Trading Standards is investigating after several people wasted thousands of pounds on “dream” plots near Bellanoch.
The plots are being auctioned online with deadlines, tempting buyers to part with sizeable deposits in order to secure the land, only to discover the prospects to use the site for anything other than agriculture are slim.
Situated along the B8025 between Bellanoch and Tayvallich, the plots lie within the Knapdale National Scenic Area. They are in close proximity to nature conservation designations.
With the presence of powerlines, requirement for access and servicing, development opportunities are significantly restricted.
The land is also currently the subject of a planning enforcement action.
A retired couple from down south told The Advertiser last month that they are £6,900 out of pocket, after their dream of putting a camping pod on the site fell apart.
Cris Saunders, 70, and Robyn Rowe, 60, saw pictures of a levelled-out plot online, which was being advertised in January by Future Property Auctions in Glasgow.
After agreeing a price of £7,000, they paid a deposit and a buyers’ handling fee to secure their plot and take it off the market.
But they soon learned the true nature of the site. The pictures were out of date.
Work on the levelled-out site they saw in the photograph had been carried out without planning consent.
And Argyll and Bute Council had ordered landowner Cameron MacInnes from Fort William to reinstate the ground.
This has since been completed, with the land returned to its original gradient. It is due to be re-seeded in April.
Upon learning that they could not use the site as they had intended, Cris and Robyn could only back out of the sale. And Future Property Auctions told them the deposit would not be returned.
The land was advertised as a “super-sized freehold plot” measuring 967sqm, with “excellent access from B8025.”
Future Property Auctions stated: “The site would lend itself perfectly for camping, glamping, motorhome parking, shipping container accommodation or huts/chalet style accommodation in one of Scotland’s most desirable tourist spots...
“Super investment opportunity with super sized site.”
It has come to light that Cris and Robyn are not the only people to lose money on this questionable investment.
And Argyll and Bute Council’s Trading Standards department is now involved. A spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that investigations are ongoing.”
Cris and Robyn are delighted that Trading Standards are investigating.
Robyn said: “This sounds like a scam. It just doesn’t seem right. They are making money from nothing. If the sales don’t go through, they are still making money.
“This is not on. People don’t deserve this. They are playing with people’s dreams. Are they sitting in an office somewhere just laughing, taking people’s money hand over fist? It is just morally wrong.”
Future Property Auctions were offering the land again this week. A guide price of £13,000 was being offered, with the deadline for offers being February 29.
The description continued to state: “the site would lend itself perfectly to shipping container accommodation or huts/chalet style accommodation.”
Far down the bottom of the page it said: “The land is offered without planning permission and all queries related to planning should be directed to the local council.”
Richard Stein, secretary of North Knapdale Community Council, said: “It is so infuriating that these people have managed to dupe at least three people into parting with substantial sums of cash for land which they know the purchasers will never be able to use as advertised.
“Our community council members have been extremely frustrated watching this playing out for
many months like a slow car crash they could do nothing about.
“I hope that Trading Standards are able to put an end to this outrage and prosecute those responsible.”
Future Property Auctions did not respond to our request for comment.
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