Campervan and motorhome owners are being urged to support newly created overnight stopover facilities in Dumfries and Galloway following successful efforts by the Campaign for Real Aires (CAMpRA).
Dumfries and Galloway Council is promoting the benefits of aires after several months of discussions with CAMpRA UK.
It follows the relaxation of planning in Scotland which encourages the setting up of three van sites with no site licence or planning – the relaxed planning has now been extended until October 2022.
Council officers are pointing landowners who express an interest in establishing an aire to CAMpRA for advice.
Related: Ayrshire overnight motorhome stopover pilot deemed a “success”
MotorhomeFun is supporting CAMpRA by issuing exemption certificates for suitable sites to operate as a five-van site under the provisions of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960.
Dumfries and Galloway Council has established a process for planning to deal with MF applications that will remove any delays in issuing the certificates, CAMpRA says.
The council has also launched funding to support landowners wishing to establish an aire or provide waste points.
A spokesperson for Dumfries and Galloway Council said: “We are very pleased to finally be welcoming visitors back to our beautiful region following the pandemic.
CAMpRA efforts has led efforts for the creation of more than 140 new aires and waste points since it was established less than two years ago.
CAMpRA is now calling on campervan and motorhome owners to make use of the newly created facilities and support newly created aires.
Pauline Rigby of Craig Croft in Dumfries and Galloway said: “I opened Craig Croft motorhome and camper van overnight stopover in September 2021, as we had seen on our local D&G council website that they were asking for anyone with a little bit of land who would like to open up to motorhomes and camper vans.
“We have only three pitches, so we didn’t need planning consent under Scotland’s relaxation of planning during the pandemic.
Related: Overnight stopovers at Northumberland beach car parks to be allowed
“We found out that CAMpRA had been campaigning with the council to open more up so we completed the contact form on the CAMpRA website.
“I received a phone call from CAMpRA with lots of helpful information on what was required and how to apply for an exemption certificate to increase our capacity to five motorcaravans with a MotorhomeFun exemption certificate, which is currently being processed.”
Land owners wishing to open a campervan and motorhome stopover are advised to contact CAMpRA.
Steve Haywood, managing director at CAMpRA UK said: “We are here to offer free help and support to anyone who is interested in setting up an aire – be that an individual with a small plot of land or councils – regardless of size and location in the UK.”
Don’t forget to subscribe to the Van Life Matters newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest UK Van Life news, tips and advice.
2 comments
Great news . Thank you all this is brill . Can you tell me where they are I’m Dumfries or castle Douglas please thank you
Hi Rose, you’ll be able to find all aire locations on Search For Sites.