A controversial traveller site in an Aberdeenshire woodlands could be given final approval this week.
The plans for a seven-pitch caravan park for the gypsy-traveller community at Quarry Wood, near Kemnay, will go before a full meeting of Aberdeenshire Council on Thursday.
The application, which is part retrospective, has been recommended for approval despite receiving 42 objections.
Local authority planners have said the plans should be backed as a departure from the Aberdeenshire local development plan (LDP) subject to a number of conditions.
One of these is that each of the seven pitches has no more than one principal chalet, two touring caravans and a utility building.
A council report on the proposals 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.
“Technical matters around protected species, flooding and drainage, access, waste and contaminated land have all been resolved, or are capable of being
conditioned. There are no implications from the new local development plan.
“The representations received raise a significant amount of material considerations and these have been fully considered throughout the report.
“In reaching a recommendation, the planning service has weighed up these differing perspectives and concluded that the proposal should be supported.”
The council previously took enforcement action at the site following complaints of tree felling and development work which did not comply with previous planning permission for three lodges there.
