The future of a landslip-hit street in a north-east town will be decided by a meeting of the local authority’s full council.
McKenzie Crescent in Peterhead has been partially closed since a landslide in 2011 which forced marine safety firm Falck Nutek out of its base at the foot of the stricken hill.
Councillors on the Buchan area committee had previously refused to award an order to close the road to traffic, but may now be over-ruled after Aberdeenshire Council’s policy and resource committee backed plans to force its closure.
As a result, a report suggesting it is shut to traffic will be brought to a full council meeting next year.
Last night, Peterhead councillor Stuart Pratt, chairman of the area committee, said: “I still think it should be repaired and reopened, but that’s not going to happen.
“Hopefully, they’ll get monitoring and assess some of the other possible solutions that have come forward. We’ll just have to take it from there.”
A local authority spokeswoman said that assurances had been given by roads chief Philip Mackay that the road would continue to be treated as public despite it being closed to traffic.
“He explained that the slope would continue to be monitored and inspected regularly as part of the council’s general duty of care,” she added.
Last year, a leaked report revealed that a series of blunders had been to blame for the landslip.
An assessment of the site confirmed that the slopes were not investigated properly before excavation work began to erect a new boat shed. Council officers also failed to highlight the possibility of a landslide before planning permission was granted, despite evidence of a history of ground movement in the area.
Earlier this year, residents at the top of the hill said they were angry that the authority rejected calls to spend £610,000 to safeguard the site and reopen the street.
Originally, it was thought the repair job would cost more than £200,000 – a figure that soared to more than three times that sum.
It led to neighbours believing the lack of action has devalued their homes and made them almost impossible to insure.