A Moray businessman has hit out after plans to extend his holiday park were rejected.
Gordon Christie wanted to build an additional 27 pitches for Burnside caravan park, Fochabers, on the former A96 road, which has been redundant since a new bypass opened last January.
But planning officers, acting on delegated authority, refused the application on the grounds that the increase in vehicles would impact on a cycle path which runs along the road.
Officers were acting on comments from statutory consultee Transport Scotland, which said the £200,000 development should be refused because the plot was “too narrow”.
Mr Christie said he was frustrated by the issue – not least because the council recently pledged to take a “flexible approach” to applications which could boost the economy.
The proposals to extend the park onto the former A96 were also incorporated in the local authority’s 2008 local plan.
Mr Christie described it as an “absurd situation”.
He said: “Originally I had this proposal when the bypass was first planned. It was a case of when it was complete, they would be able to allow caravans on the road and there would be a cycle track.”
But, he said, at the last minute, the design was tweaked and the cycle track plans were made 22ft wide.
He said the width of the path – which is used by a small number of people – was excessive, when compared to popular cycle routes in Europe, which are just 6ft wide.
“In the summer time we encourage a lot of cyclists, who stay and use the routes around the park,” said Mr Christie.
“There’s no way the two developments can’t work side by side. 27 extra pitches is not a small investment. It’s an added boost to a tourist facility and also a benefit to the local community.”
He added: “At the moment it’s just an old tar road which has just been left there. Cyclists have to negotiate the main entrance to the park, and they get on OK.”
He said he had tried to contact Transport Scotland to resolve the situation but to no avail.
The businessman pledged to appeal.