Minute of the meeting held on Monday 21 February 2005 at Maryculter Community Hall.

         PRESENT

Maryculter

Cookney / Netherley

Banchory-Devenick    

Aberdeenshire

Councillors

Avril Tulloch

 

Bill Fraser

 

Kevin Park

Philip Smart

 (Chairman)

Rob Winmill

(Vice Chairman)

Robert Keeler

(Secretary)

 

 

Kate Kleppang

Duncan Petrie

Mike Birch

Sandy Wallace

(Lower Deeside)

                                                                                          

5 Members of the Public          

APOLOGIES – Raymond Cowan (Treasurer) Bob McKinney, Michael Sullivan, and Jill Greenlees.

MINUTES of the meeting of 17 January were approved.

1.                  MATTERS ARISING

New School – No movement re Lairhillock School but discussion with landowner apparently ongoing. Philip had written asking for a progress report, no reply yet and we will ask our two Councillors to put pressure on the council.

Banchory-Devenick school – At short notice we have been invited to send a representative to a meeting at Portlethen on Tuesday 22nd , Kate will attend and was asked to raise the following. 1. Is Aberdeenshire still committed to rural schooling? 2. Is a merger with the new Lairhillock school  one of the possible options? 3. Has Aberdeenshire taken into account the certainty of 70 houses at Blairs( and the possibility of 281) there? 4. Great uncertainty is being created in the rural community.

Tollohill Wood – After meeting with agents, Kate & Duncan had suggested that a cycle track be incorporated.

Stripesides Farm – Aberdeenshire had replied that the buildings were within original drawings and that the agent had confirmed in writing that septic tanks had not been incorporated. There was, yet again, many queries and protests from the public. Continue to monitor situation.

Web site – Up to date – a letter from The Local Channel Websites was passed to Kevin for further investigation.

Roads –  Kate reported that the bollards had been moved and the passing place now clear. The road by the Lairhillock had been patched. Still many potholes - details to be passed to Robert for reporting.

Western Peripheral Route – A Public Consultation should take place in March. Philip had asked on behalf of NKRCC for details of the different routes and had been told that he could not have them. It is believed that Route 14 is still favourite but there are 5 routes allegedly under consideration and not all of them anchored on Charleston junction. The Minister is due to make an announcement on 4th March.

South Deeside View – Caroline would like assistance with editorial and information from schools WRI  etc.

 

2.                  PLANNING

ALP - Public Inquiry –  We submitted a statement in respect of  settlements at Banchory-Devenick, Stobhall and Cookney, and on extra housing in the NKRCC area generally saying 1. Not against extra houses. 2. Houses must conform to existing dispersed pattern. 3. We oppose surburban type estates of 20 or 30. 4. Councils sudden change of plan on RSCs has created uncertainty and suspicion. 5. That change is an abuse of the 4year local plan process . Churchill homes had asked for a further 22 homes at Stobhall, which would provide a “much needed” Community Hall! NKRCC was able to tell the Reporter that the residents opposed the houses and already had Maryculter Hall. At Cookney a developer wanted 4 houses in addition to the 8 already approved. At Banchory-Devenick a minimum of 15 new houses at the cross-roads had been proposed, plus another 10 opposite the school with 30%-40% of the total to be lower cost housing. Banchory-Devenick Estate said houses at school the priority and that no mass builder would be used.

We were disappointed at the low level of background knowledge shown by Aberdeenshire Council witness. The format did not allow NKRCC to challenge incorrect information put by the Council before the reporter. His statements regarding schooling in particular were felt to be untrue and would be checked with the Education department.

Supplementary Planning Guidance – Wind Farms – We had been invited to comment on these two documents and had offered many comments especially in respect of the matrix which assesses each proposal. Other comments were on minimum distance from houses , public consultation, residential amenity, environmental impact and radio and TV interference. A council working party will now review all comments.

Maryculter Organic Farm – No response yet to our letter regarding lack of toilet provision at the shop. But an application for a house had now been submitted. There were many heated contributions from the public. A long discussion ensued on level of horticultural/agricultural activity at the site and the Aberdeenshire’s previous statement that activity and viability would be assessed after 3 years, road access etc. Agreed to object as a new development in the countryside at the same time as querying whether conditions of previous permission had been fulfilled.

Golf Academy Haugh of Ardoe – An application to make the course up to 9 holes (from 8) was discussed and it was felt we should write to express concern on grounds of additional traffic, the access to and from the road and the ongoing problem with lights distracting drivers on South Deeside Road.

Blairs – Nothing to report.

Note: all planning applications, (including actual plans) can now be viewed online.

3.                  FINANCE

200 Club Draw  Final details of tickets sold had not yet been returned, we will hold the January, February and March draws at the next meeting

4.            CORRESPONDENCE

Police Report – No break-ins in our area. Several accidents on the Netherley and South Deeside roads          

Notice Board at Hall – Bob to report..

5.         AOCB

Press Release  - It was agreed to provide more focus on reporting meetings in the local press. Rob will arrange.

Meeting closed at 10pm

 

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

            21 March 2005 at 7:30pm

            18 April 2005 at 7:30pm        Visit our Website – www.NKRCC.org.uk