Councillors in Aberdeenshire have backed plans to permanently close a road in Peterhead at the centre of a long-running landslip row.
Local authority officials will continue to monitor the slope at Mackenzie Crescent, however, amid continued calls to explore potential mitigation measures.
The road was shut in late 2012 after a nearby landslip left it unsafe.
The route has since been deemed to be at risk of further landslips.
The council originally planned to construct a supporting wall at an estimated cost of £200,000 – but the price rocketed to £610,000 after more detailed design work was carried out.
The increase in cost led councillors to decide that it was not a viable option, and instead voted to pay about £20,000 to seal off the street permanently.
Aberdeenshire Council’s planning department was inundated with objections to the closure from local residents during a recent statutory consultation period.
Many were disappointed that the council had decided against spending money to repair the embankment and had instead chosen the cheapest option – installing bollards to block the road.
At a meeting of the full council yesterday, recommendations from the policy and resources committee not to incur further expenditure on the site and proceed with a traffic order for the road closure were supported.
Speaking afterwards, SNP members for Peterhead South and Cruden Stuart Pratt and Stephen Smith said they were pleased that the administration had agreed to continue to explore possible mitigation.
Mr Pratt said: “I would hope that once all the options are looked at that some cost-effective measure can be found to protect the neighbourhood from further slippages.”
Mr Smith said he was “under no illusion” that there would be a “quick fix”.
He added: “A number of approaches have been made to residents and councillors with offers to tackle the problem, some from people who have experience in dealing with very similar situations elsewhere.
“There is a danger of further slippages and it’s right and proper that these offers that have come forward should be technically assessed to see whether they can provide part of the solution.”
Independent Tom Malone also spoke in support of residents at yesterday’s full council meeting, insisting there were genuine concerns.