Residents are ready to fight plans to build dozens of new homes on the edge of Moray’s biggest town.
Springfield Properties is in the process of buying land at Linkwood farm at the south-east of Elgin and wants to demolish agricultural sheds and put 106 houses in their place.
The major development would cover nearly 12 acres of ground next to high-end properties near the Linkwood distillery.
But people living at the Dunkinty housing complex say developers would be risking an accident by funnelling all traffic from the estate on to Linkwood Road.
The sole access point to the huge site would be along a stretch between the Linkwood distillery and the Dunkinty housing estate.
Residents claim motorists already treat the route as a “race track” despite it narrowing to single-file at two spots.
Elgin Community Council member James Wiseman raised concerns about the impact the development, and others like it, could have on the town’s wider road network.
He said: “We believe that people in Elgin are concerned about the impact of developments like this.”
The watchdog group has requested confirmation that the “cumulative impact” of several ongoing projects in the town have been taken into account.
One resident who has formally lodged an objection with Moray Council said: “We are talking about a possible 80 more cars, morning and night, entering on to a narrow road that is simply not fit for that purpose.
“That road is a race track, there are traffic-calming measures in place but our experience is that they don’t work.
“There needs to be a serious rethink on this, because if these plans go through as they are then the public will be at risk.”
Another neighbour added: “The road is the biggest concern, it’s risky as it is and adding more traffic could make it really dangerous.”
Springfield Properties said that although its proposal for the site currently only included one access road, that could change in the future.
Land director, Kenny Shand, said: “Future road improvements, where required by Moray Council, are being safeguarded through the reservation of an additional strip of land along the proposed extensive green corridor set back from the public road.”
The plot targeted for the project is currently used by farmer Ian Robertson, but he will relocate his business to the nearby Linkwood dairy farm should the plans be approved.
To pave the way for the new houses, farmhouses and outbuildings would have to be knocked down.
But the historic steading building itself, which was built in 1879 and features a distinctive clock face, would be incorporated into the new design.
The 19th century structure is intended to be the centrepiece in what would be an area of open space in the style of a “village green”.
The developers plan to breathe new life into the dilapidated ruin, which has been classed as an “at risk” building, by transforming it into three separate homes.
Mr Shand added: “We have always felt that this important local feature should be retained to give a distinct character and locational context for those who will live here in the future.”
The firm believes the housing development would “enhance one of the gateways to Elgin”.