Menie in legal "rough"

Aberdeenshire Council and the members of its Formartine Area Committee have today received a letter from a solictor from Environmental Law Centre, Scotland warning that making a decision about stablising the Menie dunes tomorrow could be subject to legal challenge.


The Committee Report into the application states this is a Major application and that it does not comply with the development plan.   I asked the Director of Planning last week whether it was appropriate for FAC to deal with this rather than treat it the same as other Major applicantions which would mean holding a pre-determination hearing and it being determined by Full Council.   

Dr Gore says the process is fine and is sticking to her guns .... is she right or wrong?
Posted by Debra Storr at Monday, October 26, 2009 Labels: , ,

5 comments:

  1. So, it's a "Major" development that requires full council, government intervention or even a public enquiry, when the local committee get it "wrong" but it can be split up into small, conveniently sized packages, like, "can we plant a bit of grass please?" when it looks like the committee will get it "right"? Love that photo but think how much better it would look with a huge hotel plonked in the middle!
    ReplyDelete
  2. No huge hotel, no buildings. This is grass growing for stabilisation purposes only.
    Grass growing.
    The one thing people forget is, this development will provide good access to Balmedie beach, the dunes will still be there and will not change. And as yet I have not been stopped walking on any part of this estate. We have a right to roam, but paths will be provided, which i will use.
    This development will bring in jobs, much needed hotel space and will revitalise the Aberdeenshire economy.
    I also think if people wish there opinions to be posted, they should be proud of there voices and not sign Anonymous
    N Fraser
    ReplyDelete
  3. Neil
    The dunes are SSSI status because they move - 5 to 15 metres a year I understand. A quick look at the before and after pictures from Trump shows what changes. OK it's not concreting the dunes over - but it is still destruction of the SSSI.
    ReplyDelete
  4. The Dunes do move every year, dependant on the wind patterns. Dunes have been known to engulf whole villages and ruin societies in the past.
    This is stabilisation of the dunes no more no less. This grass growing will only keep the dunes as our defence for many more years to come and this will stop the dunes taken over any more land.
    The grass growing will bring new species to Balmedie of wildlife and the wildlife there just now will return.
    Yes i am concerned about this but i am concerned even more about Aberdeenshire's future, and some of the councillors reluctancie to embrace change.
    Change is hard and often not welcome. This in my view is right for this site
    ReplyDelete
  5. Neil,
    There is random variation in dunes - that is common. The dunes here are unusual in that the transit is south to north on a regular pattern. This reveals damp sand slacks which develop particular vegetation ... and as that vegetation develops, it changes. So we have a timeline of what happens as sand dunes move.
    Do go and read Trump EIA ... and I had a small archive of other materials until someone threw it out of Woodhill House.
    ReplyDelete

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