NATIONAL Park planning bosses have granted temporary permission for a Luss site to be used for the holding of wedding functions.

The land at Camstraddan Slate Quays, just south of the Loch Lomondside village, was the subject of an application by owners Luss Estates for the "holding of events with associated erection and/or siting of temporary/movable structures and for the parking of vehicles”.

Planning permission was previously granted in June 2019 and the land had been leased to the Loch Lomond Arms Hotel for outdoor functions, with that three-year agreement due to expire in June next year.

Under the conditions of that permission the site's use for such functions was restricted to a maximum of 30 days per calendar year, with parties ordered to be off the site by 7.30pm.

Applicants Luss Estates had been seeking amendments to that deal by applying for a new five-year temporary permission but the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority has approved a trial period of two years to assess the impact on residential amenity.

A report on the decision states: "The requested amendments would alter the characteristics of the site’s use from an occasional day-time only filming and event space to ‘round the clock’ use as a wedding venue with amplified music for up to 200 people on an unspecified frequency.

"The site would retain its use as an occasional filming location but, it appears, would be more frequently utilised as a wedding venue.

"On the basis Environmental Health has not objected to the application, but given the uncertainty as to the effectiveness of the proposed measures in mitigating noise nuisance and of their enforceability, it is considered that a trial period is appropriate where the effects of amplified music, particularly into the evenings, can be monitored in practice.

"The extent of the visual harm in this very sensitive lochshore location is deemed acceptable on the basis that the structures are temporary in nature and in place for a limited duration, the site is well screened and there are few sensitive visual receptors."

Temporary planning permission was granted for two years, with use of the site restricted to a total of 90 days per annum, functions with amplified sound allowed to take place on no more than 28 days per annum, and no amplified sound permitted beyond 11pm.