An affordable housing development in a north-east village, which sparked a road safety row at the end of 2016, has been approved.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch area committee yesterday backed the renewed plans for 12 flats at the rear of Insch’s Commercial Hotel, on Martin Road.
The decision came more than two months after councillors threw out a proposed traffic management plan, associated with the first incarnation of the development after locals raised safety concerns.
The traffic management scheme was required after the committee backed the plans for the flats last March.
The council’s roads department did not object to the application on the condition a traffic regulation order was put in place on the street.
Council officers had proposed revoking the one-way system on Martin Road and closing it off to traffic through a “stopping up order”.
This would have forced bin lorries to reverse down the route from neighbouring George Street for collections.
However, objectors claimed the traffic management proposal would have led to an increase in traffic on nearby roads, adding that the reversing bin lorries would pose an increased risk to schoolchildren.
Yesterday, fresh plans were referred back to the area committee.
The developer, Drumrossie Land Development Company, came forward with the new proposals to install traffic calming measures as an alternative to the stopping-up order.
Among them is new resurfacing to create a narrower carriageway and build-outs near the site entrance.
Deputy provost and SNP West Garioch councillor, Allison Grant, said: “Certainly, the last time this application came before us, we raised a number of concerns.
“I am delighted the developer has worked with the roads department and community to try and resolve these issues.”
The development is made up of two-storey flats, split across two separate buildings, along with a communal parking area with 17 spaces.
The plans were approved on a delegated grant.
