing and I am fully supportive of the initiative. It is a facility we do not have in the village but require.”
There was heated debate online after a social media user posted up an image of the notice.
It sparked 131 comments and some concern over the procedure involved and the lack of community consultation.
One person posted: “Seems a bit underhand. Surely locals should be consulted.”
Another wrote: “Appears dodgy”.
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