A decision on whether a controversial travellers site in Aberdeenshire will be allowed to remain has been delayed by three weeks.
Councillors had been due to determine a planning application for the site at Northwater Bridge, by St Cyrus, next Tuesday – but the application will now be heard on March 25.
The delay is due to more information being sought over recent flooding and whether the construction of the travellers site, which is now home to around 20 caravans, contributed to recent waterlogging in the area.
Traveller William Docherty, who lives at the site, has also commissioned engineering consultants Fairhurst to carry out analysis of drainage at the site, with the report also to be considered by members of the Kincardine and Mearns local area committee.
A resident living nearby said she was disappointed by the delay.
She said: “I must admit I was disappointed by the change of date. I had been interested to see how this was going to be resolved. The travellers will have been there for six months by the time the application is considered.”
Travellers arrived on the site, next to St Cyrus National Nature Reserve, at the end of September and started construction work to equip it with water and electricity.
The Fairhurst report concludes that a properly managed drainage system at the site would not have any adverse affects on the local environment.
However, engineers at Aberdeenshire Council have since noted that a bund, or embankment, on the land could “significantly increase” the flood risk by channelling water away from the site and into a nearby waterway.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has now been asked to submit a detailed analysis of flood risk in the area with its response due to be lodged by Friday.
Conservative councillor George Carr, of the Mearns ward, said: “We don’t want this to come to committee until we have all the issues fully responded to so we have a good, full picture as to how we can treat the application fairly.
“I am quite sure there is frustration over the time it takes to deal with these applications but this has not been a straightforward application.”