Aberdeen City Council is eyeing a site in Deeside which could provide a solution to the ongoing problem of illegal gypsy-traveller encampments.
The Press and Journal understands local authority bosses are considering a deal to buy land at Malcolm Road in Peterculter – which lies in deputy leader Marie Boulton’s ward.
The ruling Labour-run administration is poised to scrap plans for a permanent camp at Howes Road in Northfield at a meeting on Tuesday.
The decision to ditch the proposal follows widespread public opposition.
Culter Community Council warned last night that local residents would be “up in arms” at the prospect of a permanent camp in a picturesque area regarded as an “asset” to the region.
Lower Deeside councillor Aileen Malone also questioned whether the land, occupied by the Rob Roy mobile home park, was close enough to local amenities to be suitable for the gypsy-traveller community.
Senior councillors said any decision on a traveller site development would depend on Scottish Government approval of a by-law on overnight camping.
Council finance convener Willie Young would not rule out the Lower Deeside location. Other sites are also understood to remain under consideration.
Mr Young said: “Some of these things are commercially sensitive.
“We are not proceeding unless we get the by-law, it is a twin-track approach.”
Colin Fraser, 72, who owns the Rob Roy site, confirmed he had held talks with the council about a potential sale of the land, which covers about 10 acres and can accommodate up to 110 mobile homes.
It is understood the Malcolm Road site could also be used as temporary housing for workers during the construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route if a deal is struck.
Three other areas have been identified in the city’s local development plan for smaller-scale traveller pitches, at Grandhome, Newhills and Loirston.
The Scottish Government has said it will respond to the bylaw plan in due course.
Under the terms of the by-law, it would be an offence to stop in designated areas such as public parks between 6pm-6am – with fines of up to £500 for anyone caught flouting the restrictions.
Philippa Matthew, chairwoman of Culter Community Council, said the Deeside site was “too deep” into the greenbelt to be considered for any type of development.
She added that a traveller camp at Nether Anguston last year caused an “enormous amount of upset” for locals.
She said: “People move to Culter to feel that they are on the edge of the countryside, but there was a lot of dumping and tipping going on.
“I appreciate that a permanent site would have facilities, but the village would be up in arms if a traveller site was going to be built here. If Deeside is one of the major assets of the Aberdeen area, then why choose it as a site for travellers?”
Callum McCaig, who heads the opposition SNP group at the council, believes the by-law proposal is unworkable, and insisted that existing legislation under the Trespass (Scotland) Act 1865 is sufficient to move on problem groups.
On the question of sites, however, Mr McCaig said he would be keeping an “open mind”.
He added: “It is for the administration to bring forward proposals, and if they stack up, then we will support them.
“The reality is, if they can identify a site – and Malcolm Road might be an option – then we don’t need a by-law because they will have the actual law that they can use to deal with illegal encampments.”
Mrs Malone, Liberal Democrat member for the Lower Deeside ward, said she was “disappointed” that the administration was ditching the Howes Road plan.
She said: “It is wrong to continually push everything back to the by-law and the Scottish Government, we have to look after our own city, and we have to find a suitable site to accommodate these travellers.
“My issue is that during all the consultation with the travellers, they want to be close to schools and shops. This site is out of the way and not near anything, I don’t think it would be popular with travellers.”