Plea made to protect city trees from housebuilding

The passionate debate surrounding a north-east housing development and the ancient trees it could replace has intensified following the intervention of Aberdeenshire Council.

It has urged neighbouring Aberdeen City Council to remove woodland at Leggart Brae from its local development plan (LDP) and prevent it from being built upon.

Up to 150 homes are proposed for the site, just south of the River Dee.

The Comer Property Group previously notified Aberdeen City Council it wished to build on the site and the authority included it in its LDP in March.

The proposals are controversial with residents telling The Press and Journal they “could not see the logic of destroying our natural environment at a time when many properties sit unsold across the area”.

Now Aberdeenshire Council has waded into the debate, urging city chiefs to remove the site from their LDP and save “ancient woodland”.

The issue will be discussed at Tuesday’s Kincardine and Mearns area committee.

A report compiled by Stephen Archer, who is director of infrastructure services at Aberdeenshire Council, states: “The site will result in the unnecessary loss of green belt land and could have long-term negative implications on the green belt.”

Mr Archer said it had “respectfully requested” that

the site be removed from Aberdeen’s proposed LDP.

Comer UK Group chairman, Brian Comer, said: “We are thoroughly disappointed that officers at Aberdeenshire Council continue to take this view, despite the site previously being the officers’ preferred location for a major development.

“That said, it has been very important to me from the outset to ensure that due consideration be given not only to the characteristics of the site and its setting, but importantly the comments raised by all those with an interest in the proposals.”

The Leggart Brae site where the homes are proposed