Almost 50 homes are to be built in a rural Aberdeenshire village as part of a masterplan for new housing.
Full planning permission has been granted for the erection of 49 houses in Cluny, just south-west of Kemnay.
The development is the last phase of the council’s plan to provide a total of 99 new properties in the area – 23 of which have already been completed, and 27 are currently under construction.
A detailed report on the proposal was presented to Aberdeenshire councillors at the Garioch Area Committee meeting yesterday.
Although members backed the scheme, several issues became the centre of a heated discussion – including the risk of potential flooding.
Breakdown of the number and size of all properties proposed as part of the application:
• eight two-bed properties (all of which are affordable units)
• 16 three-bed properties (four of which are affordable units)
• nine four-bed properties
• 16 five-bed properties
Local residents have previously objected to the application due to concerns regarding flood risk, as well as footpath provision and sewage, increased congestion and school capacity.
Speaking at the meeting on behalf of Cluny, Midmar and Monymusk Community Council, Mrs Worsman explained the risk of flooding cannot be explained entirely with theoretical modelling.
She said: “Modelling flood is an ongoing and complex research area, but we have the undeniable evidence of a real event of the storm on January 7 in 2016, which was experienced by residents of Sauchen.
“The real flood was bigger in extent than the theoretical model with the one in 200 return period. The predicted model does not match what happens in this catchment.”
The planning application states that both Sepa and the council’s flood prevention team are satisfied with the proposal in terms of potential flood risk.
However, the majority of councillors voted for the report to be presented to the environmental regulator again with the additional information for further review.
East Garioch councillor Martin Ford said: “I do think we’ve received credible information that there is grounds for concern and I would like a response at some point whether we could ask for some further reassurance.
“The overall scheme has been through due process and is entirely acceptable.
“It is only a question of the detail whether the flood risk to some of the properties that have been proposed, is in fact much greater than one in 200 years.
“I would advocate that the points raised with us this morning are explicitly raised with Sepa and the council’s flood engineers for them to either confirm they are confident that the maps presented to us are correct and that we can proceed, or that they are now not and some amendment may be required.”