View from the Park by Owen McKee I think we can safely say The Season is over and that there are mixed views as to whether it was a good one. In the area generally there are very few who would say it has been a bumper year with even those well oiled machines catering for the coach tour customer seeing a drop in numbers. One success was the promotion of the area under the ScottsLand banner. This had its birth in an idea by one of our board members, Bob Aitken, that we should mark the bicentenary of the publication of Sir Walter Scott’s epic poem, The Lady of The Lake. The festival, which embraced existing local events and introduced a few more, culminated in ‘The Chase’ which combined a competitive event and a fun family rally roughly following the route of hunt in the poem. It is hoped that local businesses can build on this year’s festival. As part of their induction into their role we took the new members of the Board
on a sightseeing tour with the aim of not only showing them the splendours of the Park but also to give them an insight into the fourth aim of the Park Authority i.e. the promotion of the economic and social wellbeing of our communities. This started with a visit to our biggest community, Callander. And what a start! There are gap sites galore and businesses for sale everywhere. And yet here and there can be seen signs that some at least are looking to a better future. Advantage is being taken of the Conservation Area Repairs Scheme funded jointly by the National Park Authority and Historic Scotland. So should we despair or should we be planning for the future? And there’s the rub. Planning. As most of you will know the National Parks Local Plan is slowly wending its way to finalisation. It has been a long and weary road with some tricky obstacles to be overcome. Communities screaming for affordable housing and then when attempts are made to provide sites the campaigns in opposition start. What’s the point in
providing housing they cry if there is no work for the occupants. We need workspaces but, cries the opposition, we are in recession and so it goes on. It is not difficult to see why it is necessary to be constantly reviewing the Local Development Plan and why the Scottish Goverment now dictates that it must be renewed every five years. No sooner will this one be in place than work on the next one will start. Planning applications reflect the state of the economy of an area and I can say that in the past few months numbers have been down to such an extent that the Planning Committee Meeting for October was cancelled. Enquiries however suggest that the worst is over and a gradual build up is anticipated. So let’s be optimistic. After all, Christmas is just around the corner. Have you not done your shopping yet? Shame on you. As always I can be contacted as follows: Taigh Na Bhuth, Lochearnhead, FK19 8PR 01567 830214 owen@thevillageshop.fsbusiness.co.uk
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