The latest chapter in the saga of the illegal Travellers’ site near St Cyrus will be written next week when retrospective planning applications are considered by Mearns councillors.
It has been 18 months since work on the major development, situated adjacent to an internationally renowned nature reserve, started without planning permission.
North Esk Park is now home to around 80 people, with the site consisting of around 20 caravans as well as roads and lighting surrounded by a 1.8 metre-high fence.
Two retrospective planning applications will be considered together by the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee on Tuesday. The recommendation will then go forward to a full meeting of Aberdeenshire Council next month.
Both applications have been recommended for refusal.
The council’s planning officers have sited several reasons why the applications should not be permitted in each case.
These include concerns about flooding and foul water drainage as well as the fact the site is next to a site of special scientific interest and outwith the settlement boundary in the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan.
The first application seeks full planning permission for retrospective change of use of agricultural land to form an eight stance caravan park, the formation of a road, recycling point, bund and boundary fencing. The second seeks full planning permission for a retrospective change of use of agricultural land to a site for touring Travellers, the erection of two stances, a toilet block, washroom, pump station and recycling point, the formation of a road, a bund and boundary fencing.
A flood risk assessment identified the site as being at risk of flooding during a one in 200 year flood event. There was extensive flooding at the site in December 2012.
A bund was erected along the north boundary of the site as a flood mitigation measure. However, the council’s infrastructure services department claim this has increased the flooding risk to neighbouring properties and so should be removed.
Scottish National Heritage advise that there are heritage interests of national importance which will be affected by the development and state that spoils and earth have been placed inside the boundary of the St Cyrus & Kinnaber Links site of special scientific interest.
Scottish Environment Protection Agency has also objected to both applications on the basis that people and buildings would be placed at flood risk.
The council’s education service has raised concerns that capacity at St Cyrus Primary School is limited, with the school projected to remain over capacity until August 2017.
St Cyrus Community Council, which has previously expressed its concern and disappointment at a “lack of action” by the council, also objected on several grounds including damage to surrounding properties and road safety concerns.
The development is located 1.8km south west of St Cyrus near to River North Esk and next to B&B property Eskview Farm.
The applicants’ supporting statement considers that the development is located, sited and designed in such a way as to minimise its impacts on the landscape of the area.
It states the site conforms to the council’s development guidance on ‘stopover sites’ and is built from high quality materials. It adds that the site is tucked into the cliffs and screened from long distance views from the coast.
It also mentions the lack of provision nationally and locally for Travellers sites and the lack of police activity at the site.
Last year the touring site usually had 27 adults and 13 children living there plus 10 families with approximately 24 adults and 15 children on the permanent stances.
In his report to councillors, director of infrastructure services Stephen Archer said: “The applicants supporting statement covers in detail other material considerations such as the Equalities Act and Human Rights cases.
“The supporting statement asks that the strict provisions of the Development Plan be set aside to consider the wider factors.
“None of the relevant factors mentioned here are contested and it is accepted these factors can be given weight in the consideration of these proposals.
“However, it is considered that the technical and extensive planning policy issues that the location, site and the development itself raise do not, in this instance, allow for an approval recommendation as a departure.”
Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee’s recommendation will be presented at the full meeting of Aberdeenshire Council on April 30.
The applications will be determined by full council as they are deemed to be of regional significance.
Two previous retrospective planning applications were submitted in September and November 2013 but these were withdrawn prior to determination.
Despite assurances that another application would follow shortly, the latest submission wasn’t received until September last year.