The following new applications in the North Kincardine ward can be viewed on the Aberdeenshire Council planning register: https://upa.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/online-applications/.

APP/2022/0696
Date validated: 28 March 2022.
Site address: 35 Cairngrassie Circle, Portlethen, AB12 4TZ.
Applicant: Mr Wayne Marnoch c/o SGW Architects, 224 Deeside Gardens, Aberdeen, AB15 7PS.
Application: Full planning permission for alterations and extension to dwellinghouse.
Public comment expiry date: 18 April 2022.

APP/2022/0710
Date validated: 28 March 2022.
Site address: Site at Bothy, Stripeside, Netherley, Stonehaven, AB39 3AB.
Applicant: Forbes Homes Ltd c/o Mackie Ramsay Taylor, 21-23 Waverley Place, Aberdeen, AB10 1XH.
Application: Approval of matters specified in conditions for Conditions 1a (Layout Siting and Design), b (External Appearance and Finishing Materials), c (Landscaping), d (Levels Survey and Finished Ground and Floor Levels), e (Foul and Surface Water Details), f (Access and Visibility Splays), g (Car Parking) h (Storage of Waste) of planning permission in principle reference APP/2017/0250 for Erection of two dwellinghouses.
Public comment expiry date: 17 April 2022.

APP/2022/0725
Date validated: 30 March 2022.
Site address: 23 Fern Drive, Portlethen, AB12 4TB.
Applicant: Mrs Allison Grierson c/o J.V. Carroll, Chartered Architectural Technologists, Inverden House, Queens Lane North, Aberdeen, AB15 4DF.
Application: Full planning permission for the erection of outbuilding (retrospective).
Public comment expiry date: 19 April 2022.

APP/2022/0730
Date validated: 31 March 2022.
Site address: 11 Stripeside, Netherley, Stonehaven, AB39 3AB.
Applicant: Forbes Homes Ltd c/o Mackie Ramsay Taylor, 21-23 Waverley Place, Aberdeen, AB10 1XH.
Application: Full planning permission for erection of dwellinghouse (Change of house type to previously approved APP/2015/3185).
Public comment expiry date: 20 April 2022.

APP/2022/0732
Date validated: 29 March 2022.
Site address: Land north of Rothnick Croft, Netherley, Stonehaven.
Applicant: Forbes Homes Ltd.
Application: Full planning permission for formation of access, groundworks and erection of fencing.
Public comment expiry date: 28 April 2022.

Yet again I have raised the faulty reactive flashing speed signs on Badentoy Road, Portlethen, with the council’s Roads Service.

I was visiting the recycling centre today and was told on the westbound sign that I was doing 48. That would be kilometres per hour as I was driving at 30mph, according to the speedometer.

On the way back the eastbound sign told me – and everyone else driving past – that we were doing 88 (i.e. 55mph). Utter nonsense.

I have complained repeatedly about these signs. If they can’t be fixed, then pull the plug or covered them up. There is no point in having faulty signs.

I am told the senior roads engineer will review the situation.

A reminder that Aberdeenshire Council will cease its covid mobile testing and community collect programme at close of play on Thursday, 14 April.

The decision comes following the recent Scottish Government announcement confirming that people without covid symptoms will no longer be asked to take regular lateral flow tests from Monday, 18 April.

As of today (1 April), Pharmacy Collect also ends and you will no longer be able to collect tests from any pharmacy.

However you can still order online from nhsinform.scot/testing up until 18 April or visit one of these locations next week:

Monday 4 April
Peterhead, Maiden Street Car Park 10am – 12pm; Fraserburgh Asda Car Park 1.30pm – 3.30pm; Stonehaven, Market Square Car park 10am – 12pm (collect only); Westhill Shopping Centre 1.30pm – 3.30pm (collect only); Banff Trinity Car Park, 10am – 12pm (collect only); Oldmeldrum Market Square Car Park 1.30pm – 3.30pm (collect only).

Tuesday 5 April
Ellon Old Academy Car Park 10am – 12pm; Mintlaw Macbi Car Park 1.30pm – 3.30pm; Portlethen Asda Car Park 10am – 12pm (collect only): Banchory Bellfield Car Park 1.30pm – 3.30pm (collect only); Braemar Balnellan Road Car Park 10am – 12pm (collect only); Ballater Church Square Car Park 1.30pm – 3.30pm (collect only).

Wednesday 6 April
Inverurie Burn Lane Car Park 10am – 12.30pm (closed for lunch half hour) 1pm – 3.30pm; Inverbervie Fire Station 10am – 12pm; Stonehaven Market Square 1.30pm – 3.30pm (collect only); Westhill Shopping Centre 10am – 12pm (collect only); Turriff Fire Station 1.30pm – 3.30pm (collect only).

Thursday 7 April
Fraserburgh Asda Car park 10am – 12pm; Peterhead Maiden Street Car Park 1.30pm – 3.30pm; Huntly Asda Car Park 10am – 12pm (collect only); Kintore The Square 1.30pm – 3.30pm (collect only); Oldmeldrum Market Square 10am – 12pm ( collect only); Maud Resource Centre 1.30pm – 3.30pm (collect only).

Friday 8 April
Ellon Market Street Shelter 10am – 12.30pm (closed for lunch half hour) 1pm – 3.30pm (collect only); Inverurie Burn Lane Car Park 10am – 12.30pm (closed for lunch half hour) 1pm – 3.30pm (collect only); Portlethen Asda Car Park 10am – 12.30pm (closed for lunch half hour) 1pm- 3.30pm (collect only); Westhill Shopping Centre 10am – 12.30pm (closed for lunch half hour) 1pm – 3.30pm (collect only).

Today there were 190 patients (174 a week ago) in NHS Grampian hospitals who have tested positive for covid-19, plus three (no change) in intensive care. In Aberdeenshire four more deaths were recorded in the past week linked to covid-19. The cumulative toll is 293.

• REDUCING – 2989 cases were recorded in the past seven days. Previous weekly figures were: 3469, 4148, 3789, 2797, 2357, 2305, 2555, 2763, and 1203.

• FALLING – The seven day positive rate per 100,000 has dropped to 1146.2, according to Public Health Scotland (seven days to 29 March). Previous weeks were 1330.2, 1590.6, 1452.9, 1072.6, 906.1, 882.7, 978.6, 473.6, and 459.0.

• In the past seven days 56 cases were recorded in the Netherley / Fetteresso / Catterline area, 63 in the Banchory-Devenick / Findon area, 52 in Portlethen, and 50 in Newtonhill.

NHS Grampian says: “The trends here are going in a better direction and are no longer accelerating each day. They remain exceptionally high however and widespread across Grampian. Covid-19 hospital occupancy remains at extraordinary high levels, though the good news is there has been a fall in new admissions with symptomatic disease over the past 10 days or so.

“Looking ahead to what we might expect over the next 6-8 weeks, if the case numbers are a good reflection of actual trends, then we may see hospital occupancy continue to climb until mid-April before falling.”

Eligible residents may receive invitations to go for vaccinations in Portlethen Academy.

Stonehaven Town Hall had been hosting the vaccination clinics but it is now being returned to its normal lets. Invercarron Resource Centre in Low Wood Road, Stonehaven, is to be the new vaccination centre for Kincardine and Mearns, however work to make it suitable is not completed yet.

In the interim period the plan is to use schools.

I have now had it confirmed that the plan is to have vaccinations carried out in Portlethen, Mackie and Mearns academies. The next round of appointments is now being sent out. Whatever is on the letter will be the correct location.

While this interim measure is in place there will be no drop-in sessions in Kincardine and Mearns.

North East transport partnership Nestrans has submitted a case for change report about possible improvements to transport links in the Aberdeen to Laurencekirk corridor.

The report considers that there is a rationale for looking in more detail at a new station at Newtonhill, alongside a broad range of other possible interventions. This view has been endorsed by the board of Nestrans.

Nestrans officers tell me that both the case for change work and consultation work notes that whilst there is support for looking at a new station, there “is also some opposition to it, and we believe that this is a fair summation of the situation”.

“Future work would have to undertake an assessment of the cost, benefits, impacts, deliverability, and effectiveness of the proposals, to provide a factual basis upon which to base any future recommendations, noting that the development of the rail network is ultimately in the control of Transport Scotland and Network Rail.”

In other words, more work to be done to establish whether it is a good idea to re-open Newtonhill station.

Meantime both the consultation report and case for change report have now been finalised and issued to Transport Scotland for review and comment. Both are published on the Nestrans website. https://www.nestrans.org.uk/projects/rail/documents-rail/

I have been in touch with Scottish Water about the new mains being laid at the southbound entrance off the A92 into Newtonhill. I have received a number of complaints about the four weeks this is scheduled to take, and the difficulties it is causing drivers. I have also seen people driving into Newtonhill via the exit!

Here is what Scottish Water has just told me: “Regards the progress of the work, when we are digging the track for the new water main we have to take care to negotiate and avoid any other services located in the area.

“We also have processes and procedures we need to comply with around the swabbing, testing and sampling of the new pipe before we can connect each section to the network which can take anything between 3-5 days to carry out and receive the necessary sample results to allow any connection work to proceed.

“These factors mean that having more operatives on site wouldn’t really change the duration of the works.

“We hope to be in a position to complete the current phase of works involving the slip road closure before the planned 4 weeks however this depends on the current progress of the work so we are not in a position to guarantee that at this stage.

“Please be assured that we will only have the slip road closure in place for the minimum period necessary. “We really appreciate the patience and understanding of the residents during this time and would urge all drivers to please be responsible and comply with all signage and diversions in place.”

I also raised two other issues with Scottish Water, about traffic management and the problems with the traffic lights (which from time to time don’t work).

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

“Regarding the current traffic management in place at Newtonhill we fully appreciate how inconvenient the closure of the southbound slip road into Newtonhill is to local residents/commuters.

“All traffic management in place is as per the approved traffic management plans for this section of works and done so in conjunction with both Bear Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council.

“We did include additional signage at the Muchalls junction at the request of Bear/Aberdeenshire Council to encourage commuters to follow the official diversion route. Unfortunately we aren’t able to legislate for drivers who choose not to follow the signage in place for the agreed diversion etc.

“This has been highlighted to our traffic management company and they will look to put out some additional signage near the Muchalls junction. However, as previously mentioned this does rely on commuters following these signs.”

TRAFFIC LIGHTS

“We are aware of issues with the traffic lights appearing to not work.

“Contraflow (our traffic management company) attended site twice on 30 March following calls relating to the lights not working. On both occasions the team observed the lights and they were working with no issues at all.

“Contraflow believe that on some occasions drivers may be jumping the lights, which trips the system trips the system resulting in the lights going to red. This is a safety mechanism with the lights and it usually then takes a few cycles for the lights to reset back to the original settings which can take a few minutes.

“However, they were also subsequently contacted when we received reports of the lights not appearing to work at all, and arranged a replacement set of traffic lights, which should have been installed this morning (31 March), all being well.”

Looks like we are all going to be patient while the work is carried out.

I would also add that I have had a number of Muchalls residents contact me to express their concerns about drivers doing u-turns on the dual carriageway at the Muchalls entrance. They have seen some near misses. As the Scottish Water statement says, there is a sign banning u-turns. Tailbacks on the fast lane … that’s a recipe for disaster.

Out-of-date and wrong roads signs irk me. Might not be the most important issue, but it can cause a lot of inconvenience for drivers.

It is two years exactly since the Lairhillock Inn closed. A great place, sadly missed, but the market had changed with the footfall not what it used to be. However until recently the brown road signs pointing to the inn were still there. The screen grab from last November shows one of the signs on the A92 at the Bourtreebush crossroads near Portlethen.

I have been assured by council officers that removal of the signs has now been completed. I and other ward councillors had been pressing for their removal for quite some time.

The candidates who will be standing for the 70 seats over 19 wards that make up Aberdeenshire Council have been confirmed.

The notice of poll, including the full list of candidates and polling places, can be found via https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/localelection2022

Polling for the local government election in Scotland takes place on Thursday, 5 May, with the count taking place the following day.

As at 23 March, there were 12,381 voters in the ward, the largest electorate in Aberdeenshire. To register to vote, visit https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote It will be a challenge for whoever is elected. Council budgets are not keeping pace with the demands being made on local authorities. Costs are going up and people – rightly – have high expectations. Sometimes difficult decisions have to be made, including ones which are unpopular. Councillors should not shy away from that.

Below is who is standing in this ward, with their agents’ details in the second column: Two Conservatives, two SNP, Liberal Democrat Mel Sullivan, a Green, the Family Party, and two independents. No Labour or Alba candidates. There are four councillors representing this ward.

So, masks stay for a bit longer. Right decision for now, in my view.

Upcoming dates

4 April – face-coverings no longer a requirement in places of worship or ceremonies.

18 April – face coverings become guidance on public transport and in indoor settings such as workplaces or shops.

18 April – the request for everyone to regularly test if they have no symptoms will end. (Council facilitated community testing will end in line with this.)

18 April – the remaining requirement to wear face coverings in schools (where they still exist) are to be moved to guidance.

End April – end of routine testing for people who do have symptoms.

There are conditions on the removal of testing, and the detail about those who may still need to test can be found on the gov.scot website.