FRUITBALL PITCH
Baffling decision to plant trees on kids’ footie park is finally explained.. the council are turning it into an orchard
STUNNED villagers who found their football pitch covered in freshly planted saplings have been told the council plan to create a community orchard.
Youngsters enjoying a kickabout have had to improve their ball skills to dribble around the trees before shooting on goal.
Council chiefs apologised for failing to tell locals about their intentions.
They have now begun a two-week consultation period with the baffled community in Logie Durno, near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire.
Up-in-arms locals met officials this week and a working group has been formed to explore how to move the goalposts and restore harmony.
Logie Durno hall and community committee member Steven Jaffray said: “The council tabled their proposal to leave the trees in place as it’s part of their biodiversity initiative. It’s actually an orchard of fruit trees so we can envisage a nice woodland walk in years to come but we questioned the maintenance of that.
“They said they intended to move the goalposts to give us the five-a-side pitch elsewhere – but of their choice and without consultation.
“We have now entered a two-week consultation period with the rest of the community.”
Aberdeenshire Council’s roads and landscape service area manager Philip Leiper said the meeting had started with “an unreserved apology for the direction this has taken without engagement”.
He said: “It was a lively meeting and we were able to get an idea of what the community want. A working group of those who attended has now been set up.
“Proposals could include a wildflower meadow and a bespoke five-a-side pitch somewhere else in the park.
“I am pleased that the community supported the principles of what we were trying to achieve.”