The long-running dispute surrounding plans for a major housing development in Lossiemouth could soon be resolved – six months on from when talks were unexpectedly held up.
Developers behind a 278-home plan at the Sunbank area, as well as campaigners opposed to crucial aspects of it, were braced to state their cases before Moray Council in May.
But an 11th hour interjection from the Ministry of Defence torpedoed the talks and forced a lengthy adjournment.
Developers Tulloch of Cummingston have been forced to cut back on workers’ hours as they waited for the plans to return to the table.
Manager John Tulloch said: “The delay has knocked this whole project back six months, as we had anticipated a successful planning hearing back in May.
“We thought we would have been on-site and building by now, but as that has not materialised we’ve had to put our guys on shorter hours.
“There is a definite need for these houses though, and the sooner we can start the better.”
However, a group of campaigners are steadfastly fighting plans to direct traffic to the site along the Halliman Way and Fisher Place cul-de-sacs.
The Stop the Boyd Anderson Drive (Bad) Access group has vehemently criticised plans to route traffic through the quiet residential area.
And protester Robert Murdoch last night said he would relish the chance to outline the case against the road scheme before councillors and planning officials.
Mr Murdoch said: “We will simply stress that this is an access arrangement that is completely opposed by a great many of the people in Lossiemouth it will affect.”
But Mr Tulloch insisted measures had been taken to ensure residents on the affected roads would remain safe from traffic.
He said: “We have addressed all the issues that have been raised, and we would minimise any disruption on those roads by narrowing the road and installing traffic calming measures.”
At the end of May, military chiefs requested they be given more time to inspect the proposal to ensure the housing development would not have any negative impact on radar equipment at the nearby RAF Lossiemouth base.
At the end of July RAF officials agreed they had no objection to the development.
A new report has been made available to the council’s planning committee, and the hearing will take place on November 18.