Echt homes approved despite flooding concerns

A total of 25 homes will be added to the village.

Kirkwood Homes and Dunecht Estate applied to Aberdeenshire Council to build 25 homes on land next to the firm’s existing sites.

The developer previously built 30 homes at Forbes Park, and a further 24 at Forbes Close and Forbes Way.

The latest scheme will add 19 detached private homes to the village.

While a further six semi-detached affordable units will be delivered in partnership with Osprey Housing Association.

The application went before the Garioch area committee recently.

Land director at Kirkwood Homes, Allan Rae, said the firm’s previous developments had provided a “positive contribution” to the village school, shop and restaurant.

He also told members the firm carried out public consultations ahead of submitting the plans.

Feedback from these events led to the final site layout being amended.

But the proposal had attracted some opposition from neighbours. Eight residents wrote to the council raising worries about issues including road safety and a lack of public transport.

They also noted that there was no doctors surgery and suggested that Echt School would struggle to cope with additional pupils.

Paula Houston, who lives next to the proposed development, spoke at the meeting to highlight flooding concerns.

She told councillors that residents living in the area suffer from boggy garden conditions and running water following spells of heavy rain.

Ms Houston was concerned that the height of the new development would “exacerbate” the problems.

But council officers put a condition in place, stating that none of the new homes should be occupied until adequate drainage facilities are installed.

Westhill and District councillor Ron McKail said the flooded gardens were “regrettable” but said there was “no alternative” but to grant planning permission.

Fellow ward member Fatima Joji admitted she spent a lot of time considering the proposal as the objections were “valid and quite concerning”.

But following the committee discussion and noting the conditions in place, she was happy to grant the application.

The committee agreed to unanimously approve the housing development.