Ellon Academy

Next weeks Formartine Area Committee will, I hope, finally decide on the site for the new Ellon Academy.  After a long process and having explored many options, it now looks like the Academy will be sited south of the river at Cromleybank with a new footbridge over the river around the Meadows helping link the Academy to the town in the short term. 

This fits with the Local Plan, keeps the school as close to the town centre as possible and fits with the expectations of the town.

Now I know the offer of land to the north looks attractive to some.  But the land is only worth £9m if it is at development land value - and it is agricultural land.   I have opposed development to the north of the bypass; we need to bring the town together not simply add more peripheral estates to the edges.  The Cromleybank development option was far superior and the Academy was an integral part of the plan.   We would lose a lot in the long term to change strategy now.

5 comments:

  1. It is disappointing that we have councillours who do not understand simple business and arithmetic. By choosing Option 2 at Cromleybank the council will have to pay a considerable sum of money - £5 million plus. Option 5 costs nothing.

    I am uncomfortable with business illiterate people wasting my council tax. We are in very fragile economic state and daft decisions like this will only add to the councils debt.

    Please leave these things to the professionals.

    Eric Shearer

    ReplyDelete
  2. Eric
    Cromleybank is the recommendation of the professionals.
    With everything taken into account, the difference (on a £46m project) is £600k.
    I read the council reports in detail not just press reports.

    ReplyDelete
  3. There should be an outright ban on development on any agricultural land as it will be required to feed the population as yields decline elsewhere.

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    ReplyDelete
  4. Option 2 Cromleybank was chosen on

    Eric Shearer above was presumably lobbying on behalf of his clients. He provided additional material to me. I include this information in the interest of transparency.

    ReplyDelete

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