Castle Douglas Development Forum is to host a public meeting on its redevelopment plans for the former outdoor activity centre at Carlingwark Loch.
The move follows Tuesday’s decision by the council’s finance committee to grant the group a 25-year lease on the property under asset transfer.
The decision rubber stamped a recommendation from Castle Douglas common good fund councillors to approve the bid.
However, the committee opted not to hand over Lochside Caravan Site to CDDF on similar terms.
Common good councillors had recommended the asset transfer request be rejected because the site brought in £50,000 profit for the council annually.
They also ruled the application did not demonstrate the necessary increase in social value to justify the handover.
Asked for her reaction to the finance committee’s decisions, CDDF chairperson Carolyn Yates said the public meeting, to be held on Monday, would now focus on the activity centre project.
She said: “We will be beginning our consultation about what should be in the centre and on the ground around it and talking about the plans we have for refurbishment and rebuild.
“We hope young people will come to the meeting.
“We want to hear their voices because this will be a family activity centre.
“We are delighted the committee supported our three councillors’ recommendation at approve our asset transfer request for the outdoor centre.
“Of course we are naturally disappointed about the caravan site but we do accept that improvements have been made since we made the asset transfer application.
“We are very interested still in how the caravan site and outdoor centre makes a contribution to help the town work towards net zero.
“We hope to hear how the council intends to do that regarding the caravan site.”
Ms Yates added: “We have had several tenders in from architects and designers for both the caravan site and the outdoor centre.
“In the light of the decision these will have to be revised.”
The meeting in the outdoor centre at Lochside Park on Monday June 26 starts at 6pm.
All are welcome.
