The approach is all about taking the lead, taking the initiative and so called 'positive talk'.
The 'positive talk' is all about creating an illusion - we call it 'spin' these days - that the Park Eco-Village is already with us.
The road side
signs tell us exactly where it is and they, together with the ads, tell us to expect young families walking their pets through expansive woodlands.
Chap tells us all about the local support for the village which they have received through their website and implies that it just remains for us all to get involved with the final design.
It'll be wonderful. It'll be perfect. Just call Chap and let them know how we want it.
Hang on a minute! I don't remember spotting this in the local plan, let me have another look.
No! It's not in the local plan. It is not even a planning application. It is just one of many bids from landowners and developers recently submitted at the request of the planners to help them gauge where available building land might come from.
I understand that these bids, alongside the community views that have also been submitted, will now be compared against the Structure Plan.
This will raise a number of issues, with respect to the agreed strategy, which will themselves be published and consulted publically in May.
After all that has happened, I believe the next Local Plan can start which itself will go through further consultation prior to finalisation. (I keep saying 'I believe' because I try to keep up but it's all a bit difficult and I am not at all sure I understand it all).
But will Chap's Eco-Village even get into the next Local Plan? Personally I doubt it for two reasons.
Firstly, I can't see how it fits in any way shape or form with the Structure Plan, which supports the majority of development along the existing major transport corridors and Deeside isn't one of them.
Secondly, despite Chap's claims for public support, I don't see it or hear it.
And I have tried. What I have heard local people say, especially those of them that attempt the daily commute to Aberdeen, is 'you have to be joking! these roads just can't take further development of that size'.
So why on earth are Chap spending money on PR on something that is so unlikely to yield fruit?
As far as I am aware, and I could be wrong, current planning conditions on the Park Quarry indicate that Chap will need to restore the quarry working to agricultural status.
No doubt this is a costly business, so I imagine, inventing an Eco-Village is a good alternative for Chap but has little to do with local need, or good planning.
Yours etc
David Morrish
Pinewood
Crathes
