Formartine Area Committee returned to Ellon this morning for the latest meeting.

The first item for discussion was the Police Scotland – Performance Monitoring and Operational Update.
Formartine generally remains a relatively safe place – with “area” figures being widely very good and showing reductions.
I raised concerns with more ward-specific figures,Petty (Common) assualts going up 70.6% on last year – with Group 2-Sexual Crimes showing a trebling from 2 to 6.
Better reporting of such offences from the public appears to be the reason for these increases.
The theft by shoplifting detection rate in Mid Formartine is up 60% on last year.

We then moved onto Planning applications (Mid Formartine ones in Bold)

APP/2017/0869 – Full Planning Permission for Erection of 2 Wind Turbines at Land West of North Haddo – Grant (following a vote 6-3 in favour)
APP/2017/1817 – Planning Permission in Principle for Erection of Dwellinghouse at Site Adjacent to Boghead, Cross of Jackson – Delegated Grant (following  vote 5-3 in favour)
APP/2017/1945 – Full Planning Permission for Erection of Replacement Shed to house biomass boiler and repair workshop at Millfield House, Garmond – Grant

APP/2017/2242 – Full Planning Permission for Erection of Timber Hut at Land Adjacent to Hill of Braiklay, Tarves – Grant (following a vote 6-2 in favour).
This one was in front of Area Committee solely on the grounds of an objection from Tarves Community Council – and cited due to their detailed assessment being that the submitted documents did not meet Scottish Government Guidance in line with the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 and the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2013.
Having read the objection, I moved to refuse on the grounds stated by the Community Council only to be advised that I could only refuse stating Aberdeenshire Council policy.
Cllr Johnston then proceeded to move a deferral for further information around the area of clarity as to where the red lines on the site plan could be, and the need for change of use of the site, which I seconded.
However other Councillors did not share the view, and the Application was grnated permission.

 

Planning appeals were noted – two in Mid Formartine

APP/2016/2715 – Installation of Replacement Double Glazed Windows at The Villa, House of Daviot, Mackenzie Drive, Daviot
– this one had been refused by Councillors, but the reporter allowed the appeal by deleting Condition 1.

APP/2016/3332 – Erection of 3 Houses at Land to rear of 15 Drumsinnie Drive, Rothienorman
– this appeal was rejected by the reporter

APP/2016/3465 – Erection of 3 Houses at Land at Former East Aberdeenshire Golf Centre, Millden, Balmedie
– this appeal was rejected by the reporter

We moved on to discuss the Local Housing Strategy 2018-2023, an excellent 37 page report that I had previosuly had the chance to discuss at Communities Committee.

And then another report previously seen at Communities Committee – the Voids Update.
There are currently 10 Council Houses unfilled in Formartine, including 2 in Pitmedden.
The average days to relet in Formartine is 24.4 days, well inside the Aberdeenshire target.

The Local Holidays 2018 were agreed – in Mid Formartine these will be 5th February, 2nd April, 6th August, and 1st October.

Finally we discussed two items in Private Session, including the Lease of Land at Chapelpark, Oldmeldrum for the Construction of a Transport Interchange.

   Leave a comment