Councillors Welcome Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan Approval

Peterhead South & Cruden councillors Stephen Smith and Stuart Pratt have welcomed the final approval of the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan by councillors at a meeting in Woodhill House yesterday.

The plan, which has been the subject of wide public consultation, forms the backdrop for future development in Aberdeenshire. The plan now goes to Scottish Ministers for formal approval.

Following widespread community support, for the first time ever, housing land has been allocated to Longhaven in an effort to encourage new development to safeguard local services, principally the school.

Commenting, local SNP councillor Stephen Smith, who was part of the successful campaign in 2005 to save the school from closure, said:

“The local community has wanted this for some time and I’m delighted that the Local Development Plan now includes housing land for Longhaven.

“This means that it will now be much easier to gain consent for construction of new housing in the village, where previously, any such applications would have been likely to meet with refusal.”

Fellow Ward member Cllr Stuart Pratt added:

“This will be a key step in securing the future of the local primary school, provided a developer wishes to submit a planning application.

“Rural schools are at the heart of their community and, while there can never be any guarantees about the future of schools as rolls fluctuate, I’m very happy to back the Scottish Government’s policy on safeguarding rural schools.”