A public hearing is to be held to determine whether an Argyll holiday village can expand – at the expense of removing 88 trees.
The owners of the Hunters Quay Holiday Village want to install an additional 40 caravan pitches at its premises just outside Dunoon.
But concerns have been raised for the neighbouring Camas Rainich woodlands, which would have to sacrifice 88 trees in order for the development to take place.
Argyll and Bute Council’s planning, protective services and licensing committee agreed last week that a discretionary pre-determination hearing would take place on the plans.
A report by council planning official Brian Close recommends that planning permission should be granted, subject to the hearing taking place. No date has yet been set for the hearing.
Mr Close said: “The application site has been identified as having capacity to accommodate a maximum of 40 new holiday caravan stances.
“The impact on surrounding woodland, habitats and species have all been carefully assessed and considered to be acceptable and in accordance with policies contained in the Argyll and Bute Local Development Plan.
“The development of these proposals would result in the positive regeneration of this portion of Camas Rainich Wood, as well as delivering tourism and other economic development benefits.
“The proposals accord with all other relevant development plan policies and it is therefore appropriate that planning permission be granted in line with development plan policy, subject to recommended safeguarding conditions.”
However, Hunters Quay Community Council was not so welcoming- a spokesperson said in a statement submitted in January: “Concerned about this development and its many subsequent impingements on and further disruptions to our community and environment.
“Not least its additional traffic problems on our narrow, ancient main roads through our residential and many tourist accommodation.
“This will lead to more unsafe driving and road blocking due to even more queueing on Marine Parade by Western Ferries at times of change at the Holiday Park.
“The community council has canvassed residents and we have received much verbal adverse comment from them that, as we councillors also do, strongly object to this application.
“There has been extreme difficulty in downloading this application. This is exacerbated by the volume of material.
“It is felt that there is now little time to consider properly and fully the proposal.”
Thirty-nine objections have been received to the proposals, with 23 representations being made in support.
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