Developers behind plans for a major north-east housing and leisure scheme near a rifle range have suggested any noise issues could be overcome – by neighbours simply shutting their windows.
Ashfield Land has proposed building 550 homes and a town centre – which would include a cinema, hotel and retail space – in Blackdog.
However the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has objected to the plans due to their proximity to its Blackdog Rifle Range, claiming the development would create a “sensitive environment” not suited to their “live firing and demolitions” activities.
Now a noise impact assessment carried out by CSP Acoustics has concluded a proposed “noise barrier” near the development could help deter any issues.
The study was commissioned by co-developers, Kirkwood Homes.
It admits there would be noise pollution as a result of live firing at the range, as well as from the neighbouring A90 Aberdeen to Fraserburgh road and passing aircrafts.
It states the noise would be worst during the day, particularly to the north of the development, and that residents would “need to rely on closed windows and an alternative means of ventilation” to control noise levels.
It adds: “The assessments generally indicate that mitigation measures will be required to reduce the impact of noise sources at the proposed residential sites and indicate that housing in the proposed development sites would need to rely on closed windows and an alternative means of ventilation in order to control noise sources to internal noise limits.
“The impact of the firing range noise on site G could be reduced by introducing a noise barrier to the northern boundary of the G site.”
The rifle range is made up of 12 and six-lane gallery ranges and is used by a number of different military groups, including the local reserve forces and MoD police, for training.
Director of project partner Ashfield Land, Steven McGarva, said: “We recently carried out further assessments to address concerns raised about potential noise issues from the rifle range.
“In line with our earlier investigations this report continues to find no significant issues and recommends any noise from the range is easily manageable.”