Moray Council has sent in a JCB to tear up an “unlawful” concrete structure at a caravan park near Kinloss.
And the local authority has warned it will have no hesitation in taking similar action against other landowners who fail to secure planning permission for projects.
The caravan park owner, Duncan Brown has now insisted he will sell up, amid claims he has been treated “unfairly” over plans to expand his business.
Mr Brown has had repeated bids to create a storage yard at the Seaview Caravan Park thrown out, due to it creating an “unsightly” blot close to Findhorn Bay.
Moray Council sent in a JCB to rip up the concrete building to return the leafy site to its original state – three months after the deadline for the owners to do the work themselves had passed.
The development brings to an end a three-year saga after Mr Brown applied for retrospective consent to store grass cutters, a trailer and storage containers opposite the entrance on the B9011 Findhorn road.
The businessman, who has run the park for a decade, insists he offered a compromise of spreading soil over the concrete to attract birds and encourage wildflowers to bloom after his bids were rejected.
However, council diggers moved in after Mr Brown’s final appeal to the Scottish Government was thrown out in December.
He said: “I wanted to keep the caravan park nice and clean to attract more people to the area, grow the economy and expand my business. I wanted to store equipment across the road to create more space for caravans.
“This whole situation could have been avoided if I had been allowed to spread top soil on it. Now I’m going to get a bill, which will cost thousands, from the council.
“I’m not angry about not getting planning permission – they make the decision. But they have been heavy-handed.”
Mr Brown now intends to submit a complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman on the grounds he has been treated “unfairly”.
Moray Council refused permission for the storage yard, which is next to a nature reserve, because it was in the Findhorn Bay coastal protection zone and on transport grounds.
Despite concerns, the development was backed by the Findhorn and Kinloss Community Council due to the potential boost it would have on the local economy.
Chairman Les Gray said: “We supported it because it would have been an asset to his business. His caravan park is good quality and we thought he would make a similar job of the ground opposite.”
Moray Council insisted “protracted negotiations” were held with Mr Brown, but after talks broke down, there was no option.
A spokesman said: “Taking enforcement action is always a last resort, but we will not shy away from using it where necessary.”
