Minute of the meeting held on Monday May 17th 2004 at Maryculter Community Hall.

    

    PRESENT

Maryculter

Netherley

Banchory-Devenick    

Aberdeenshire

Councillors

Bill Fraser                           Philip Smart - Chairman                 Kate Kleppang  

Avril Tulloch                       Rob Winmill – Vice Chairman                                            

Kevin Park                         

Raymond Cowan - Treasurer                             

 

6 Members of the Public                                                  

 

APOLOGIES – Robert Keeler - Secretary, Bob McKinney, Mike Birch, Michael Sullivan, Sandy Wallace.

 Absent: Duncan Petrie.

Friends of the Earth gave a presentation on the WPR

FOE are seeking common ground with Community Councils and others, to develop an agenda to press for alternatives to WPR. FOE view is that (a) WPR is now a project purely designed to justify edge of city development of housing and industry and (b) WPR will simply not work.

In support of the latter cited:-

  1. Projected 34% increase in traffic over next 20 years
  2. The extra traffic (over and above the 34%) generated by development along the WPR
  3. The council’s own study6 which showed no improvement in city traffic flow with WPR

Original cost £80m, now likely to be £200m plus.

Apart from known housing/industrial developments FOE believes further major housing will be proposed at Bridge of Don if WPR  goes ahead and that Banchory-Devenick new town may be back on the cards.

FOE alternative to WPR :-

-         Rail freight improvements

-         Light rail link to Deeside

-         Mass transit improvements for city

-         Road tolls.

FOE urged Community Council to use powers as consultee to oppose WPR and promised to keep in tough.

The Chairman stressed our duty is to represent the whole community.

MINUTES of the meeting of April 19th were approved.

 

1.                  MATTERS ARISING

Web site – Up to date – WPR plans have been amended

Western Peripheral Route –  Chairman stated all potential Dee crossings now shown on plans and that one COULD be in a deep cutting to minimise impact North of river. Southern ‘starting spur’ from Portlethen now appears out of favour.

By end of May a preferred crossing should be decided. Council decision in June

Roads (ii) – Signage at Maryculter BridgeSouth Deeside road junction. No more to report.

Roads (iii) –Banchory-Devenick Crossroads - No more to report.

Comment was made regarding Leggart Terrace to Banchory-Devenick – edges of road crumbling – deep ruts on one side falling into ditches – Rob to write.

Temporary Pipe Yard at Meikle Carewe – Nothing to report.

Fly tipping B979 – Philip will write.

.

New School – Chairman will write to ask for update - is PPP team still in charge now that school is no longer a PPP project?

 

2.                  PLANNING

Blairs College 281 houses etc River crossings for WPR may postpone decision until Autumn.

Aspire to Golf – Sandy and either, Mike or Rob to meet developer in two weeks time.

Alba Power lighting - Nothing to report

Maryculter Organic farm – Rob read out details of  recent application and it was agreed to write

for details as  application showed serious inconsistencies and omissions

Sign at Maryculter for Muchalls Organic farm – Rob read out details of  recent application and it

was agreed to write for details as  application showed serious inconsistencies and omissions.

Wind Turbines Development – Rob noted that although the Fetteresso forest site approved,

Area Committee had recommended  (to Infrastructure Services) that there should be only one such

site between Cairn O’ Mount and Stonehaven

Local Plan (ALP) – Public Inquiry.  Council and Reporters meeting in 2 days time to decide on new schedule for the PLI – likely to start August/September

3.                  FINANCE

Anthoer request for funding had been received from Banchory-Devenick primary school.

South Deeside View – No money to print Spring/Summer edition - £330 needed. Agreed to donate £150.

 

200 Club Draw – May draw will be made in June

 

4.            CORRESPONDENCE

Police report –Little to report – possibly presence of more traffic police has been responsible. Dog  chases motorbike. Livestock is still escaping please check your fences

A recommendation that cyclists to wear safety helmets and bright clothing.

No break-ins in our area.

It was confirmed that HGV limit is  40 MPH on country roads.

There was no current knowledge of drug problems in Tolohill woods

 

5.         AOCB

           

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

            21 June 2004 at 7:00pm  AGM 7:30pm

            16 August 2004 at 7:30pm (Provisional)

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