National park officer responds to fears over high volume of planning applications at Loch Lomond

dailyrecord.co.uk:

An officer within the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA) has responded to concerns being raised by an independent charity over the potential future impact of a number of planning applications on life within the picturesque area.Recently, Friends of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs sounded the alarm over what it saw as several attempts to create private residential accommodation within the national park authority’s catchment area – which includes parts of St Fillans and Loch Earn.James Fraser, chair of the Friends, said: “It is very disappointing to see the scale of loss of family-run hotels in the national park in recent times, but this is inevitable given the major challenges and pressures faced by owners in such a difficult trading environment.“With the loss of smaller hotels and the retrenchment of some of the larger hotel operations some of the tourist appeal of the national park is being diluted and there is a real danger of more communities becoming dormitory commuter and retirement retreats and lacking in the diversity and vibrancy derived from having a blend of enterprises locally with employment opportunities.”However, in response Stuart Mearns – a director of place with the LLTNPA – said that “outwith a small number of accommodation businesses which have this year returned to purely residential use, or are seeking to”, the authority had not seen a significant number of hotels closing and shifting to permanent residential use.Mr Mearns continued: “We continue to receive regular applications for new accommodation.“Overall, the decrease in some types of accommodation needs to be viewed with a broader view that includes new accommodation, particularly non-serviced accommodation, which is