Councillors have called for tougher guidelines to protect two picturesque north-east rivers.
Aberdeenshire Council is currently holding a consultation about which of the region’s landscapes should be given special status.
These areas of outstanding natural beauty and significance are given protections against certain developments, and planning permission within the areas is heavily conditioned.
Aberdeenshire’s planning boss Piers Blaxter has already recommended that protection be extended to the Deveron Valley and yesterday the Formartine area committee called for it to cover the Ythan River as well.
Mr Blaxter said the Ythan area had initially been considered but that the Deveron Valley is deemed to have “greater value”.
He added: “We’ve tried to avoid over-designation.”
However Mr Blaxter said he had taken on board the comments of members, including Councillor Isobel Davidson, and his team will now revisit the Ythan area before a final recommendation is made to the infrastructure committee.
The planning team has already been asked to reconsider including Buchan’s Mormond Hill in the proposal following an angry response from councillors in Peterhead.
In total 10 special landscapes have been identified across Aberdeenshire by the council.
In Buchan, the north-east Aberdeenshire coast has been earmarked from Fraserburgh to Peterhead, and Buchan Ness to Blackdog for its beaches and panoramic views out to sea.
The controversial decision to exclude Mormond Hill is expected to arise again next month, when Fraserburgh councillors on the Banff and Buchan area committee are shown the proposals.
Each of Aberdeenshire Council’s area committees will be consulted before Mr Blaxter and his team make a final recommendation to infrastructure services.
The public consultation is open for comment on the authority’s website until Friday, May 13.
