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Moray to get five new motorhome sites


By Alistair Whitfield

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The go-ahead has been given to create five new stopover sites for motorhomes and campervans in Moray.

Moray Council agreed in its budget yesterday to spend £150,000 to set up the sites.

The move is designed to cater for the higher than average number of tourists expected to 'staycation' in Moray this summer.

The five sites will be on council-owned land at Burghead, Portknockie, Portgorden, Ballindalloch and Craigellachie.

A bid for cash from the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund to set up the sites has been slowed by having to respond Covid-19.

Therefore councillors decided yesterday to spend the local authority's own money ahead of the summer.

Councillor Louise Nicol (Speyside Glenlivet, SNP) stated that motorhomes have grown massively in popularity in recent years.

She added: "I’m happy to see broad support across the council for work being done to accommodate motorhomes.

"We need to be welcoming to all tourists when businesses start opening again.

"For too long motorhomes have been seen as a problem not as potential.

"More visitors supports more local jobs and a stronger recovery for the whole of Moray."

The proposal was brought forward to yesterday's budget meeting by the Conservatives in tandem with a selection of Independent councillors.

It was agreed on by all parties.

Another £20,000 will be spent on providing chemical waste disposal points at the sites.

In addition, extra money will be spent on a dozen seagull-proof bins which will be placed at various points along the coast.

Six portaloos will also be hired for six months at a cost of £25 each per week.

Two of these will be placed at Fiddich Park in Craigellachie, while another will be sited at Ballindalloch.

The remaining three will be kept in contingency by the council and placed where the demand is greatest.

Councillor Theresa Coull (Keith & Cullen, SNP) said: "Portknockie and Cullen saw an increase of campervans – and it is expected to be the same this year.

"The need is now and I am delighted that Portknockie will have an overnight parking area.

"Seagulls were prominent last summer in spreading litter from the open bins around the coast.

"So I am pleased this year we will have an addition of seagull proof bins."

Related article: Five motorhome and caravan stopover points suggested for Moray


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