07 05 01

Crathes, Drumoak & Durris Community Council (CDDCC)

Minutes of Meeting

 

Tuesday 1 May 2007 - Irvine Arms, Drumoak from 19.30 hours

 

1.         Sederunt

 

Community Councillors: David Morrish (Chairman), Jean Downie, Jill Gow, Tony Butcher, Keith Whitehead, John Hopkins, Mark Allen, Ann Ross

Ward Councillors: Jenny Watson, Sandy Wallace

DYP Project: Debbie Cameron

Members of Public: Don Keith

Scottish Water: Steve Scott

Apologies: Caroline Cruickshank, Molly Atkinson

 

2.      Minutes of April 2007 Meeting

 

 Proposed:  Jenny Watson                    Seconded:  Tony Butcher

 

3.      Presentation  by Scottish Water

 

Steve Scott said that his purpose was to describe the forthcoming Scottish Water project to repair two water mains which brought water from Invercannie (near Banchory) to Mannofield and to answer any questions arising therefrom.

 

Salient points were:-

 

·        there are two mains running from Invercannie to Mannofield

·        one was laid in 1866; the other in 1924

·        materials of construction were variously steel, cast iron and concrete

·        the mains run mostly parallel with the North Deeside Road, passing through Drumoak

·        the objectives of the project were to improve water quality and to reduce leakage

·        the budget was £7 million

·        Phase 1 would be to investigate joints and chambers etc. and decide upon necessary actions (to be completed by Autumn 2007)

·        Phase 2 would be to carry out the required works (start April 2008: completion 2009)

·        Work would start at Drumoak in about 2 weeks time: this would be in roadside fields East and West of Drumoak, so traffic disruption would be minor

·        The crucial issue throughout the project would be to ensure continuity of supply

·        To provide a fall-back, the 1866 main would in future carry raw water (to be treated at Mannofield) and the 1924 main would carry treated water (treated at Invercannie)

·        Traffic disruption was expected to be minor, except at the Aberdeen City end, where congestion could occasionally be significant at Mannofield

 

Jenny Watson observed that the reinstatement work done along the Raemoir Road had been very poor.  She hoped that the Invercannie to Mannofield project would be much better conducted.

 

Tony Butcher noted that contractors operating on behalf of Scottish Water had undertaken surveying work on the Inchmarlo Golf Course 6/8 weeks ago, without permission.

 

David Morrish asked what percentage of the average annual flow was currently being extracted at Invercannie and what the maximum permitted extraction was.

 

Don Keith asked what was the status of the Drumoak Sewage Treatment Plant upgrade, which had been understood to be a pre-condition to the construction of houses by Stewart Milne.

 

Steve Scott undertook to provide a response on all these points by email to David Morrish (Action: Steve Scott)

 

4.         Drumoak Youth Project

 

Debbie Cameron asked what the available budget was for DYP.  John Hopkins said that this was the cash on hand (already notified) plus any grants obtainable.  It was expected that Aberdeenshire Council and oil companies might make funds available.

 

·        To forward to Debbie Cameron an email about section 75 funds available for DYP (Action: Don Keith)

·        David Morrish provided details of a contact for Shell

·        Mark Allen provided details of a contact for Talisman

·        To provide contact details for BP and Stena and for Aberdeenshire Council (Action: Sandy Wallace)

 

To provide Don Keith with sufficient copies of the questionnaire to be distributed with the Drumoak copies of the Newsletter (Action: Debbie Cameron)

 

David Morrish noted that no response had yet been received from Willie Munro, in respect of the fencing of that part of Keithmuir Park adjacent to domestic properties, in order to reduce vandalism.

 

 

5.                  Planning Issues

 

5.1              Crathes Housing

 

David Morrish reported that the Marr Area Planners were apparently taking a hard line, saying that the Planning Application was not acceptable, as it failed to comply with the Development Brief.

 

5.2              Royal Deeside Railway

 

David Morrish noted that CDDCC had attended the recent formal Opening of the platform at the Milton of Crathes Station.  Jenny Watson, who also attended, noted that the retiring Provost of Aberdeenshire (guest of honour at the Opening) had subsequently written to Christine Gove asking that the stamped plans relating to the planning permission be - at long last - sent to RDRPS.  Within days, they were.

 

5.3              Woodlands Housing

 

The Planning Brief had been debated by the K&M Area Committee at its recent meeting (at Kirkton Hall).  Sandy Wallace reported that the Scottish Executive Reporter had originally recommended 8 houses for this site: the Council had zoned it for 20 in the Local Plan and the Developer had proposed 30.  The Committee opted for 20.  The existing residents had asked that no recycling centre be included in the plan.  The Committee had agreed that there would be a recycling centre, but not located adjacent to existing houses.

 

A Planning Application would be the expected next stage.

 

5.4              Warehouse and Office to East of Durrisdeer

 

The applicant had asked to be permitted to address CDDCC.  David Morrish had - via email - regretted that this would not be possible at the May meeting, but told the applicant that if he wished to provide further information not already in the planning application, this would be possible at the June meeting.  No response had yet been received to this offer.

 

5.5              CHAP Proposal for an Eco-Village at “Park”

 

The recent proposal by CHAP was discussed in the context of the forthcoming Structure Plan.  David Morrish described the Structure Plan meeting that he and John Hopkins had attended at Banchory.  This was one of a series of “stakeholder” meetings, focussing on the locations, timing and numbers of houses to be built in Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire over the next 5, 10 and 20 years.

 

John Hopkins mentioned some notes that he had circulated to CDDCC, attempting to relate the CHAP Proposal and the forthcoming Structure Plan.  These had concluded that would be premature to react to the CHAP Proposal.  Any efforts to influence the situation (for or against the CHAP Proposal) would need to concentrate at this stage on influencing the Structure Plan.  To put these notes onto the website (Action: John Hopkins)

 

Jenny Watson said that the CHAP proposal was a clear attempt to evade the reinstatement conditions that had been attached by the Council to the Planning Permission for the Quarry extension.  The sustainability arguments in the Proposal were, moreover, a sham.

 

Jenny Watson proposed that, after the Election, the 4 new Councillors for Stonehaven & Lower Deeside Ward (and the 3 for Banchory & Mid Deeside) be invited to an early CDDCC meeting. (Action: David Morrish)

 

To look at the Structure Plan Consultation Process and determine whether the Community Councils in the Stonehaven & Lower Deeside Ward (and those in the Banchory & Mid Deeside Ward) could lobby jointly (Action: John Hopkins)

 

6.         Jenny Watson

 

It was noted that Cllr. Jenny Watson would be retiring as Councillor on 2 May, after 19 years’ service.  She was presented by David Morrish, on behalf of CDDCC, with flowers and a card, in recognition of her great efforts in support of CDDCC and of the local community over that time.

 

7.         Access Issues

 

7.1       Dalmaik Farm

 

In Molly Atkinson’s absence, there was no information about any response from Alastair Fulwood about action on the proposed stile across the 7-strand barbed wire fence.

 

7.2      West Park

 

David Morrish reported that the barbed wire obstruction and padlock had been removed.

 

7.3       Deeside Way (Crathes to Banchory)

 

Ann Ross referred to some notes that had been circulated by John Hopkins about the section parallel to the RDRPS railway.  She expressed concern about the closure of the path whilst civil engineering work took place, given the popularity of the Deeside Way and the volume of traffic using it and made the point that a safe alternative route should be provided.  Keith Whitehead proposed that, during these works, users could be redirected via the old trackbed, i.e. the “original” Deeside Way.  This should not have been reconverted back to a railway at that time.

 

To enquire of Mark Hagger the current situation in respect of Signage for the Deeside Way, particularly in the Crathes Area (Action: John Hopkins) (DONE)

 

8.         Park Quarry Liaison Meeting

 

To progress matters via Stephen Marshall (Action: Don Keith)

 

9.                  Bike Ride (26 May)

 

The route for the Bike Ride was agreed.  Two sections were incorporated; one hilly, one not.  Either or both sections could be tackled.  The start times would probably be 10 a.m. from Crathes and 1 p.m. from Drumoak.  To produce a poster.   (Action: David Morrish).  To place this on the website (Action: John Hopkins).  To inform the Deeside Piper, nearer the date (Action: David Morrish).  It was noted that the publication date for the next Newsletter was after 26 May.

 

10.       Correspondence

 

It was agreed that John Hopkins would be nominated as the Community Council representative on the K&M Local Community Planning Group.

 

To complete Aberdeenshire Council’s Gender Discrimination Survey (Action: Ann Ross)

 

It was agreed - in the light of the increase from £10 to £25 in the annual membership fee - that CDDCC would not renew its membership of Planning Aid for Scotland.

 

11. Next Meeting

 

19.30 hours on 5th June at Irvine Arms

 

JFH 02/05/07

 

 

Distribution

Email

Post

by hand

other

CDDCC Councillors

 

Jenny Watson

Park Shop (via John Hopkins)

Website www.durris.net (also for previous minutes)

Sandy Wallace

Crathes Hall Notice Board (via David Humble)

Drumoak Post Office (via John Hopkins)

Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator – representative not known

Mr W Munro, Area Manager, Kincardine & Mearns

Banchory Public Library

 

 

 

Mr L Allen, Area Manager, Marr

Community Police Officer (Drumoak/Durris/Crathes), c/o Banchory Police Office

 

 

Rev. Jim Scott, Durris Manse, Durris

Drumoak Public Hall Notice Board (via Ian Pirie)

 

 

Caroline Cruickshank, Drumoak

Drumoak Church Hall Notice Board (via Morag Keith)

 

 

Debbie Cameron, Drumoak

Durris Hall Notice Board (via Sheila Watt)

 

 

Steve Scott, Scottish Water