The Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan (ALDP) and its connected main issues report needs a response from every household. A submission made by any community council shall only be treated as one response. (Banchory Community Council shall not learn what this has been until after its BCC September meeting!) The ALDP is to be a governing document until the year 2030.

The shire planners dismissed at a public meeting on June 9, the need for allocating land for a new academy at Banchory as "no representation had been made by the educators." With an additional primary school provided on the basis of supporting data and huge increases since made in houses and population, it would appear to be illogical for the capacity of the secondary facilities - serving an even wider catchment area, with increased house building already planned - to have no mention of being under-scaled.

Time is becoming too short for an agreed presentation by shire/ward councillors, shire planners and shire education department of all the data required in support or denial of a new Banchory Academy, or of alternative provision intended and lasting beyond 2030.

To ensure that this matter (readers may have discussed many others) is fully addressed and that land in meanwhile reserved, needs maximum possible response by the stipulated date of July 6, either through a response form available at the library, or letter or e-mail direct to Aberdeenshire Council.

Yours etc.,
Banchory resident
Name and address supplied