PROTECT BANCHORY DEVENICK Protect Banchory Devenick City and Shire residents stunned by City Council proposal to build over Green Belt at Gateway to Aberdeen from South DeesideProtect Banchory Devenick conEnues to work hard to preserve the environment of lower south Deeside. The City and Shire local development plan (LDP) exercise appeared to be going well, with planning officials sensibly recommending the protecEon, and where relevant conEnued “Green Belt” zoning, of Banchory Devenick throughout the process aler large amounts of feedback during the consultaEon period. However, in a stunning development, at the very last stage of the City part of the LDP exercise in March, Cllr Marie Boulton, who represents the Lower Deeside Ward, stood up in the Council Chamber and moved to amend the dral plan by including the Green Belt land at Banchory Devenick as a “Housing Opportunity”. Cllr Boulton simply stated, with reason given, that the site was suitable for development in terms of good infrastructure, school opEons, etc. This contradicts all of the carefully considered wriSen views of planning officials around the unsuitability of the site due to a series of compelling issues, not least the landscape impact of building on this green space above the Bridge of Dee. Despite reaching out to Cllr Boulton as chair of the planning commiSee, no answer has been given for the amendment. A Freedom of InformaEon request made to the Council has revealed there are simply no wriSen documents explaining any raEonale. The Shire Council strongly opposes the rezoning, for all the reasons previously set out and agreed upon by planning officials from both Councils, and has objected to the City recommendaEon to rezone for development. The City Council claimed the allocaEon is needed to meet ScoAsh government housing targets, but when this claim is fact checked, it turns out to be false, and Aberdeenshire Council have pointed this out. Residents have been lel scratching their heads as to why a foreign developer with very deep pockets gets to over-turn green belt protecEons at the first ask with no reason given by Councillors. While party poliEcs should not be involved in an issue like this, it is worthy of note that the SNP and Lib Dems voted to protect the Green Belt, while Labour, ConservaEve and Independent groups all voted to destroy it. This resulted in Cllr Boulton’s amendment being passed by just 23 to 22 votes at the Council. Given the City dral LDP is now submiSed to the ScoAsh Government, it seems there are now just two means by which this land could yet be protected. Firstly, by the ScoAsh Government Reporter agreeing with the large volumes of objecEons that have been received and removing this site from the plan, or, secondly by control of Aberdeen City Council passing from the current administraEon to the opposiEon. protectbanchorydevenick.org or find us on Facebook.
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