Minute of the meeting held on Monday August 16th 2004 at Maryculter Community Hall.
|
Maryculter |
Netherley |
Banchory-Devenick |
Aberdeenshire Councillors |
Bill Fraser Philip Smart - Chairman Sandy Wallace
Avril Tulloch Rob Winmill – Vice Chairman Duncan Petrie (Lower Deeside)
Kevin Park Robert Keeler - Secretary Michael Sullivan
Jill Greenlees (Stonehaven North & Fetteresso)
Raymond Cowan (Treasurer)
8 Members of the Public
APOLOGIES – Kate Kleppang, Bob McKinney Absent Mike Birch
Presentation on Affordable Housing – Mr Ritchie Johnson of Aberdeenshire Council Housing gave a presentation on Affordable housing. This covered the new local housing strategy which replaced previous regional plans and now implemented the new housing act that has changed the emphasis to be in favour of all affordable housing (rather than just council schemes). The Aberdeen Housing Market Area has a shortage of affordable housing in comparison to the needs as identified by Mr Johnston. Mr Johnston outlined the various types of housing and levels of grant available, the difficulties in acquiring land and in delivering small scale rural schemes (due cost). Most schemes were derived from land acquired through the planning gain process and whilst housing associations will continue to provide the majority of affordable housing the Council is willing to discuss with private landowners. In the latter case Sandy Wallace noted that there may be several small schemes of this nature coming forward in the NKRCC area and urged that the Community Council could assist in supporting developments that otherwise failed to comply with the local plan.
MINUTES of the meeting of June 21st were approved.
1. MATTERS ARISING
Web site – is currently unavailable. It was agreed to create an additional site - NKRCC.org.uk
Western Peripheral Route – Route now appeared to be west of pylon line near Blairs and south of Scatterburn. It was also slightly further from Jameston and crossed the Duff’s Hill road slightly further south. The junction arrangements at Charleston were less well developed and with new slip road arrangements this could lead to several houses in the Whistlebrae area being quite cut off. Various representations were made by local residents from this area. the project team had (verbally) asked if local people would like any of the local roads crossed by the WPR to be shut off, councillors will seek views. We had been informed that Landower consultation would start next week and public consultation in November. Associated work is currently a proposed tripling of the A90 Marywell to Charleston but we had been assured that no other works were proposed within NKRCC area on minor roads other than the actually crossing points. A AWPR brochure on compensation arrangements was now available and the chairman distributed these at the meeting. It was apparent that full bunding and mitigation measures were not going to be made available along the whole route and that this might very well be on a “squeakest wheel gets” basis. Local residents were encouraged to look at what was being proposed for mitigation adjacent to Camphill and to see if such measures were also appropriate for their area.
Roads (i) – Parents reported problems with speeding traffic at Maryculter School. Robert will write.
Roads (ii) – Signage at Maryculter Bridge –South Deeside road junction. Received a reply to our March letter, additional signs will be erected.
Roads (iii) –Banchory-Devenick Crossroads – Electronic warning sign to be trialled in September when removed from their current site in Kintore.
Also the verge is breaking down along this road. Robert to write.
Temporary Pipe Yard at Meikle Carewe – Nothing to report though it is now empty of pipes.
New School – Philip attended the reporter’s site visit. The reporter had written his report soon afterwards but the matter is now with the Executive who apparently will take a further 2 months to release both their (Minister’s) decision and the reporter’s report.
2. PLANNING
Blairs College – 281 houses etc – Nothing further to report.
ALP – Inquiry commences soon NKRCC will attend sessions at end September as appropriate either on its own behalf or with groups as previously agreed to speak on Employment in the Countryside, Renewable Energy and Conversion of Steadings.
This item was the subject of much discussion and a presentation by the applicant explaining her proposal for high quality self-catering holiday accommodation as a small farm diversification project adding to the variety of tourist accommodation in the area in an identified gap in the market. It was assumed that the planning service would oppose this as development in the green belt. It was queried whether there would be local objections. In summary NKRCC was broadly sympathetic to this concept despite it being in the green belt and given that it was restricted to two units at that site. NKRCC urged that for best chance of success that any local objections (if any) should, if possible, be resolved prior to being considered by Aberdeenshire. Local councillors were asked to make inquiries and in the absence of any such objection. NKRCC would broadly support.
3rd party right of appeal - NKRCC submitted views to Scot Exec during public consultation.
3. FINANCE
200 Club Draw
July Draw £5 no 205 W Irons - £10 no.66 A Douglas - £20 no.3 L Nicol
August Draw £5 no 104 Van Bose - £10 no.137 K Park - £20 no.279 B Tilley –
£25 no. 243 F Lamb
Application for funds for books by Banchory-Devenick School - £100 granted
4. CORRESPONDENCE
Police report – Nothing to report.
Rob will liase with Carolyn and write back to the council to try to obtain funds for South Deeside View.
20 September 2004 at 7:30pm
18 October 2004 at 7:30pm
Visit our Website - NKRCC.org.uk