A north-east community councillor resigned last night, following a dispute over a regeneration scheme in the area.
George Esslemont, secretary of Fraserburgh Community Council, quit his post after finding out Aberdeenshire Council had devised plans to install rusted steel cladding to the outside of the port’s former police station in Kirk Brae.
Mr Esslemont, who has been the group’s spokesman for two years, said he had “lost faith” in the authority while members discussed schemes to convert the building.
His decision to step down came just hours after the community group voted to write to investors in the project and ask them to reconsider their design.
Mr Esslemont said: “We think it is an ugly addition to the building. We saw pictures of it and thought it looked disgusting and it takes away from the whole appearance of the building.
“So I have decided to resign.
“I know what rusted steel is like. If it goes in on the outside of a very expensive building, it will just continue to rust and get worse. It will bleed down onto the ground and deteriorate.”
Fraserburgh councillor Ian Tait, who has spear-headed a campaign to have the rusted steel aspect of the project scrapped, added there was nothing more townspeople could do.
He said: “The ball is now in the court of the funding partners – Historic Scotland, Heritage Lottery and the Scottish Government’s Capital Grant Fund.
“It’s up to them to respect the people of Fraserburgh’s wishes. It’s as much as we can do.”
Aberdeenshire Council has always maintained that proposals to alter the appearance of the abandoned police station have been above board.
Banff and Buchan area manager, Margaret-Jane Cardno, insisted councillors had been kept “well up to date” with the scheme and had received detailed presentations on what the building would look like.
She added: “Other than a minor concern about the capacity of the actual chamber, up until this point no concerns were expressed about the design, the materials, or the proposal.
“The correct process has been followed to reach this point, where substantial funding is in place, plans are approved and work is due to start.”