Aberdeenshire Council is to form a community park and install play equipment at a residential development on the site of the former Kingseat Hospital, near Newmachar.

The Council is completing the work after initial developer Avant Homes failed deliver the project.

The lack of community facilities at Kingseat has been an ongoing concern for the local community and councillors for a number of years.

The enforcement notices were served in connection with two breaches of planning control, relating to the storage of spoil/materials and the lack of a play park.

Avant Homes had 12 weeks from October 20, 2017 to clear the spoil storage area and create a new open space area. The notices were not appealed by the developer and the period for compliance expired on 12 February.

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The focus is on a fenced-off central area of the site where there was previously a bowling green and open space area within the former hospital complex. This was intended to form part of the open space/facilities for residents within the completed development.

Since then the site has changed ownership to ZTR Investments and Aberdeenshire Council gave the new owners time to comply with the notices, while making alternative arrangements.

The council will begin work on site next week (Monday, 10 September) to deliver the park and play area.

Aberdeenshire Council's Head of Planning, Robert Gray, said: "Although some preliminary clearing work was undertaken by the new owners there has been no significant progress in forming the park or installing the play equipment. As such the Council has appointed contractors to complete the works.

"The site owners, Kingseat Community Association, Newmachar Community Council and immediate neighbours to the development area have been formally notified of the start date.

"This is the first element of an attempt to facilitate completion of the wider development at Kingseat and deliver some much-needed community facilities for the residents."

The work is expected to take up to 60 days to complete, depending on weather conditions.

(CM)