Fresh plans for a development at the foot of an Aberdeenshire hill – which have sparked an affordable housing debate among locals – have been formally lodged.
Aberdeenshire Council has received a planning application for 300 homes to be built on farmland at the foot of Scolty Hill at Braehead, south of Banchory.
Sandlaw Farming has submitted the plan for the development, which would be made up of 200 homes for private rent, 75 affordable homes and 25 assisted-living apartments.
It comes after the local authority rejected the firm’s first proposal for 400 homes in June.
The new plan also include 3.5 acres of land for a primary school or community use, a public park, children’s play areas and a new visitor centre for the Deeside Way.
However it is not included within the council’s current or forthcoming local development plans (LDPs).
Mike Adams, of the Stop Scolty Redevelopment group – which rallied locals to submit more than 500 objections after the first plan was lodged – said: “Aberdeenshire Council currently has one of the most robust housing supplies in Scotland with a strategic plan that was approved just last year and a new local plan set to come into force soon.
“This makes Aberdeenshire one of the most forward and up to date regions in Scotland in terms of housing policy and delivery.
“The new application is being framed as taking on board the council’s concerns but it remains that this site is not included in the local development plan for robust and well supported reasons.”
However Ken Ross, of Ross Developments – agent for Sandlaw Farming – said there is a “shortfall” of affordable housing in the region.
He added: “If the council genuinely wishes to meet its housing obligations set by the Scottish Government, it needs to be more flexible and consider new options that don’t fit a formulaic approach to delivering new homes.”