Case Study // Glentress Eco Tourist Facility
Planning Application and Environmental Statement
The site is located on land next to a major mountain bike centre in the county of Peeblesshire in the Scottish Borders.
The project is to erect 24 wigwams together with a building which will provide a meeting room, w/c facilities, showers and washing and drying facilities. There are also facilities to wash down the mountain bikes at the end of each day.
Each wigwam unit has electrical power unit with parking for 2 cars and a barbecue facility.
Due to the visual impact of the development a detailed visual and landscape assessment has had to be prepared which incorporates extensive planting over the site which currently is down to grazing. The intention is to extend the development with additional units which are all timber constructed using Scottish sourced materials.
During the development of the project agreement had to be reached with the Forestry Commission to gain access involving entering into a long term lease agreement.
The drive behind this project has been diversification from a strictly based farm unit to providing land based development all of which can be managed by the owners of the farm.