Employment

Let's face it: we're in a deep recession that looks set to last for many years. Jobs in Callander are scarce and are, for the most part, low-paid and/or seasonal. Why would anyone, least of all the National Park Authority, want to lure more people into this struggling rural economy when those people are likely to have great trouble finding work in the area?

It's all very well down-scaling when you're rich, but if you're poor then it's likely to be a one-way ticket to nowhere.

All the Local Plan has to offer in the way of potential employment is the allocation of land for a handful of small business and light industrial units – i.e. more low-paid work. It's not good enough.

The economy

The majority of us who do live and work in Callander owe our survival to the tourist trade. Shop and inn keepers, B&B owners, catering and service providers all rely on the steady stream of holiday makers who come here to stay and to soak up our beautiful surroundings.

Does the Park Authority imagine that the type of tourist that has become the mainstay of our economy would enjoy the ‘new look' Callander? We believe that the NPA's development plans will damage our tourist trade irreparably and rip the heart out of Callander. People come here specifically to get away from built-up cities and suburbs. Look again at the Local Plan development maps for Callander*. Who would want to holiday in such a place?

Callander already has a problem about visitors "passing through" the town but not stopping here overnight. While we commend the Park on stating that it wants to help Callander tackle the sprucing up of Ancaster Square to provide a focal point for visitors, that's not going to off-set the problems of over-development.

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* Finalised Draft Local Plan development map of Callander for 2009-2015 period (p 22 of the PDF or p112 of the printed document) and the Long Term Proposals (p 31 of the PDF and pp 158-162 of the printed document).