Local people are continuing to lobby for remedial work to be carried out to secure the future of a north-east coastline 14 months after a landslip.
Gardenstown was cut off from land that was used to store recycling bins last year, following heavy rain which devastated a significant section of the cliff face.
And, despite the efforts of the local authority to reach a compromise with the people affected, repair and prevention work to stop a repeat of the slip have come to a standstill.
Last night, the situation was described as a “stalemate” by a local councillor.
Mark Findlater visited the site at New Ground yesterday with MSP Peter Chapman and concerned residents.
He said: “In the past, there have been landslips across the coastline that have been quite devastating, so we have previous on this.
“What I would like to see done is prevention work, and the community council here has been lobbying for it. But right now, we’re at a stalemate between the land’s owner and the council.”
The authority has maintained the landslip-affected area is privately owned. But Mr Chapman added: “If it rains for five days or more [in the future], who knows what is going to happen?”
One resident, who joined the pair while inspecting the site, said he had lived in the tiny village for last decade.
He stated: “The concern is that more of it is going to wash down. There are open ditches we would like to see maintained to deal with the water flow in the meantime to help relieve the strain.”
Since the landslip, Aberdeenshire Council has changed recycling provisions for the village and communal bins have now been placed on its idyllic seafront.
The authority’s head of roads and landscapes, Philip McKay, confirmed his team will continue to monitor the situation.
He added: “Aberdeenshire Council has worked hand in hand with the community in Gardenstown to find a solution that works for all.
“We agreed to monitor the situation over the course of the next 12 months.
“What we have in place is dialogue with the community and a commitment to a solution which keeps our staff safe, is accessible and provides facilities.”
