Plans for a dozen affordable homes in a north-east village are one step closer to being approved despite fears they could worsen flooding woes for those already there.
Councillors on the Formartine area committee have backed the proposed development next to Blackford Avenue at Kinbroom in Rothienorman.
It includes a mixture of two to four-bedroom semi-detached and detached homes and space for 26 cars.
The application, submitted to planners by Aberdeenshire Council itself, will now go before the infrastructure services committee for approval.
The development is earmarked for land which has not been allocated for housing in local authority planning blueprints.
The decision split members of the committee yesterday, with some feeling the need for affordable housing for rent in the region justified the deviation from the current local development plan.
But others sympathised with residents’ fears the new homes would add to an existing flooding issue in the village.
Scottish Water had originally said development could not happen until it upgraded its works, but just hours before the meeting the body deemed there was actually capacity for 12 new waste water connections.
Turriff councillor Anne Stirling said: “That’s a significant piece of information that has not been fed back to the community.”
She called to overturn the officers’ recommendation to grant a delegated approval arguing “there is potential for adverse impact on the amenity of the area”.
Fellow town councillor Sandy Duncan disagreed and put forward a motion for approval.
“Because it’s social housing for rent, and there a huge demand for that in the area, I can’t find any reason to refuse this development,” he said.
“We’ve had assurances it won’t increase the flooding risk in Rothienorman.”
His counterpart Alastair Forsythe agreed it was “responsible land use” which would “tidy up otherwise unused land”.
In October, councillors heard more than 60 objections had been lodged and concerns raised over flooding, sewage, infrastructure, parking and traffic and school capacity.
Yesterday, members voted 9 -2 for a delegated grant to be referred to the infrastructure services committee.
Funding for the homes is being offered up by the Scottish Government, but with a caveat stating it needs to be spent by March 31 2021.
