Plans for a £140million development in the north-east which would create 600 new homes and a new town centre were unveiled to the public for the first time yesterday.
Residents of Blackdog turned up at a consultation where they were shown how their area could look if the proposals are given the go ahead next year.
The masterplan scheme was approved by Aberdeenshire councillors in 2013 on the condition that a space for travellers was included on the land.
Malcolm Campbell of consultants Knight Frank, which has been brought in to gauge public opinion, explained what was being proposed.
“We have two developers on board, Ashfield Land which will put in a retail area to the north of the site and Kirkwood Homes, which will bring 600 homes to the south of the area.
“We will submit a planning application to Aberdeenshire council in January but the pre-application plan has already been accepted.
“People will have the chance to have our say when the application is made.”
Ashfield Land acquired the plot of land earlier this year.
But residents of the nearby area who turned up to the White Horse Inn yesterday were far from convinced that the plans would be beneficial to Balmedie.
Dave Adams said the area was being treated as a “dumping ground.”
The 52-year-old sales manager said: “Blackdog welcomes new housing but there it a traveller’s site hidden in the plan.
“It feels as we’re being used as a dumping ground, Aberdeenshire Council does not listen to what we want.”
Phil Mann said the plans would lead to an area with no community.
The 47-year-old material controller: “Plans for a school and medical facility have been removed from the plans.
“This will lead to an area with no community.
“There is nothing for the new houses to be centred around.”
Chris Osbeck took issue with the plans for some of the housing.
The 35-year-old transport waste manager said:
“There are positive aspects to the plans but some of the homes to not have pavements.
“The idea is that there will be shared use of the roads but in practice this does not work and it presents a danger to people who are partially sighted.
“There is also no school in the plans anymore and no community facilities.”