A curious planning refusal in Dumfries and Galloway encapsulates a casual indifference to the very real problems that exist in rural Scotland, writes Herald columnist Alan Simpson.

IT sits in rural isolation amidst some of the most fertile farmland in the whole of Scotland.

Milton in Dumfries and Galloway is one of those many places in the country where you could easily blink and you’d miss it.

Situated around six miles north-west of Dumfries and three from the village of Crocketford, it somehow survives despite having a distinct lack of local amenities.

In short, it encapsulates perfectly everything that is good - and bad - about living in rural Scotland.

But it is at the centre of a curious planning application to create a children’s residential care home which has just been thrown out by the Scottish Government.

It comes after Dumfries and Galloway Council (DGC) refused proposals to convert Corbridge House in Milton into a facility which could host up to four young people with complex needs.

Applicants CareTech argued that the building was ideal for a care home given its “tranquil yet easily accessible setting”.

Following the council throwing it out, the case was taken to the Scottish government but a reporter concluded it would be “heavily car dependent” due to its remote rural location and the appeal was dismissed.

Officials had recommended that councillors approve the plans in September last year but they turned them down.

The local authority received a string of objections arguing it would be “completely incompatible with the existing peaceful ambience of the area”.

The company behind the plans then decided to appeal against the refusal.

A Scottish government reporter dismissed some issues highlighted by nearby residents concluding there was “no evidence to support concerns raised in representations that children in care may be more likely to cause problems”.

He added: “I also have difficulty with the contention in representations that a rural area such as this is an inherently unsuitable location for children to live.”

However, he did raise concerns about the number of private car journeys it could generate.

“I do not consider it realistic that staff would ordinarily commute using public transport, given the site’s remoteness, infrequency of bus services in Milton, and relative inconvenience compared to using a car,” he said.

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He also highlighted the lack of any facilities nearby.

“The nearest village of Crocketford is approximately 2.4 miles away but has very limited services,” he said.

“Springholm appears to be slightly better served but is around 4.6 miles away.”

Castle Douglas, Dalbeattie and Dumfries are all further away and require a journey on some “narrow roads”.

Overall, he concluded the home would be better suited in a location “less reliant on private car journeys” and refused the appeal.

A statement from the company said it was “extremely disappointed” by the decision.

It said: “We firmly believed that our proposal would have delivered real benefits to the community and provided much-needed support for vulnerable children.

“While we respect the decision, we remain concerned that the outcome does not reflect the pressing need for high quality, nurturing care provisions in our region.”

This, case, perhaps, rather sums up everything that is wrong with centralised thinking that has left vast swathes of rural Scotland increasingly left behind.

Of course people would have to drive there as they have no choice due to an infrequent bus service.

If this sounds familiar then it probably is as it is the case for villages up and down the country.

One way, of course, to solve this problem is for subsidised bus services to be introduced similar to those which are given to CalMac to run the ferry network.

Ministers seem keen to dole out lavish sums to other groups in Scotland, so why not introduce a proper, well funded and reliable national bus service that can keep residents of rural villages connected.

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The case of Milton, although unrelated, shows perfectly the problems that exist, particularly in the south-west which is known as the forgotten part of Scotland for a reason.

If the care home had been given the go-ahead than it would have brought people into the village - staff and visitors - and who knows there could then have seen demand for a local shop to be set up.

Youngsters could have been employed and keep them in the area rather than having to move away and make depopulation even worse.

Instead, it was thrown out on the basis that folk would have to use their cars so it should be moved elsewhere.

Presumably somewhere where people would still have to use their cars to get there.

It is this casual indifference to rural Scots by politicians and civil servants that holds much of the country back.

Dumfries and Galloway is a stunning place to visit, but the parts that thrive do so because of the resilience of its residents and not because of outside help.

It is also isolated, with poor transport links and health provision.

Public demand for mental health support has increased in Dumfries and Galloway with support requests rising by nearly 40% in the last year.

This is understood this is largely driven by an ageing population and increasing numbers of dementia or learning disability cases as the upsurge is mainly due to a rise in guardianship requests.

There have been concerns there are too few Mental Health Officers (MHOs) to meet the need and officials said in June this year they are “just” managing to cope with demand.

Geography makes everything harder as Dumfries and Galloway is vast, with scattered communities and limited transport links.

The vastness means the area suffers from very real challenges, which should be addressed as a matter of urgency.

With communities and services not close by, the distance can create isolation. It makes relationship building incredibly difficult.”

The same sense of strain is felt in farming communities across the region.

The National Farmers’ Union,(NFU) has warned that mental health is a growing concern in Dumfries and Galloway’s rural communities, where isolation, long hours, and financial pressures take a toll.

Ironically, the lack of cars in lower-income households worsens the gap.

For example, for those needing in-patient care, the only psychiatric hospital, Midpark, is in Dumfries which is 75 miles from Stranraer.

So the upshot is that if you don’t drive, you can be completely isolated.

Technology could bridge the distance but access varies, with some areas enjoying strong broadband while others don’t.

Of course, this doesn’t help with the Milton care home application, but it shows the very real problems that exist in that part of Scotland that shouldn’t happen in the 21st century.

Rural Scots deserve better. While there will always be challenges with living in small communities they should not be exacerbated by causal indifference from those elected to represent them .

© Herald Scotland