A DECISION to give the go-ahead for holiday lodges at a leisure retreat in Howwood has been criticised by a village councillor.

Bosses at the Bowfield Hotel and Country Club were celebrating earlier this month when the Scottish Government approved their appeal against Renfrewshire Council’s ruling that the proposals to build 10 ‘glamping pods’ should not go ahead.

It was back in August that council chiefs snubbed the plans for a third time, despite owners Manorview Group making tweaks to the application in a bid to get approval.

Councillors on the planning board opted to refuse the proposals by 11 votes to three “on the grounds of noise and disturbance.”

The board had already rejected the application in 2020 and a previous appeal on the back of that was also binned that year.

But government planners have now given full approval for the luxury lodges – each of which will have a hot tub – following Manorview Group’s latest fightback.

As part of that approval, hotel bosses have agreed that no-one will be allowed to use the tubs after 9pm.

Councillor Andy Doig, who represents Howwood, said the saga shows a “democratic deficit” in the planning process.

“Local councillors have come to a definite view on something and then it gets overturned in Edinburgh,” he added. “There’s a democratic deficit there and I think it needs to be addressed.

“We will need to monitor the situation at the Bowfield and see how it goes from here.”

Councillor Doig moved refusal of the application when it first came in front of the board and expressed concerns about the impact it could have on surrounding roads that are prone to flash flooding.

Another village councillor, Emma Rodden, said the scale of the development was not compatible with nearby properties and could create noise.

However, the Scottish Government’s decision is a major coup for the Manorview Group, which has spent £4million bringing the Howwood resort up to luxury standards, including a new swimming pool.