# Local Council 'aire' - some progress



## ardgour (Mar 22, 2008)

As many of you know I have been trying to persuade Stonehaven council to provide 'aire' style facilities for the hogmanay fireballs celebration but had pretty much given up hope for this year, especially since the recent flooding in the town diverted everyones attention to more immediate worries, but this morning - progress of sorts.
I have been copied into e-mail correspondence between various officials about the logistics of allowing motorhomes to use the existing council owned campsite which is normally closed from October to April and providing minimal facilities (a fresh water supply) during the winter months. Ok so it may or may not happen this year (hogmanay is now less than 3 weeks away) but if I can get the idea approved in principle we may have something for the future

Chris


----------



## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

Chris 

excellent work, hope it comes off. And a bit of lateral thinking by the council, most of the time we don't need all the site facilities .

We stopped off in France in October at a place near Clermont Ferrand where the local Mairie had converted the municipal campsite into a Motorhome Aire, with basic water & toilet dump, but all pitches having hook-ups. It was completely unstaffed, with automatic barriers for entrance & exit, open all year.


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Aire*

Can we assist? Do you have a contact name and email at the council for Stonehaven?

Russell


----------



## AndrewandShirley (Oct 13, 2007)

If you can the support of a councillor prefably one who is a portfolio holder for tourism or re-generation, then it will help your cause.

You have to demo that it will increase income into the area and not just provide free camping.

Good luck

If you get no where put an FOI request in, this way you will get all the info on who said what, so you can target those who disagree.

If need any help on how to get the best out of an FOI request let me know.

Andrew


----------



## ardgour (Mar 22, 2008)

Thanks for the replies, from the e-mail sequence I was sent it looks like the local leisure and amenities guy is actively trying to move this idea forward but there is the usual multiple layers of departments etc. who have to be consulted and most important they have to check whether there is any kind of restricitive covenant on the land. If he gets back to me and says we need to prove a demand I will put the call out on here and then maybe interested people could e-mail their support

Chris


----------



## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

Chris

or even have a trip to Stovehaven. it is a nice place and a good chip shop.

dave


----------



## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the continuing effort you're putting in to this.
As you know we're coming to Stonehaven for the fireballs this year.

Looking forward to hopefully meeting you. 

Regarding you 'aire' - I would be more than happy to email my support.

Come on folks - anyone else fancy meeting up at Hogmanay in Stonehaven?


----------



## PhilK (Jul 1, 2005)

*English Aire*

Well done Chris, having been to planning appeal I know how inflexible, intransigent and apparently stupid planners and councils can be. No wonder the pope is on his way over here, he is considering you for sainthood.

Have the council at any stage expressed a concern about gypsies? in Europe, all of Europe, gyspsies/travellers can be moved on in 24 hours except for here where we have to give notice etc, there is also only the odd country where ownership is assumed following a period of occupation as it is in the UK.

I suspect what would take away the gypsy problem is a large supply of aires like france, so there is no novelty.

Good luck mate, keep us updated.

Phil


----------

