PLANS have been submitted to site a mobile snack van near a block of toilets in the Luss visitor car park.

Proposals have been put forward by Jim Lough (Surveying & Architectural Services) on behalf of Bluebell Ices Ltd to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority to use a parking bay next to the public toilets to sell ice cream, soft drinks and confectionary.

In a supporting statement, which can be viewed publicly on the authority's website, it states that the applicant had been running the business from next to the pier in the village until the introduction of the traffic management order last year.

The owner continued to receive daily fines causing a significant overhead for the business until negotiations were made with Argyll and Bute Council.

It had previously been reported that traffic restrictions in Luss were being sought after many years of waiting.

In 2020, frustrated villagers erected their own road signs in a fight to have tourist traffic banned from their streets.

A Scottish Government reporter recommended that measures put forward by Argyll and Bute Council should be put to Scottish ministers for final consent.

READ MORE: Luss traffic restrictions one step away from approval after years of chaos in village

But councillors urged that the restrictions contained in a draft traffic regulation order (TRO) be implemented - if ministers do give the green light - in time for the start of the new tourist season.

Banning of driving within the core village area, except for residents and business owners, restricted parking unless with a local permit, and a stop to parking on the old A82 except for short stay bays is part of the plans.

The report said: "For a number of years the applicant has been selling ice cream, soft drinks and confectionary from a van parked adjacent to the pier.

"Last year Argyll and Bute Council introduced the Various Streets, Luss, Traffic Management Order 2023.

"This order prohibits driving and parking vehicles within the controlled zone, pretty much all streets in Luss.

"Having no other location in the vicinity the applicant continued to trade and received daily fines, which introduced a significant overhead to the running of his business.

"Negotiations were entered in to with Argyll and Bute and an alternative proposal was formulated, that the ice cream van could be parked in and trade from the public car park."

The parking space identified in the application would allow the business to trade from the side window to customers who would be standing on the pavement.

It is also next to other facilities used by visitors such as litter bins and shops.

For more information and to view the application visit eplanning.lochlomond-trossachs.org and search 2024/0323/DET.