Councillors have welcomed a plan to tackle a shortage of sites for gypsies and travellers in the north-east.
Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray councils commissioned the Craigforth consultancy to carry out a study of accommodation needs for groups in the area.
More than 70 people representing 55 traveller households were interviewed for the study.
The research revealed that Grampian region needs at least 35 extra pitches for roaming families who want to camp in the area.
The north-east has just two authorised camps, at Clinterty, near Blackburn, with 21 pitches, and at a seasonal site at Greenbanks, Banff, which has 20.
Councillors on the Garioch area committee yesterday welcomed progress in tackling the problem.
Westhill and district councillor Ron McKail said “halting” sites could help alleviate problems associated with unauthorised camps, including mess.
East Garioch member Martin Ford said: “There’s undoubtedly friction caused by travellers staying at park-and-ride sites, but what are they expected to do? We haven’t provided sites. We have to break the cycle somewhere.”
He pointed to research saying that groups had problems accessing commercial sites.
“We wouldn’t tolerate a caravan park hanging up a sign saying that it isn’t open to Chinese or some other racial or ethnic group,” he said.
Westhill and district councillor Amanda Allan said: “It’s going to be very difficult to find these sites because Aberdeenshire has been looking for these sites for a long time, but if it can be done we welcome that.”
Inverurie and district councillor Bryan Stuart, who agreed with Mr Ford’s concerns, said it was a land use issue that needed to be addressed in the local plan.
Land near Huntly and another plot between Inverurie and Dyce are suggested in action plans as locations for sites.