PROPOSALS for three holiday accommodation units in Glen Fruin have been lodged with national park planning officials.
Robert Sharp and Sons have made the submission for detailed planning permission at Highfield Farm on Highfields Road, which also includes the formation of an access track. The farm has been in their family since 1932.
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority is expected to rule on the application by late August, with the public now able to view plans and submit feedback.
A supporting planning statement by MH Planning Associates said: “The pods would measure 3.5m x 6m on plan (including a small covered external decking area leading from the entrance door of around 700mm).
“They will be 3m in height and would be mounted on top of a base of approximately 225mm in height that in turn would sit on top of the existing ground.
“The pods will be finished in vertical timber larch cladding and will have a curved roof finished in corrugated metal sheeting (or a similarly appropriate material).
“The internal layout is open plan with a separate bathroom with a w/c and shower. Small external boilers are proposed which will each be located to the rear elevation of the pods and will be enclosed in a unit measuring approximately 1.2m x 0.6m x 2.1m in height. A shared car parking area with space for three cars, and access turning area is also proposed.”
The statement added: “Highfield Farm is an existing rural business, i.e. it is a working farm. The Sharp family took on the tenancy in May 1932 so are now in their 94th year.
“In 2016 they were given the opportunity to purchase the farmhouse and steading and around 25 acres of land, with a further 35 acres on a long-term lease agreement and 50 acres on a seasonal agreement.
“The farm currently carries 28 Aberdeen Angus beef cows which calf in the spring to an Aberdeen Angus bull. Calves are sold around early March the following spring, and replacements are kept.
“The fam business is managed by two, brothers Billy and Robert, who also operate a small business offering contract services to other landowners.
“Billy and Robert are now looking to diversify their business in order to assist with the long-term financial stability of the farm (which they are keen to expand) by offering a quality short stay experience to visitors in the area.”
To view the plans and submit feedback, visit the park authority’s planning portal at lochlomond-trossachs.org and use the reference number 2026/0131/DET.
