Residents have kicked up a stink over plans to convert a closed down Deeside restaurant into a chip shop and ice cream parlour.
The proposals to transform the Candlestick Maker in Aboyne will go before Aberdeenshire Council’s Marr area committee next Tuesday.
Birse man, Robert Dinnie, is seeking full planning permission for a change of use for the building on the town’s Charleston Road, which has been shut since 2013.
However, the proposals have attracted six objections from locals concerned about traffic issues, noise and cooking smells.
Sarah Buckworth said she was concerned about “environmental factors such as (the) smell of cooking fat and litter”, adding: “Extractor fans and large industrial bins will be used but these bring with them concerns about air smell.
“I have nothing against local business development and indeed understand its worth within the local community.
“However, to place a hot food takeaway adjacent to such a stunningly beautiful village green is just plain wrong and out of character with this part of Aboyne.”
Fellow resident, William Hogg, objected on the grounds of “pervasive cooking smells”, adding: “I strongly object to this proposal on the grounds that it would have a serious impact on many different aspects of the surrounding amenity.”
The council’s environmental health team has concluded that the “mitigation measures” proposed by Mr Dinnie will provide acceptable protection against possible odours.
Head of infrastructure services, Stephen Archer, said: “The proposed change of use will result in a loss of amenity by odour emission. There will also be an amenity loss by reason of noise generated.
“It should be understood that some odour escaping through an open front door will be both unavoidable and uncontrollable.”
He added : “It is understandable that residents would be concerned about its impact, however there has been a restaurant in this location previously which would have produced cooking odour and noise from customers.
“The proposal would reuse a currently unoccupied commercial premises adjacent to the village centre and, with appropriate conditions, the impact of noise and odour can be controlled to the satisfaction of the environmental health team.”