Objections to two 'party houses' planned in Boat of Garten area

Boat of Garten residents and community groups have come together to object to two holiday developments in the village.

Two applications for tourist accommodation have been lodged with Highland Council, sparking a combined total of 17 objections.

Kincardine Estate Lodges wants to build a new timber holiday home in the woodland near Street of Kincardine, 1.6km south of Boat of Garten.

But concerns have been raised, including by Boat of Garten and Vicinity Community Council, that there has already been too much development in the area.

This will be decided by the council’s south planning applications committee on Tuesday, on the same day as another application for Boat of Garten, to change the Moorfield House bed and breakfast on Deshar Road into a self-catering holiday let.

This has sparked outcry from 10 village residents, fearing the five-bedroom house will be used for wild parties.

The council has recommended both applications for approval, although conditions have been attached to the lodge application, insisting that appropriate access is in place before building work can begin.

In its objection to the four-bedroom lodge, Boat of Garten Community Council said more permanent homes need to be built, not holiday accommodation.

It stated: "More holiday homes are not what this community council area needs to be sustainable.

"Currently the nearby hamlet of Street of Kincardine has eight homes with permanent residents and 10 holiday homes.

"Boat of Garten and the other surrounding hamlets are known to have about 25 per cent holiday accommodation lettings.

"There are already three letting properties available to large groups of 10-12 people within Boat of Garten which sadly cause much concern to residents living nearby because of unreasonable levels of noise and disturbance from the large groups renting them.

"Another ‘party house’ is not welcome. There are plenty of holiday homes to meet need already here and many remain unoccupied outside peak holiday weeks."

The community council did not object to the application to change the five-bedroom Moorfield House into a holiday let, although 10 Boat of Garten residents did.

They fear it will become a party house, used by stag and hen parties, bringing disturbance to the quiet residential street.

The worries were shared by members of Reverend Donald Walker, who spoke out as the house is close to St Columba’s Church.

He said: "Moorfield has been run as a respected and much needed guest house for many years. It is situated between the manse and St Columba’s church.

"The church is used on a daily basis for morning and evening worship services, prayer meetings, children’s pray and playgroups, business meetings, counselling meetings, weddings and funerals.

"It should also be noted that the manse serves the villages of Nethy Bridge, Boat of Garten, Kincardine and Carrbridge and is in constant use for a wide range of meetings, planning, bereavement counselling and for religious studies throughout the day and evening.

"The Kirk Session is aware of the ever-growing number of large letting properties within the area which have become known as party houses and the accompanying disruption through groups such as stag and hen groups, often using outside hot tubs, causing a disturbance.

"We also wish to note that Moorfield House is right in the centre of a hitherto peaceful village community and is in close proximity to many properties that are permanently occupied by people of all ages, including families with children and elderly people."

But one neighbour, Ene-Karmen Forsyth, said she was pleased to see the application, in the hope it may spark better management of the large beech trees on the site, which she said are too large and dangerous in bad weather.

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