Minute of the meeting held on Monday 15 January 2007 at Maryculter Community Hall.
|
Maryculter |
Cookney / Netherley |
Banchory-Devenick |
Aberdeenshire Councillors |
|
Bill Fraser Avril Tulloch
Sylvia Pike |
Rob Winmill (Vice Chairman) Robert Keeler (Secretary) Philip Smart Bob McKinney. |
Mike Birch (Chairman) Keith Johnston Duncan Petrie |
Sandy Wallace(Lower Deeside) Michael Sullivan (Stonehaven North & Fetteresso) |
33 Members of the Public
APOLOGIES – Kevin Park
The Chairman opened the meeting but then adjourned the normal business to allow representatives from the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route team to address the meeting and answer questions from the NKRCC members and the public.
The Chairman introduced Graham Edmond Principal Engineer Transport Scotland and Derek Murray – AWPR managing Agent.
GE summarised - Project is a partnership Transport Scotland – covers all aspects of travel;
statutory processes in place; Roadshows over the next two weeks. D M brief history of process looking at two sets of benefit, - Social Inclusion and Development potential; need to show benefit for economy and environment. Main benefits for Aberdeen – link three peripheral industrial estates – 27000 vehicles each day to Dyce, 25000 Altens and a smaller number to Bridge of Don. He is looking forward to the redistribution of huge amounts of traffic from city centre. The Shire will benefit from shorter journey times – the new road(s) will solve all our problems. We agreed 1) questions on behalf of the Community Council, then 2) questions from the floor.
RW. Why do we not have an updated Oscar/Faber report?
DM. That survey was used by both councils as a basis, STAG assessment was multi-modal!!
RW. How are the management team recording the public’s questions at roadshows?
GE. Not recording – this is formal objection period. GM. Two methods were used last time, the Team looked at all the written responses then formulated the document.
RW. How can line orders be issued before environmental assessment is completed?
GE. There will be an opportunity to air objections, now in principle, or when rest of EIA published. Principal objectors are those who live in the area whereas non-principal are those outwith the area.
RW. What about salmon in the River Dee being surveyed when conditions are not right?
GE. We do employ experts, and have faith in them.
RW. Is the route fixed?
GE. It is fixed – if we had to change by more than 50 metres we would have to go back to the beginning. If we ever get to the construction phase we have to bear the environment in mind.
RW. Will there be a construction site in the Maryculter area?
GE. Depending on construction technique of bridge it could be constructed on the line of the road and slid into place or brought in from outside the area, or may need a special site. As the Dee is a SSSI both SNH and SEPA have had a very strong input. The final decision will be down to the contractor, who will have wide discretion in these matters.
RW. Where is the money coming from? Have local developers been approached?
GE. Definitely not, it will be a PFI funded scheme.
RW. What is the current estimated cost for ‘Fast Link’?
GE. The figures are not yet broken down- still £295 - £395 million in total.
RW. What happens if the final contract price is closer to £500m, not £400m?
GE Won’t matter as it will be paid for over 30 years under PFI. It is already agreed there will be a review of costs at key stages, if there are significant increases then all parties have the chance to review their participation.
RW. Is the cost per mile comparable with other road schemes?
GE. For dual carriageway – the central belt construction figures are much lower than average, and the current estimate is still valid.
RW. Why were Aims/Objectives changed halfway?
GE/DM We discovered other problems that need to be addressed.
RW. The road will be Special Status meaning that certain classes of vehicles will be banned and no hard shoulders.
GE. That is correct, no tractors, bicycles horses etc.
DM. Cuttings and embankments will be part of total cost – this will be up to the Contractor who can make savings during construction.
GE. PFI funding will also cover maintenance costs.
DM. There could be a further review of the City and Shire shares which could result in a reduction of the cost!! The road will not be lit, also there will be no utilities (Gas Electricity, telephone etc)
RW. Given that the road will have a 70 mph speed limit, the design of the Cleanhill junction as a roundabout instead of grade-separated junction appears flawed.
GE. The design maximises the flow of the traffic and reduces area of land needed.
RW What measures will be taken to reduce impact on residents close to the road?
DM. Noise barriers and ‘bunds’ would be utilised to minimise noise, in accordance with the Environmental Impact Study.
The Chairman asked for questions from the audience.
Q. Why traffic lights at junctions.
DM. We had to change our minds on this. Traffic lights on roundabouts is fairly standard – they are based on projected traffic flow figures.
Q. What about Charleston flyover?
GE. Traffic modelling is “pretty detailed” and copes with expected volume
Q. How can you evaluate the scarring of the environment.
GE. We cannot put a value on this, we do consider it but it obviously impacts on local people more than others.
Q. Concerned about how EIS was carried out, looking in the wrong place for Squirrels for example
GE. We are absolutely confident about the quality of Jacobs Babtie’s work. These people work for us and if you have concerns you should object in writing. The final environmental assessment would be subject to independent scrutiny but this would probably not be publicly available
Q. Why could the section that passed the International school not be tunnelled.
DM. Very expensive £100m for 600 metres.
The Chairman thanked our guests and adjourned for 10 minutes.
1. MATTERS ARISING
New Lairhillock School – Aberdeenshire Council have applied to have the restriction regarding road improvements lifted to enable School to open on April 16 without them. Headmaster and one teacher resigned; Banchory-Devenick head in temporary charge; teacher being recruited.
Web site – Some emails rejected, Philip is investigating.
Roads – Our emails regarding various road problems had been mislaid but were now being actioned. Meeting with M Skilling now to be with Duncan only.
Western Peripheral Route – The Community Councillors will meet at Sylvia’s on 17 January to discuss our detailed objections.
2. PLANNING
Blairs – Agreed to object to new application; holding objection at present. Discussion expressed concerned over houses being built without leisure element; possibility of hotel being enough to cover restoration; Lairhillock school being too small; whether building warrants restoration; effect of 500+ cars at Bridge of Dee.
15 Affordable Houses Westside Maryculter – Nothing new.
Meikle Carewe – RES representatives visit postponed to next meeting, still waiting EIA etc. to write full objection.
Maryculter Organic Farm Letter of concern will be sent to the Council reference work continuing on house.
Banchory-Devenick Cemetery – Application for extension must be made by Council.
Duncan asked if we would support an application for a new house by Mr McGregor of Banchory-Devenick. We would prefer if the applicant could attend a meeting and put his case, although the property is in the Green Belt. Mike will speak with him.
3. FINANCE
Details of 2007 200 Club tickets to be returned before next meeting.
Request from Netherley School for funds to provide momento of school moving. Approved £100.
4. AOCB
Netherley School Bus Crash – Steve Davies – Chair Netherley School Board – has asked to speak at the next Education Committee meeting, Mike Sullivan will make sure he is asked, and said a working group will be asked to collect information on best practice from other authorities
Community Council Members – One still required for Maryculter
19 February 2007 at 7:30pm
19 March 2007 at 7:30pm
Visit our Website – www.nkrcc.org.uk