A hearing into a major development near a north-east village, scheduled for this evening, has been postponed following concerns that the planning work had not been completed.
The pre-determination hearing for the proposed scheme by Chap Group, who want to build 1,500 homes at Park Quarry, had been arranged at the new Drumoak Primary School.
The project, which is not on the current Local Development Plan, saw around 80 objections from members of the public.
The main objector to the development has been Crathes, Drumoak and Durris Community Council, and there was also opposition from Banchory Community Council.
The plans for the brownfield site include shops, cafes, recreational facilities and 10 acres of dedicated employment land, while 500 of the homes have been earmarked as affordable.
Those who had requested to speak at this evening’s hearing were told on Monday by the Aberdeenshire Council that it had been postponed.
The authority explained: “The applicant’s agent expressed their concerns about attending the hearing when they still had work to do and submit outstanding information not currently forming part of the application.”
Crathes, Drumoak and Durris Community Council chairman Howard Scholey wrote: “The Community Council finds this situation unacceptable.
“Are Chap to be allowed further postponements if statutory bodies find inadequacies with their updated proposals?
“For several years, the Chap organisation has been conducting a campaign to insinuate the idea of a major development on this site into the public consciousness.
“This, despite the fact that there is a continuing obligation, under the existing planning permission, to return the site to agricultural land use after the current quarrying activities have ceased.
“All planning applications should follow a transparent process, particularly those that are as controversial as this [one].”
Head of planning and building standards, Robert Gray confirmed: “The pre-determination hearing for Park Quarry, Drumoak, due on March 2, has been postponed following discussion with the applicant.
“Agreement has been reached to determine the application at Full Council on September 29 and the hearing will be held close to that date.”
Douglas Thomson, joint managing director of Chap Group said: “We welcome the decision taken by Aberdeenshire Council to postpone the pre-determination hearing.
