Site To The South Of Mill Cottage Banchory Devenick Aberdeenshire
Formation of Access Road, Cycle Paths and Footpaths, Upgrade (Widening) of Causey Mounth Road and Access Junction with Leggart Terrace and Associated Landscaping
As a statutory consultee, North Kincardine Rural Community Council (NKRCC) wish to register our objection to planning application reference APP/2020/2492 relating to works within the Aberdeenshire Council planning jurisdiction associated with the proposed development at Deeside Brae/Den of Leggart (Aberdeen City planning application 201558/DPP).
Our objection is based on the concerns of NKRCC committee members in relation to the matter but also supports the overwhelming expression of public objection from members of the NKRCC community to the proposed works within the Shire area and by association the development across the Shire-City boundary.
The primary reason for NKRCC objection to the planning application relates to the precedent that would be set if planning permission were to be granted for APP/2020/2492 leading to pressure to allow further development across the land within the Banchory Devenick area that is presently owned by the developer. Submission by the developer to have the wider site extending between Banchory Devenick over Tollohill included as an OP site in the next version of the Aberdeenshire LDP clearly establishes their intention. Approving the current application, which provides direct access from the South Deeside Road via the Causey Mounth to the Western extent of the proposed development on the City side, also facilitates demonstration of road access for applications by the developer for further expansion within the Shire as outlined in their proposals for the next Aberdeenshire LDP. This sets a dangerous precedent that threatens the Green Belt within the Shire that provides a most valuable transition from rural to urban environment.
North Kincardine Rural Community Council is in principle opposed to initiation of further large scale developments with our area and hold the view that ongoing housing allocation should be met by the current large scale developments at Blairs and Chapelton. In that respect we cannot support application APP/2020/2492 if it establishes a precedent to support approval of future planning applications by the developer in Banchory Devenick/Tollohill area.
Within NKRCC we are also opposed to the application on the basis that providing road access to the Western side of the development via alteration of the junction of the Causey Mounth – South Deeside Road will lead to increased road traffic in a rural area. The lack of local amenities at the proposed Western part of the development within the City Boundary, which has no through road from the Eastern side of the development accessed via the A92, will promote reliance on “the car” and access and egress via the Causey Mounth road, South Deeside Road and Leggart Terrace. It is also likely that increased traffic will be translocated to the local rural road network that is not in any way suitable for increased traffic use. While it would be expected that the developer would manage traffic and road use during construction, the suitability of the local roads within the Shire to the West of the development are clearly unsuited to the level of heavy traffic during build out. We also note that the Aberdeenshire Council Roads department have requested additional time to submit their assessment, therefore since road alteration and implications for a change in the traffic density are key elements of the current proposal, NKRCC also identify this as a valid reason to object to the proposal at this time.
Whilst the developer has submitted detailed environmental and ecological assessments NKRCC remain concerned at this stage in relation to impacts on the River Dee (silt or pollution impacts on Atlantic Salmon, Freshwater Pearl Mussel and Otter, protected under the SAC designation) and note concerns from Scottish Natural Heritage highlighting the need for further assessment by Aberdeenshire Council. Until this is forthcoming NKRCC also identify this as a material ground to oppose granting planning permission for the development on the grounds of the works required within the Shire area and by association the development within the City boundary.
Whilst we appreciate that each planning application is approved or refused on its own merits, this is a very unusual situation, with significant current and future applications being submitted in two adjoining local authority areas. Any decision on this application must be taken “in the round” with the other applications by the same developer in the same area. The fact that the Master Plan covers two local authority areas indicates that, in reality, the applications should be conjoined and considered together; anything short of this would make a mockery of the planning system and leave the applicant with what would be perceived to be a free rein to push forward with his whole project as he wishes, playing one local authority off against the other.
To conclude, based on the foregoing rationale and a duty to consider the views of the local community, NKRCC object to planning application APP/2020/2492