A group of north-east residents are fighting to block a move to renew their picturesque fishing village’s conservation status.
Aberdeenshire Council is currently reviewing the designation of Port Erroll – but some local people want the strict planning policies dropped.
Margie Davidson, whose Harbour Street cottage looks across Cruden Bay, has been forced to shore up the bottom of her garden with wood and netting to prevent it being washed away.
If the local authority renews conservation status, and chooses to enforce the accompanying planning rules strictly, Mrs Davidson could be forced to undo the work that has cost her £5,000 over the years.
She said she did not want the future of the 19th century village to be tangled up in burdensome regulation.
“Although there is a conservation status, at the moment the planners don’t really enforce it. If that changes, I don’t know what I’ll do,” Mrs Davidson said last night. “If they clamp down what are we supposed to do to protect ourselves from the elements?”
Her thoughts were echoed by local resident and chairman of the harbour trustees David Webster.
Mr Webster said the harbour is not profitable and that for it to survive, the trustees are looking to modernise the area.
“This is a working harbour and we need to find a balance of conservation and a new project to preserve the economic future of the harbour,” Mr Webster said.
In a survey posted to residents, the council planning department asks if homeowners would support reversing planning decisions which breach conservation policy – for instance, replacing UPVC windows with traditional wooden frames.
A council spokesman said public consultation over the future of any conservation area is a statuatory requirement.