Aberdeenshire Council has approved plans to develop a new toilet block and an 11-bay aires motorhome site at Balmedie Beach in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, as part of wider improvements planned for Balmedie Country Park.
The project will replace the existing beach toilet facility, which the council said had “fallen into a poor state of repair” and has been closed for several years. The replacement building will include a Changing Places facility and two unisex cubicles, along with associated accessibility improvements.
The campsite will be created on the grassy area surrounding the existing toilet block and will provide 11 serviced bays for motorhomes and campervans. The bays will be arranged around a one-way road and supported by a service point, drainage, lighting, signage, and new landscaping. The plans also include an accessible parking space and improvements to nearby footpaths, including widening and resurfacing.
The aires site is intended to provide purpose-built overnight parking for visitors traveling in motorhomes and campervans. For outdoor hospitality operators and destination managers, the project illustrates how publicly managed tourism infrastructure can be used to accommodate overnight visitors while also supporting broader visitor facilities at a coastal attraction.
The proposal attracted two letters of objection from local residents. Stuart McBain raised concerns about the capacity and safety of roads serving the country park, describing them as “inadequate and unsafe.” He also argued that the campsite would “inevitably” increase the number of larger vehicles using North Beach Road.
He added: “This would further exacerbate existing safety concerns and increase the risk to motorists, pedestrians, and particularly local residents.”
Mrs. S Jenkins raised concerns about the potential effect on wildlife, noting that the proposed campsite area is used as a nesting area for curlews and oystercatchers. She said the birds could be “adversely affected” by the development.
The application was considered by the Formartine area committee, where Craig Matheson of Aberdeenshire Council’s property service outlined the wider plans for Balmedie Country Park. The broader project includes improved pathways, electric vehicle charging points, and bicycle facilities.
Matheson said several potential locations had been considered for the aires site before a public survey indicated a preference for the southern section of the country park. He said: “A public survey showed a strong preference for the southern part of the country park, primarily because it was offering users greater peace and privacy away from the busier main car park to the north.”
Planning permission has already been granted for improvements to the northern portion of the park, including EV charging facilities. Matheson described approval of the aires and toilet project as a “critical next step” toward meeting funding requirements for the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund.
Councillors on the committee supported the proposal, according to AberdeenLive. Councillor Derek Ritchie said: “We live wholeheartedly in a beautiful area here in the north-east and it’s nice to share it with other people as well so we need to welcome this.
“It’s a brilliant addition to what is a fantastic venue anyway.”
Councillor Andrew Hassan also supported the plans while acknowledging the road safety concerns. He said: “Aberdeenshire Council, please plough on and deliver it, I’m sure the community will fully embrace it when it gets delivered.”
Councillor John Crawley linked the project to wider efforts to increase tourism and spending in the region, saying: “We spend a lot of time in meetings talking about bringing tourism back to the north-east, increasing the footfall, and very much so on the economics of the local area… This one ticks every box as far as I’m concerned.”
Following the discussion, the Formartine area committee unanimously approved the application. The development will add dedicated motorhome infrastructure to Balmedie Country Park while addressing the long-standing lack of public toilet facilities. For private campgrounds, RV resorts, and other outdoor hospitality businesses, the project also reflects the growing role of destination infrastructure in supporting motorhome tourism, particularly where overnight parking is incorporated alongside accessibility, EV charging, cycling, and other visitor amenities.
