Interesting local snippets from recent lists of building warrants approved by council officers.
A shop unit within Asda Portlethen is to be converted to a hairdressing salon; erection of three six-apartment homes at Cairnwell Farm, Newtonhill, and the demolition of a steading and the existing farmhouse at the same farm; demolition of a single storey dwelling and store buildings and erection of a 1½ storey 6 apartment detached dwelling at Rowan Tree, Bridge of Muchalls.
I have just received figures showing about the amount of stuff taken to the household waste recycling centres over the last three years.
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | ||||
| Site Name | Site Tonnage | Recycling Rate | Site Tonnage | Recycling Rate | Site Tonnage | Recycling Rate |
| Peterhead | 7222.8 | 58.8% | 7273.7 | 61.3% | 7014.5 | 63.6% |
| Inverurie | 6989.8 | 54.8% | 7170.0 | 55.1% | 6936.8 | 58.1% |
| Fraserburgh | 5015.3 | 42.8% | 5384.8 | 47.3% | 5251.3 | 51.6% |
| Ellon | 5060.6 | 58.3% | 5351.5 | 57.2% | 4487.2 | 58.8% |
| Westhill | 4704.5 | 66.6% | 4745.4 | 68.6% | 4325.2 | 70.9% |
| Banchory | 3943.2 | 68.5% | 4276.3 | 68.9% | 3912.4 | 72.0% |
| Stonehaven | 4348.0 | 56.5% | 2708.2 | 62.6% | 3519.9 | 66.7% |
| Turriff | 3037.0 | 51.3% | 3303.9 | 54.9% | 3086.0 | 60.4% |
| Macduff | 2687.2 | 59.0% | 2944.8 | 60.4% | 2907.1 | 59.8% |
| Huntly | 1926.0 | 52.5% | 2556.2 | 38.4% | 2511.8 | 41.3% |
| Portlethen | 0.0 | 0.0% | 11.1 | 0.0% | 1978.9 | 69.7% |
| Laurencekirk | 2124.6 | 64.2% | 2037.0 | 64.3% | 1969.2 | 66.9% |
| Alford | 629.5 | 65.7% | 611.3 | 68.3% | 574.8 | 72.3% |
| Portsoy | 615.5 | 56.4% | 598.9 | 55.7% | 556.6 | 56.5% |
| Insch | 485.2 | 47.2% | 498.9 | 51.7% | 400.9 | 49.4% |
| Hatton | 166.9 | 5.6% | 167.9 | 7.2% | 175.4 | 8.1% |
| Whitehills | 120.5 | 0.0% | 99.1 | 0.0% | 98.0 | 0.0% |
| Gardenstown | 114.4 | 0.0% | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.0 | 0.0% |
The Portlethen site opened in December 2016, hence the lack of figures for 2015 and 2016.
As you will see, Badentoy ranks 11th out of the centres according to tonnage. Going by population in the immediate area, Portlethen should be accepting about the same tonnage as Ellon, Westhill or Banchory. A long way to go, but I suppose residents have got into the habit of going to Stonehaven or Tullos.
However Portlethen is doing well when comparing the percentages destined for recycling, rather than landfill. We are fourth highest of all the centres, at 69.7%. The layout of the local recycling centre was done to encourage more recycling by providing the landfill skip near the exit.
The North-East population is falling, according to a Press and Journal report. However the long-term projection is that the Aberdeenshire population will grow again in the coming years.
Statistics from the National Records of Scotland show 7,910 people left Aberdeenshire, with a net migration level of -688 being recorded. Aberdeenshire’s overall population fell by 390 in the year, because there were more births than deaths to offset the impact of negative migration levels.
There is more at https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/1532644/thousands-of-people-moved-away-from-the-north-east-last-year/
Why is there a plague of hoverflies all of a sudden? Hundreds of them buzzing about, trying to get in the house. They keep head-butting the windows.
Other folk are reporting the same thing, all around the North East. It’s like a plague! Except they aren’t locusts.
For those who would like to find out more about hoverflies, Aberdeenshire Council’s ranger service has arranged an event at Portlethen moss about the insects. They are described as the “most important pollinators of our wild plants. They have an interesting life cycle.” There will be a short introductory talk at the community learning centre at the academy before heading to the moss with local expert Geoff Wilkinson.
Booking is essential as spaces are limited so send an email to geoffrey.wilkinson@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or call 01467 537221. It starts at 1pm and last until 4.30pm on Saturday 11 August.
UPDATE: The Evening Express has an explanation: https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/…/heres-why-there-are…/
Bad news. I’ve just heard that the railway bridge off the A90 towards Castleton farm shop (I know how popular it is with folk from around here!) and Auchenblae will have to be demolished.
It is currently closed for safety reasons while checks are undertaken.
However council officers tell me that even with all vehicle traffic removed, this 169-year-old bridge remains a danger to the railway over which it passes (the East Coast Main Line between Aberdeen and the South), on account of the significant structural defects detected recently.
“It is now therefore necessary to pursue a course of action which will see the bridge demolished at the earliest opportunity, commensurate with minimum disruption to railway traffic. Structural monitoring systems remain in place and are being reviewed on a weekly basis with plans to install additional real time monitoring devices later this month to inform decision making as to necessary timescales.
“Thereafter any proposal for a future replacement crossing of the railway at the same location will need to be subject to the council’s capital schemes prioritisation process.”
I have asked council officers for further information on what work is being done. I am well aware of concerns among residents.
UPDATE 6 August: I am told by council roads officers that “the impending road closure at the above location is for Friday 17th August and Monday the 20th August not over the whole weekend. The works are for carrying out weather proofing to the deck of PS11A and some other minor remedial works, it is hoped to get these works carried out on the Friday as Monday has been applied for only as a contingency.”
Lastly, a report is awaited from Safety Auditors regarding the Stage 3 Safety Audit which was carried out on site on 24 July which will identify the need for a permanent barrier and passing places at this locus.
The Scottish Housing Regulator is to consult with tenants of Kincardine Housing Co-operative about their future. The regulator is proposing the co-operative is transferred to another registered social landlord.
The co-operative has 72 homes in Portlethen, Stonehaven and Fourdon.
This follows a period of statutory intervention by the regulator when independent investigations identified serious failures in how the landlord was governed.
The investigations also identified urgent risks to the delivery of services to tenants and the co-operative’s finances and assets, and serious concerns about the ability of the management committee to function effectively.
The regulator will make appointments to the co-operative’s management committee as it does not have the number of members it requires under its rules to function. The statutory appointments will support the co-operative’s governance and allow it to make decisions on behalf of its tenants.
The regulator’s Christine Macleod, Director of Regulation (Governance and Performance), said: “We’re consulting with Kincardine’s tenants about a proposed transfer of their homes to another RSL. We will make sure tenants get independent expert advice about what a potential transfer to another well-run social landlord will mean for them. Our Board will then take account of tenants’ views before making a final decision about whether or not to direct a transfer. In the meantime we will continue to intervene to support the management of services to tenants.”
The regulator has published a regulation plan which sets out the details of its intervention. It is available on its website: https://www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk/…/list-regulati…. Scroll down to Kincardine Housing Co-operative and click on the link.
