Scottish parks urge Highland Council to think again on motorhome parking plans
Dornoch Caravan and Camping Park in Sutherland says it is already being negatively affected by the council scheme
The British Holiday and Home Parks Association (Scotland) asks for consultation with council over safety fears
GLOUCESTER, UNITED KINGDOM, July 24, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The British Holiday and Home Parks Association (Scotland) has called for an "urgent re-think" on plans by Highland Council to open its public car parks to motorhome users.
The association, which represents around 200 parks in Scotland, says there has been no consultation on the proposal which poses a significant fire risk because the council's car parks don't comply with safety regulations.
It says concerns have already been expressed by other bodies, including the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, that motorhomes will not be properly distanced from each other.
Scottish Government guidance states that units should be not less than six metres apart in order to help avoid the spread of fire.
However, the association says, this is not the only way in which Highlands Council is failing to comply with industry health and safety regulations.
With no proper facilities for motorhome car park users to discharge waste, it points out, an environmental hazard could be created by the dumping of effluent in the countryside.
Gas safety is another important issue monitored and managed on regulated parks, says BH&HPA, but which will not be subject to supervision on council car parks.
By overlooking these issues the council risks creating health, safety and environmental threats whilst undermining the businesses of professionally managed parks.
The association says that its members, most of which are smaller family-owned businesses, make substantial investments to ensure they offer a quality product and remain compliant with strict regulations. They also pay high business rates only to find they are now competing directly with the local authority. BH&HPA says members are already reporting lower occupancy rates.
Sarah Allanson, Director for Scotland at BH&HPA, said: “A local authority should not be allowed to use its powers to relax health and safety rules and undercut local businesses.
"There has been no consultation over the plans to turn council car parks into budget stopover sites for motorhome users and no explanation as to why industry health and safety regulations will not apply to the council-owned carpark scheme.
"There are real fire-safety and environmental risks at stake, in addition to the impact it will have on responsible park businesses and the local people whose jobs rely on them. We will continue our efforts to engage with Highland Council and have requested a meeting as soon as possible.”
Parkdean Resorts is a member of the BH&HPA and the UK’s largest holiday park business which operates Grannie’s Heilan’ Hame Holiday Park and Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park in the Highlands area. A spokesman for Parkdean said: “It’s worrying that this development potentially sets apart local authority spaces from the regulations that all other holiday park operators must adhere to.
"Risks such as fire and gas management and waste disposal arrangements appear not to have been addressed as the Highland Council opens up its car parks spaces for wider motorhome use. We would readily welcome wider consultation on this issue.”
BH&HPA says it hopes that the absence of any consultation so far with its organisation, holiday park owners and the wider tourism industry will now be remedied in the interests of everyone.
Jon Boston
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