Plans to kit out Aberchirder Village Hall into a shelter during storms have been rubber-stamped – despite neighbours’ worries over fumes and noise from an emergency generator.
Aberdeenshire Council has now approved the proposal to install the backup power supply, heat pumps and solar panels at the 125-year-old building.
Earlier renovations were completed on the venue in 2021 after it was bought from the Church of Scotland, with a new sound system put in place.
And now the Friends of Aberchirder Village Hall group have readied it as a haven during the occasionally lengthy power cuts which accompany increasingly severe weather events.
Intense storms have taken their toll on rural north-east communities in the past few years, with power cuts lasting up to a week following Storms Arwen and Babet.
What are the plans for Aberchirder Village Hall?
Improvements to the once derelict hall are coming thick and fast, as new measures to help residents during power cuts have already been installed.
A six-cylinder diesel emergency generator has been put in place, in case of a repeat of such storms hit the village.
Solar panels, a heat pump, and new windows and doors are also in the works to make the hall more energy efficient.
Due to the desperate need for the works, Friends of Aberchirder Village Hall installed the new equipment before planning permission was granted.
Aberchirder no stranger to intense storms
The village has been one of the worst affected areas in recent years by adverse weather.
In 2021, 120,000 homes across Aberdeenshire and Moray were left without electricity due to Storm Arwen, with some in Aberchirder left powerless for days.
Brenda King, chairwoman of the Aberchirder Community Association, previously told the Press and Journal that although the upgrades are aimed at vulnerable residents, anyone will be made welcome.
“It’s for vulnerable community members, but also there might be people working in the pharmacy if the roads are blocked, and they can’t get home.
“We’ve got the village, but there’s quite a few outlying communities, so we’re reaching out to them, if they don’t want to stay, they can at least have a hot cup of tea,” said Mrs King.
Plans will make Aberchirder Village hall a ‘great asset’ for the community
Many sent letters to the council supporting the restrospective plans.
Elizabeth Butcher said she would welcome any renovations to the village hall, saying Aberchirder is “in need of an uplift”.
Stephen Thompson added that he was in favour of moving towards a more environmentally friendly heat source, and that the hall is a “great asset for the community”.
Neighbours fought back over ‘very concerning’ fumes
However, not everyone in Aberchirder embraced the new measures…
Carolyn Mcintosh, who is a direct neighbour to the village hall, wrote to the council saying that when the generator was turned on during a test run, she had a “very concerning” amount of fumes in her kitchen.
Daniel Mcintosh pointed out that the generator has a noise rating of 85dB, the level at which ear defenders are required on building sites.
Council gives the go ahead – but not without its own input
In light of this pushback, the council have listed their demands to the village hall if the upgrades are to stay.
The generator has to be housed in a concealed ventilated container, and must not reach more than 42 continuous dB.
Council chiefs also recommended that acoustic barriers and anti-vibration pads be installed to quell locals concerns.
You can view the full plans here.
What do you think of the plans for a safe space from future storms in Aberchirder? Let us know in our comments section below
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