Plans to create a permanent travellers camp at a site in the north of Aberdeen are set to be dropped by councillors, it was revealed last night.
For months, the city council’s Labour-led administration has been seeking out potential plots for a halting site to deal with a surge in the number of travellers pitching up illegally across the city.
Numerous suggestions were put forward, including Blackdog, Scotstown Road and Springhill Road.
However, the sites were all dismissed, leaving just one possible option – Howes Road, which runs between Bucksburn and Northfield.
But last night, in what has been described as a “spectacular U-turn” by frustrated opponents, Labour councillors confirmed that they will move to ditch the plan at a communities, housing and infrastructure committee meeting next week.
In a report put forward to the local authority discussing the local development plan – of which the travellers camp is included – leaders of the council say they have listened to a public consultation which revealed an “overwhelming majority” were against the proposal.
Labour councillor Scott Carle said that, in addition, Howes Road was not an appropriate site given plans to create a new school in the same area.
“We felt it wasn’t really the right place,” he said.
“We are doing what is best for everyone and dealing with this as best as we can.”
SNP MSP Mark McDonald, whose constituency covers Howes Road, said the council had put his constituents through grief for nothing, and that they had wasted months on an issue that is yet to be solved.
He said the entire process to single out Howes Road had been “shambolic”.
“We are now back to square one following this spectacular U-turn,” he said.
“They were told to take a much more strategic approach but they ignored everybody.
“This process has caused a great deal of anxiety and concern for the local community and we’re still no further forward.
“It is extremely frustrating and demonstrates the utter travesty our administration in Aberdeen is.”
Mr Carle said it was now up to the Scottish Government to push through a bylaw banning unauthorised encampments which would make it an offence to camp in public areas.
Until then, he said a new permanent site could not be considered or identified.
Mr McDonald said: “This is an issue that needs to be tackled and one that needs to be tackled in the right way.”