Murray and Amy McConchie submitted a planning application to Dumfries and Galloway Council for permission to construct three self-catering huts on grassland at the former Mossyard Quarry site.
These are aimed at providing short stay accommodation for two to four people.
The McConchies, whose family have operated nearby Mossyard Caravan Park for five generations, also intended building an additional service hut, as well as decking and parking areas.
However, their application was rejected under delegated powers by a planning officer. This comes after a larger scale planning application for five holiday pods on the site was also thrown out in November 2022.
The grounds for refusal this time around were that the development “would fail to complement the natural environment and would have a significant unacceptable landscape and visual impact” within the Fleet Valley National Scenic Area and the Galloway Hills Regional Scenic Area.
Another appeal was launched by the applicants, and this came before the council’s local review body last week, where a request was made for councillors to go on a site visit to view the land and understand the context of the proposals.
Kate Jenkins, of Ericht Planning and Property Consultants, fought the case for the applicants and argued this second development bid was “smaller and more sensitively designed” than the previous proposal.
She wrote: “The design and the layout of the units, and the development as a whole, is considered to have been altered by an extent which materially changes the impact within the landscape, as compared to the previous larger proposal.”
The planning agent continued: “The appointed officer states there is ‘a prevalence of tourist accommodation developments along the coastline locally’.
“In fact, there are very few similar sized (two-to-four persons) self-catering huts in the local area which offer stays shorter than one week.
“The proposed development will specifically provide shorter stays for two to four guests.”
It was noted that participants for the The Gralloch and Raiders Gravel events often have to stay towards Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie, due to a lack of short stay accommodation.
Councillors agreed to go on a site visit and a decision will then be made at a future local review body meeting.
