Plans to build nearly 20 homes in St Combs have been approved, despite design concerns.
Claymore Homes have been granted consent to build the development, known as Millburn Rise, on the High Street.
The cul-de-sac will consist of 19 two-storey homes.
Planning officer Alan Davidson had urged members of the Buchan area committee to reject the scheme and said the designs were incompatible with the layout of the town.
He said: “As it’s in a coastal zone there’s an expectation that designs have to fit in.
“We have to have houses that reflect the location they are in, for example a top hat and tails is nice but if you wear it with shorts and gymmies, it jars a bit.
“In terms of the cul-de-sac road lay-out it’s no longer what we think is reasonable for connectivity these days.
“You have to be able to get in, move around and get out and essentially here the lay-out causes issues.”
However Tiffany Kelly, the planner for Claymore, argued it was “impossible” for another access point to be added and that there had never been issues raised about the house design in earlier planning stages.
Councillor Alan Buchan backed the scheme and said: “In St Combs you have millionaire’s mansions and low-cost housing to the ramble of a traditional fishing village – a complete mish-mash.
“This is a small development of 19 houses and I’ve recently been to a cul-de-sac in Longside and found it was fine with only one road.”
Councillor Jim Ingram raised concerns about waste collection and moved to refuse the scheme. However, it was approved by seven votes to two.
