Central Buchan Councillors Debate Aikey Brae Halting Site Proposal

Buchan Area councillors debated proposals by Aberdeenshire Council to establish a halting site for travellers at a meeting of the Area Committee yesterday.

Councillors from all parties and all local Wards expressed reservations about the process being followed by the local authority. Concerns were expressed about the proposal not being within an area marked for development in the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan, and the fact that councillors were being asked to comment on the proposal before the views of local people had been gathered at a public meeting in Old Deer next month.

Central Buchan SNP councillor Jim Ingram commented:

“This Committee is being asked to comment on the proposal for a halting site at Aikey Brae but I don’t see how we can possibly do so before the public meeting for local residents has taken place, and before we’ve heard the feedback from the local community.

“The Committee should defer making any comment until after that has taken place so it can be fully informed of local opinion on the issue.”

Councillor Lenny Pirie (SNP-Central Buchan) questioned the status of Aikey Brae in the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan. He said:

“Aikey Brae is not earmarked for development, nor is it designated for any particular use in the recently-approved Local Plan. I see this as a contradiction to what is now being proposed.”