Councillors at Aberdeenshire Council are being asked to consider progressing plans for a Gypsy/Traveller stopover site near Old Deer.

The local authority had been looking at the possibility of using a disused quarry at Aikey Brae as an official stopover site as it had previously been used by Gypsy/Travellers visiting the area.

Members of the Policy & Resources Committee will now consider the issue at a meeting on Tuesday 19 September.

At the meeting, discussions will also be held over whether to proceed with the submission of a planning application.

The proposals for Aikey Brae would see the creation of 14 pitches and a water access point. When in use, the council would provide one portable toilet per family and collect waste on a weekly basis.

In January, the Policy & Resources Committee referred the proposal to the Buchan Area Committee, where Councillors agreed that local consultation should be held to help inform the final decision.

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In May, more than 60 people attended a public meeting held at Kemp Hall in Old Deer.

A presentation on the challenges faced by the Gypsy/Traveller community using unauthorised sites, including access to services and education, was delivered to the audience. Strong views were expressed at the meeting, with members of the public raising concerns over crime and the clear-up of sites.

A petition of 375 names opposing the proposal has been received, while consultation with Gypsies/Travellers has been ongoing since the public meeting. Feedback has suggested that members of the Travelling community would use Aikey Brae if it were developed as a stopover site, with an optimum stay there of up to six weeks.

If a planning application is submitted for a stopover site at Aikey Brae, the local community will be given a further opportunity to comment on the proposal.

A planning application is likely to be heard by a meeting of the full council, as the establishment of a Gypsy/Traveller site has regional implications, according to a report to go before Councillors.

An official stopover site at Aikey Brae would allow the police to more effectively tackle unauthorised encampments across Aberdeenshire. If the proposals for the site are not progressed, the police powers to enforce the trespass law will remain limited.

The Scottish Government has made a grant of £38,000 available to the council for development of a stopover site. There is no time limits for the funding, though the Government is keen to see a stopover site created as soon as possible, to meet the needs of the Gypsy/Traveller community. Funding of £128,000 has also been allocated in the council's Capital Plan 2013-14 for the establishment of a stopover site.

(JP/CD)