A controversial planning application for the creation of over 60 new homes in the north east is to go before the area committee next week after councillors deferred their decision.
The major development, proposing the construction of 66 new homes in Kemnay, will go before the Garioch Area committee on Tuesday.
Barratt North Scotland has lodged a proposal to build the properties near the village’s Bogbeth Park, on land off Greystones Road.
However, local residents have raised concerns about the knock-on impact the development would have on the already-busy Bogbeth Road beside the park.
They believe the village’s health centre, schools and other amenities would be unable to cope, and have also claimed that many within Kemnay are unaware of the proposals because Barratt did not engage in sufficient public consultation.
The application has already received over 40 objections from local residents as well as the Kemnay community council voicing its concerns about the project.
One resident, Gillian West, wrote to the council saying: “As a resident of Kemnay for over 14 years, I have observed at first hand the relentless residential development which has taken place in Aberdeenshire.
“The result is that rural villages like Kemnay expand beyond the capacity of their schools, health and social services, and face increased demand on existing leisure and civic amenities which cannot cope.
“In many cases, these facilities do not even exist in the first place.”
Kemnay Community Council objected to the application last year, due to a lack of clarity about the main site access, while highlighting the need for extra footpaths and the widening of Bogbeth Road.
Following these concerns, a number of amendments were implemented by the developer in order to obtain full planning permission.
The application submitted to Garioch area committee states: “The proposal comprises 66 houses as a mix of detached, semi-detached, townhouses and flatted properties. 16 units are proposed as affordable.
“The application has been amended since initial submission with the key change being the inclusion of the proposed upgrade and improvement to Bogbeth Road to widen it to 5.5m and provide a 2m footpath to link with the existing path network.”
Councillors are due to visit the site at 8.30am on March 15 for a further inspection.