Provision of Falls of Shin Aire has resulted in 'responsible usage of site', says development trust manager
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The manager of the Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust (KoSDT) has given an update on the usage of its new motorhome aire at the Falls of Shin.
The overnight parking facility for motorhomes and campervans came on stream at the Invershin beauty spot in June.
Four electric hook-up points have been installed as well as a chemical waste point connected to a septic tank and a water supply for drinking and ‘wash-down’.
There is also provision for the storage and collection of general and recycled waste.
KoSDT manager David Watson was asked about the usage of the site at a meeting of Lairg Community Council earlier this month.
He said the Falls of Shin Aire had been opened on June 8 so had been operational for around four months.
“We have not advertised the facility at all this year because the restaurant at the site is not open. We just let it work away without advertising it,” he said.
There had been 75 hook-ups during the four months.
“Not everyone who came chose to hook up – people come to dispose of their waste, Most of them do not stop overnight but some of them do,” said Mr Watson.
He added that there had been 272 chemical waste disposals on the site, charged at £3 each. Water and general waste disposal was free. Around £2000 had been taken in overall from the site.
KoSDT is now reviewing the fee for waste disposal because the cost of emptying the septic tank is increasing.
“Usage will go up next year and we will have to monitor what we are charging,” said Mr Watson. “We are going to be raising the £3 charge for chemical waste disposal.”
He went on to talk about the situation at Bonar Bridge where KoSDT had hoped to set up an aire at the site of the South Bonar public toilets, only for the project to stall following an objection on flooding grounds from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
“Our toilets at Bonar Bridge have been shut all summer because people are using them to dispose of chemical waste,” he said. “The inability to dispose of chemical waste at Bonar Bridge is causing issues.”
Speaking to the Northern Times following the meeting, Mr Watson said: “One aspect that it is also important to note is that over the time that the aire has been open at Shin Falls, we have had no reports of inappropriate disposal of waste, no human waste issue, no wild camping, no wild fires lit on the site and no increase in dog waste.
“The provision of the facility has resulted in responsible usage and has not created any other issues.”
