SNP Welcomes £Multi-Million Sports Facility for Banchory

Banchory & Mid-Deeside SNP councillor Linda Clark has welcomed the approval at today’s meeting of Aberdeenshire Council of a multi-million pound community sports facility at Hill of Banchory.

The decision has been welcomed by project partners North Banchory Company (NBC) and Bandswim.

The project will comprise the creation of a sports facility, based on a six-lane swimming pool with extended dry sports facilities, replacing the existing pool and sports hall at Banchory Academy with building work on the project is expected to begin in 2016.

Councillors from across all political parties at today’s meeting welcomed the opportunity to support the plans which are the result of a long-running campaign by local communities around Banchory for a state-of-the-art sports facility and swimming pool. SNP councillors also secured a commitment for a review of all leisure projects across Aberdeenshire to ensure that each new project is brought forward according to the council’s due process and after a full assessment.

Commenting, Cllr Linda Clark said:

“I'm really pleased to welcome this project for the Banchory and district communities as they have continued to believe in it and support the concept over a very long time. The project is something they so richly deserve.”

Shadow Leader of the Council, SNP councillor Hamish Vernal added:

“I’m delighted to wholeheartedly endorse the Hill of Banchory project on behalf of the SNP Group and I welcome the fact that the council’s ruling administration have given assurances that leisure projects across Aberdeenshire will be reviewed later this year. This will provide a guarantee to all communities that their projects will be treated in a fair an equitable manner by the council.”

Local people have worked hard to raise substantial levels of funding and the council has been working closely with local community groups, businesses and the land owner to help make their plans a reality.