A massive expansion of a small Buchan village could be set to go ahead after education officers raised no concerns about the impact it would have on a nearby school.
It is proposed that Crimond, nine miles north of coastal town Peterhead, becomes the site of 37 new homes.
They will be constructed on disused farmland to the south of the village by the Fraserburgh-based developer Hall and Robertson Ltd.
But there were concerns that the increase to the local population, which is currently around 800, would put strain on the village’s primary school.
Crimond Primary School currently has a roll of 78 pupils in primaries one to seven, with 20 in pre and anti-pre-school. It has the capacity to meet the needs of 191 children.
However, these fears were allayed this week when Alexander Bain, the local authority’s business officer for the education service, wrote in an email to planners that the school would be able to cope.
“The proposed development of 37 houses will generate a maximum of 15 pupils on a rating of 0.4 per property,” he said.
“There will be no impact on our ability to deliver the service.”
Crimond Primary School currently has a roll of 78 pupils in primaries one to seven.
Eight affordable houses will be built as part of the development.