Holiday lodges for Angus farm in £150k-a-year diversification plan
The next stage of an Angus farm’s diversification has received the green light in a holiday lodges plan which could generate £150,000 of tourism income a year.
Aucharroch Farm has been given permission to site three holiday cabins halfway up Barron’s Hill, near Kingoldrum The site is around 5.5 kilometres north-west of Kirriemuir.
The one-and-a-half storey lodges will each have their own hot tub. A ground-mounted solar array will provide electricity for the cabins, which will also have air source heat pumps.
The farm’s planning statement said it was part of a diversification strategy to ensure the long-time viability of the existing enterprise.
“Due to ongoing changes in market conditions, it is felt by many in the agricultural sector that diversification is essential to the continued survival of their business.”
The farm already operates a popular holiday cottage.
The application highlighted Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce data showing the upward trend in Angus tourism. Headline figures included a 6.7% rise in tourism value from 2023 to 2025 to £326 million. Visitor numbers in the same period increased by 8% to 1.3 million. And day visitors are now 30% above pre-Covid 19 estimates.
The planning submission continued:
“Almost half of the value generated by tourism is produced by ‘non-serviced accommodation’ i.e. holiday lets, AirBnB and other similar options.
“This type of accommodation is currently the most popular in the region, representing approximately 38% of all overnight stays in 2024.
“The proposed holiday lets are well positioned for a 3-4 day stay with amenities such as wood-fired hot tubs and kitchenettes encouraging slightly longer trips.”
With 12-bed nights per night available, a 70% occupancy rate could generate around £150,000 in annual revenue.
“This would be a sizeable contribution to the local economy even without taking into account the money spent on food, drink and amenities,” it added.
“The construction of these holiday lodges would also provide 9 to 12 months of work for a small local contractor.
“This proposal has been developed at a time when the domestic tourism industry has made major gains as a result of external pressures.
“It is well positioned to take advantage of favourable market conditions.”
Angus Council planning officials approved the application under delegated powers.
They said:
“The site is not in active agricultural use, as it is rough grassland within a wooded area.
“It is non-prime agricultural land.
“There is a justifiable locational requirement for accommodation of this type to be in the countryside.
“The supporting information identifies a number of local tourist attractions. The accommodation proposed lends itself to a secluded rural location.”
This article appeared in the Courier on 15 July 2026