Travellers living on an illegal site in St Cyrus have pleaded with council chiefs to let them stay until “old age”.
In a series of letters to Aberdeenshire Council planning department, the group at North Esk Park are urging councillors to allow them to make their stay permanent.
Councillors will be asked to decide on two retrospective planning applications on Thursday.
Nadia McAllister, who lives at the site with her husband and baby, said she would be “devastated” if they were moved on.
She wrote: “Everywhere we go we get moved on or can only stay for short periods of time.
“North Esk caravan site is quiet and peaceful and a lovely place to raise my baby.”
Elizabeth and David McCallum wrote saying they wanted to make a permanent home for their old age.
“We have travelled up and down all our life and this is the first time a place in this area has been able to offer us a clean, quiet place to try and make a home,” they said.
“We are not asking for financial help or assistance all we ask is for permission to live here to make a permanent home for our old age.”
Katrina McCallum said living at North Esk Park allows her to stay beside her family who will be able to support her as she seeks employment.
She wrote: “It means I do not need help from the government to pay for private childcare.
“Due to ill health of one of my parents, I will also be close by to help them as and when they need it.”
Two applications have been received for a change of use of agricultural land beside Eskview Farm, to the south of St Cyrus and near the national nature reserve.
One relates to the creation of a permanent halting site, the other to a site for touring Travellers both part of the same compound.
The applications are deemed to be of regional significance and so will be determined at a meeting of the full council in Aberdeen.