BANCHORY is to be added to a short list of centres as part of a strategy aimed at enhancing and maintaining Aberdeenshire's historic environment.
The move comes after a local councillor voiced her regret that the Deeside town did not have any Conservation Areas, that would help to secure its heritage.
The issue was raised at the Marr Area Committee meeting at Tullynessle as member, were
discussing a report on a Council-led Historic Environment Strategy for the next 5 years.
Council Environment Manager Andrew Carruthers told members that the strategy was the first the local authority had produced for the area's historical environment and, although the Council had only limited resources, it was aimed at identifying and assessing the condition of the thousands of listed buildings, ancient monuments and other important historic sites in the north-east and assessing their needs, in terms of maintenance, restoration or development.
The historic environment of several towns and villages in Aberdeenshire would be reviewed, as part of the strategy, to assess their assets and needs and these included Huntly and Aboyne in the Marr Area.
Councillor Jill Webster said that Banchory did not have a Conservation Area but it could do with one and asked if Banchory could be added to the list of places to be reviewed.
Banchory Councillor Karen Clark agreed but said that Kincardine O'Neil also did not feature in the review list, although it was under some pressure from development.
Andrew Carruthers said that Kincardine O'Neil was probably not on the list, because the owners of the Kincardine Estates – of which the village was a part – was doing such a good job anyway. Councillor Richard Stroud agreed and said that he remembered the state of the Deeside village in the 1970s and that a lot had been achieved, in terms of improvements, since it was given Conservation Area status.
The committee gave their approval to the Historic Environment Strategy proposals – and asked that Banchory be added to the Marr Area communities to be reviewed, although Andrew Carruthers said that it might take 10 years to complete all of the reviews that were necessary throughout the Council area.
