Controversial plans to create a travellers site in Aberdeenshire have been delayed until next month.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch area committee yesterday deferred a decision on granting planning permission for a seven-pitch caravan park for the travelling community at Quarry Wood, near Kemnay.
The plans were submitted by applicant George Stewart through his agent, Alan Seath Planning Consultancy.
The local authority’s planning service had recommended the application be granted, subject to a number of conditions.
The proposals include a range of stances from permanent ones for mobile homes and chalets and touring stances, along with parking and a utility building.
The application, which is part retrospective, met with 42 objections and five letters of support.
The council has previously taken enforcement action at the site following complaints of tree felling and “development”.
A full meeting of the council will make the final call on the plans at a later date, after planners deemed the issues at the heart of the application to be of “regional or national significance”.
In a report before councillors, senior local authority planner, Bruce Strachan, said: “Having assessed the proposal against the development plan, it is considered that, with the exception of rural development and the treatment of the woodland, the application accords with key policy requirements.
“In particular, each criterion for gypsy-traveller sites has been met, the layout and design is considered appropriate and potential for using the site as a base for working is acceptable within ‘normal’ limits.
“Technical matters around protected species, flooding and drainage, access, waste and contaminated land have all been resolved, or are capable of being conditioned.”
The committee will reconsider the proposals on December 20.