Welcome to the latest news about
people, places and all that's happening in
Kingswells.
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PUBLIC
TO GIVE VIEWS ON LOCAL PLAN: The map that
will shape Aberdeen's development
over the next two decades is finally to be put to
the general public.
A
year and three days after Aberdeen's previous local
plan was abandoned, councillors agreed yesterday to
get residents' views about the council's plans for
14,500 new homes and several industrial
developments.
Although some groups likely to be
affected have already been involved in a series of
workshops, it is only now that preparations can be
made for the formal period of public
consultation.
Lib
Dem councillor Ian Yuill chaired a series of
meetings in recent months designed to give
interested groups outside the council an early say
in the plan.
He
said: "People move out of our city every week
because there is not enough appropriate
accommodation. It is stating the obvious, but
Aberdeen desperately needs a local plan."
Even at this late stage, however,
there was still inter-party disagreement over how
the proposals should be put to the public.
Labour wanted to put out only an
original draft to the public, but Mr Yuill said
this would mean the hard work done in the workshops
would be wasted, as ideas proposed in those
sessions would not be presented.
Labour leader Len Ironside,
however, said his party's idea was fairer, because
otherwise the administration would be free to pick
and choose from the ideas mooted at the
workshops.
The
Lib Dem-Tory administration, supported by the SNP
group, defeated Labour 27-14 in a vote on the
matter.
The
draft proposals agreed yesterday included two late
changes. An allocation of 80 homes at Contlaw Road,
in Milltimber, has been removed. Plans for 200
homes at Pinewood-Hazledene - between Hazlehead
Park and Countesswells Road - in the period from
2005 to 2010 have also been removed, meaning the
area is now only earmarked for 150 homes, by 2005.
Both areas will now be marked out as green
belt.
Meanwhile, a controversial late
proposal to move 400 homes from Gillahill, in
Kingswells, to an undetermined site in Bankhead,
now looks less likely to succeed after planning
officials backed the initial proposal.
It
was stressed, however, that there is still scope
for changes as the council now prepares to consider
the public's response. Aberdeen's planning process
was thrown into turmoil last year when its previous
local plan was abandoned, following a public outcry
over late changes to housing allocations.
Ever since, Aberdeen has been
relying on a 1991 plan. Consequently, there were
concerns that rogue housing developments could
spring up.
Developers' appeals against
rejected applications were thought far more likely
tosucceed if the city did not have a new local plan
- a process known as planning by appeal.
But
although officials considered it was important to
have the new plan in place as soon as possible they
also highlighted the importance of public
consultation. It was felt that public trust had
been lost in the fiasco surrounding the last
plan.
The
new local plan still has a number of statutory
stages to negotiate before it can be adopted. The
first of these can now been reached, meaning there
will be a six-week period in which members of the
public can lodge formal objections.
HENRY HEPBURN_www.thisisnothscotland.co.uk
Council thanks public
for positive response to kerbside recycling and
issues reminder of important recycling 'Dos and
Don'ts'
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KINGSWELLS
HAS THE HIGHEST 'PRESENTATION RATES'
(putting out the boxes) with
57%.
|
Organisers are
delighted with the positive response from residents
to Aberdeen's new kerbside recycling scheme -
serving 20,000 homes in the north of the city -
with a total of 28.98 tonnes of recyclates
collected in the first week alone.
Linda Jordinson, the Council's Waste Marketing
Officer says: 'The public has done a great job so
far in responding to the kerbside recycling
collections. There are a large number of households
that are making the effort to put our their black
box and Waste Aware white bag for collection and
we'd like to take this opportunity to thank them
for their enthusiastic participation in the
scheme.
'Our new community Waste Workers have been
monitoring the progress so far and on the whole
they are very happy with the way residents are
presenting their recyclates for collection. Early
figures indicate that we have a very good
presentation rate, which is very encouraging
considering it is only the first week of a two week
cycle with the level of presentation in some areas
being in excess of 55%.'
On collection days householders are asked to remove
the lid of the black box, place the white bag on
top of the box and place them on the edge of their
property by 7.30am. Residents who require extra
white bags can request them on (01224) 523310.
Community Waste workers, available on the same
number, can help anyone who has difficulties
getting their bag or box out for collection. A
leaflet, delivered to each home, details which day
of the week the collections are for a particular
area and explains which items can be recycled.
Linda says: 'We would just like to remind everyone
once again, what can and cannot go into the box or
bag. We would like to see it becoming second nature
to sort your waste in this way.'
You can recycle the following materials in your
Kerbside BLACK BOX:
- Food and drink
cans
- Glass bottles
& jars
- Plastic
bottles
You can recycle the
following materials in your Waste Aware WHITE
BAG:
- Paper (all
types)
- Clean
cardboard
Please help us to
get it sorted:
- Rinse cans,
- Remove lids and
rinse glass bottles & jars
- Rinse, remove
lids and flatten plastic bottles to save
space
- Flatten
cardboard to save space.
- Remove plastic
windows from envelopes.
- All your
recyclates (materials that can be recycled)
should fit into your Kerbside BLACK BOX and
Waste Aware WHITE BAG. If you have excess
Recyclates, please take them to your local
Recycling Centre or Point.
Please note that we
are only able to recycle glass bottles and jars and
not other types of glass such as Pyrex dishes,
window pane glass or drinking glasses. These cannot
be recycled. We can only accept plastic bottles and
not other types of plastic packaging such as
yoghurt pots as they are often made from a
different type of plastic to plastic bottles which
makes them difficult to recycle.
As of next week if
we are unable to take any of the items left for
kerbside collection we will leave the householder a
small reminder card that will give them some
information on why we are unable to collect the
items left. Someone may be unhappy when they come
home to find that some items were not recycled and
we would like to remain positive and thank the
householders for their efforts and explain why the
items left could not be collected for
recycling.
Here is the
information that was provided on the leaflet.
Material Type
Sorry, we cannot recycle these materials
becauseÉ
Glass Broken mixed
glass This cannot be separated into the different
colours.
Drinking glasses
These types of glass are resistant to heat and
breakage and are difficult to process.
Pyrex
Light bulbs These
contain a combination of both glass and
metals.
Window pane glass
Spectacles The
lenses in spectacles cannot be recycled with glass
bottles and jars. Try to take them to your optician
who can send them to be reused.
Other Plastics
Margarine tubs The are made from different types of
plastic. We can only accept plastic bottles.
Plastic bags
Plastic food trays
Polystyrene
Yoghurt pots
Other Wastes
Aerosol cans These contain gasses which can be
dangerous when squashed.
Crisp packets These
are made up of a combination of paper, foil and
plastic which is difficult to separate.
Wallpaper This type
of paper has glues on the back.
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RESIDENTS
ALL GEARED UP TO GET RECYCLING: Collection boxes for
recyclable rubbish were being rolled out to
Aberdeen.
The first of the
20,000 kerbside containers for north Aberdeen were
being delivered by bin crews.
Phase one of the
four-year, city-wide delivery programme covers
Bridge of Don, Bucksburn, Stoneywood, Dyce,
Kingswells, Newhills, Seaton, Pittodrie and part of
Old Aberdeen.
Households are
receiving a black box for cans, glass and plastic
bottles, and a white bag for paper and
cardboard.
Fortnightly
collections are set to start on February 9.
Cans, bottles and
plastic containers should be rinsed.
Bottle and jar tops
should be removed, plastic containers flattened,
and windows removed from envelopes.
One box and one bag
are being issued to homes unless the household
comprises five or more residents.
On collection days
householders will be asked to remove black box lid,
place the paper container on top of the box, and
place both on the kerbside by 7.30am.
Aberdeen is trying
to cut the amount of waste going to landfill sites
by 40%, and to divert 25% of rubbish to recycling
and composting by the end of next year.
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MOTORISTS
FACE ANOTHER TWO WEEKS OF DELAYS: Motorists' frustration on a
busy back road between Cults and Kingswells looks
likely to continue for another two weeks.
Roadworks began
earlier this week on the road, from its junction
with the A944 Kingswells roundabout to
Countesswells Road.
It had been thought
that the £50,000 resurfacing project could be
completed ahead of its three-week schedule if the
weather was good.
But a council
spokesman said yesterday that it was still two
weeks from being finished.
The closure has hit
commuters, many of them coming from and going to
Inverurie or Aberdeen Airport.
Each morning and
evening hundreds of cars take advantage of the
shortcut.
Drivers have
complained that journeys into the city are taking
up to twice as long, while taxi drivers are
avoiding the area.
One driver from
Sheddocksley, who uses the road each day, said:
"It's not a rat run - it's the main route for a lot
of people getting to and from work, so I don't see
why this is being done in the middle of winter when
everyone is at work."
He said roundabouts
had been gridlocked and traffic was trailing back
for miles.
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LOCALS
REMAIN OPPOSED TO PLAN FOR 200 NEW HOUSES AT
KINGSWELLS: Aberdeen councillors are being
recommended to block Stewart Milne Homes' plans to
build 200 houses at Kingswells when a public
inquiry is held later this year. The Westhill
developer first lodged an application to build the
£20million scheme at Gillahill in September
2000.
The proposals for
the site near the Concraig Park development faced
40 protesters, concerned that the development could
swamp the area's already-stretched facilities.
Local feeling remains unchanged.
Councillors are
being asked by planners to continue to resist the
developer's appeal, which they did in 2000, to
build on what is now a green belt site.
A decision will be
made when the city development services committee
meets on January 22 and that will form the basis of
the council's case at an inquiry, to be held in
March or April.
Bob Reid, the
council's head of physical development, says in his
report:
"At this point of
time the application is contrary to the approved
Structure Plan and adopted local plan policies . .
. and is premature in terms of the emerging Local
Plan.
"A development of
the scale proposed, located on a prominent site and
also resulting in a significant loss of trees,
would have an adverse impact on the landscape of
the city."
The site is to the
east of the existing built-up area, with tree belts
to the north, east and west, and Gillahill Farm
steading to the south.
Objections include
loss of privacy and daylight to adjacent properties
on Wellside Road and Wellside Circle.
There are also
fears it will lead to the merger of Kingswells and
Bucksburn, which residents say should remain
separate.
Kingswells
Community Council chairman Alex Carnie said it was
not the right location for 200 homes, and members
and residents had been "fighting tooth and nail"
against the plans.
"I really welcome
the planners' support and I would encourage the
council to support what they are saying on this
occasion. And I would hope, ultimately, that the
Scottish Executive reporter would see the same
commonsense and reject the plans.
"We have looked at
this long and hard and, when you see the amount of
houses which are in Kingswells which Mr Milne has
built, it is excessive. There are far too many
houses in the area and the location of this is not
one of the best when you see the accessibility to
it.
"There has been
non-stop building and to get another belt of houses
is not really the way ahead. Enough is
enough.
"I sincerely hope
that for once commonsense will prevail. We won't be
lying down and rolling over, that's for
sure."
There is also
concern more housing will create pressures at
Kingswells Primary, and the development, to be
linked by a single access road from Kingswells
Crescent, will increase traffic congestion.
Stewart Milne's
appeal followed after the council's "non-
determination" of the original application. This
appeal was resisted by the council on the grounds
that it was contrary to the Structure and Local
Plans.
An inquiry was then
scheduled for August 2001, but was delayed until a
new Local Plan was completed for the city. A date
for the inquiry has still to be confirmed.
(Posted 19.1.2004)
http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
|
CONCERN
OVER YOUTH CRIME IN KINGSWELLS: Residents in Kingswells are
being urged to report youth crime in the area,
following a number of recent incidents involving
youngsters.
At a meeting of
Kingswells Community Council last night, concern
was raised about an increase in anti-social
behaviour, which has included young people felling
trees and setting them on fire, and throwing
fireworks and eggs.
During the meeting,
a local resident called in and asked one of the
police officers present to deal with around six
youngsters who were causing a disturbance near her
house and upsetting her young children.
Following this, it
was decided that residents should be made aware of
such youth crime in Kingswells and encouraged to
call the police if they spotted any criminal or
anti-social behaviour. Police representatives at
the meeting added that if anyone recognised the
individuals causing trouble, they should give
officers their names, to help them deal with the
incidents.
The group also
heard from community council member John Gerrie
that two youth workers would be dispatched in
Kingswells at the beginning of next year, to speak
to young people and help tackle the problem.
(Posted 8.12.2003)
By LOUISE HOSIE
http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk/
|
WE'VE HAD
OUR FILL AFTER BINS MIX-UP: A Council blunder left
scores of Aberdeen householders with bins
overflowing with rubbish.
Refuse workers
fouled up their routine collections in Kingswells
because of a council break-down in
communication.
Council chiefs said
the mix-up was caused by two refuse crews who each
thought the other was emptying bins in the Concraig
area.
Kingswells resident
Eric Rose, of Concraig Gardens, feared his rubbish
would spill in to his garden after bin men failed
to turn up on Thursday.
The fish filleter's
rubbish was bulging out the top of his wheelie bin.
Dad-of-two Eric, 48, who lives with sales assistant
wife Catherine, said: "We have run out of room for
rubbish. If they don't come and collect it soon
we're going to have to start piling it in the back
yard. I just hoped the birds didn't get a hold of
the rubbish sticking out of thebin."
Colin McKay, 41,
and partner Debbie Allison, 33, of Concraig Park,
were also unable to shut their wheelie bin.
Mr McKay said:
"They usually take the rubbish away on a Thursday,
although another time before they didn't take it
until Friday morning. "You don't want rubbish
piling up in your house."
A city council
spokesman said the problem was caused by a mix-up
between two binmen crews who each thought the other
was covering the Concraig area.
The spokesman said:
"A regular employee-management meeting was held on
Thursday morning which meant the binmen were late
starting their rounds. "The Kingswells area is a
big round and a second lorry was allocated to it to
clear the backlog.
"Unfortunately,
there was a misunderstanding between the two crews
over who was covering part of the Concraig area and
some bins were not collected."
The mix-up came
within a week of the council announcing a major
shake-up of its refuse service after binmen
threatened to strike.
(Posted 08 December
2003 ) By KAREN GRANT
http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk/
|
PIGEON-BREEDER FROM KINGSWELLS HAS
LOST 13 EXPENSIVE BIRDS TO BIRDS OF PREY:
The famous
peregrine falcons at Rubislaw Quarry may be among
the jewels in Aberdeen's conservation crown.
But an Aberdeen
bird-fancier has branded them killers who are out
of control.
Retired teacher Ian
Phillips, who lives near the quarry, has seen 12 of
the doves he breeds slaughtered by the falcons in
as many months. "They're a protected species, I
know. But who's going to protect my birds from
them?"
And long-time
pigeon-breeder Ian McKay from Kingswells has lost
13 expensive birds - amounting to thousands of
pounds - over the last year to falcons and sparrow
hawks. "They're encouraging peregrines to nest on
top of Marischal College. But these birds should
never be near a city. "It's conservation gone
mad."
Mr Phillips, 80,
who taught English at Summerhill and Kincorth
academies, found the carcass of another of his pure
white birds close to his dovecot the other day.
"It's clear the falcons have been protected so
well, there's now a lot more of them.
"And that means a
lot of all types of birds are being killed.
Something's got to be done." Mr McKay, who has bred
pigeons for more than 30 years, said the rising
population of hawks and falcons all over the
country was out of control.
"The hawks don't
kill their prey before they eat it so it's a
horrific thing to see these birds being eaten
alive.
"Others they don't
hit, but lunge at with their claws, leaving the
birds with huge gashes. "I've seen some terrible
injuries on my birds.
"They've tried
fixing things to the pigeons to keep the hawks
away. But if they don't get the pigeons they go on
to smaller birds," said Mr McKay, who owns cleaning
company Hydro-Myst.
According to
Scottish Natural Heritage, peregrine falcons have
been protected since 1981.
Along with the
North-east Raptor Study Group, SNH organises an
annual Operation Falcon to protect local breeding
birds.
One pair has been
breeding in Rubislaw Quarry for 10 years, before
moving to Marischal College.
"We are aware of
general problems in the relationship between
pigeons and doves and their birds of prey," said
Heritage spokeswoman Heather Kinnin.
By MOREEN SIMPSON
http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
|
ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD
COW-IN-MILK TAKES SENIOR DAIRY HONOURS FOR
KINGSWELLS PRODUCERS: Father and son Pat and Peter Kemp, of
Cairdhillock, Kingswells, took the senior dairy
championship at the Classic on Tuesday (2.12.2003)
night.
Their leader was
the 11-year-old cow-in-milk Hanlya Stieb Mindy, by
Wrico Stieb and out of Hanlya Warrior Mindy. She is
a noted prizewinner in the past.
Dean and Andrew
Anderson, Plewlands Farm, Duffus, took the reserve
with the five-year-old cow-in-milk, Mayne Dollar
Christabel, by Mayne Dollar and out of a Mayne
Marstar Christabel.
The Andersons also
took the junior championship with Mayne Leduc
Princess, a heifer-in-milk by Lystel Leduc and
Newmeadow Storm Princess, that has in 97 days given
4,169kg at 3.85 butterfat and 3.32 protein. She
sold for the sale's top price of 1,500gn to the
Seatter Farm Partnership, of St Ola,Orkney.
At 1,200gn, the
Andersons bought Countesswells Neon Cherry, a
two-year-old heifer daughter of Genus Neon, from F
and W Fleming, Mains of Countesswells,
Bieldside.
Kevin Buchan,
Cairdhillock, Kingswells, took the junior reserve
with the maiden heifer, Kingscaird Gibson Jean, by
Silky Gibson.
There were several
other Orkney buyers to the fore at the dairy sale.
J S Baillie and Co, of Sebay, took home at 1,100gn
Countesswells Tradewind
Lilian, a
two-year-old heifer, by Jeffrey-Way Tradewind and
out of Countesswells Astre Lilian 3, from F and W
Fleming.
Taylor, of Flaws,
Orkney, paid the same price for Whattonvale
Gladlass 34, another two-year-old heifer, by
Eastland Figaro, from Jean Baird, of Mains of
Culsh, New Deer.
Fyvie's Bill Knox,
of Mid Haddo, completed the bidding at 1,100gn
buying Deveronside Star Alicia, another
two-year-old heifer, by Deveronside Rudolph Star,
from S G Mair and Sons, Kinnermit.
Posted 03 December 2003
http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
|
KINGSWELLS MAN
BRANDISHED STONE AT HIS NEIGHBOUR, COURT IS TOLD:
A
Kingswells man threatened to attack his neighbour
with a stone in front of a baby girl, a court heard
on 27.11.2003.
James Brown, 35,
brandished the rock at his neighbour and told him
he would make a "right mess" of his face during the
dispute. The fracas unfolded in Kingswells in
August as the young daughter of Brown's neighbour
sat in a nearby car.
At Aberdeen Sheriff
Court yesterday, Brown, of 3 Concraig Gardens,
admitted brandishing the stone and causing a breach
of the peace.
Fiscal depute Fiona
Murray told the court the incident was one of a
number during a long-running dispute between the
two men and their families.
Following a
disagreement earlier that day, August 23, she told
the court Brown, who had been drinking, had
approached his neighbour in his driveway.
She said: "The
accused clenched his fist, put his face in front of
his neighbour, and said 'I am going to kill
you'."
The court heard
that the man asked Brown not to "make a scene" in
front of the baby girl who was inside the car that
was sitting on the driveway. But Brown ignored his
requests. The fiscal said the accused repeatedly
shouted and swore and threatened to
kill his neighbour
before picking up a rock from the wall and
brandishing it.
Using language
littered with expletives, she said, he told his
neighbour he would make "a right mess of your
face".
In mitigation,
defence agent Les Green admitted his client had
found himself in a "bad scenario" and the dispute
had escalated from "tit for tat" disagreements. He
said Brown's neighbours had since moved away from
the area. The hearing was adjourned until December
24 for background reports.
(Posted 28 November 2003)
By NICHOLA WORKMAN
http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
|
An Aberdeen
take-away boss who had sex with a young girl
avoided jail yesterday (Wednesday October 29):
Drunken Wai Cheung Kwok was caught
in the act when the girl's little brother wandered
into the room. But yesterday a judge told Kwok, 33
- also known as Sam - that he needed help to stop
him getting into similar trouble again.
Kwok's teenage victim sobbed as he
walked from court, under order to attend a local
group set up to assist sex offenders.
Kwok, of 2 Wellside Walk,
Kingswells, has been accused of repeated raping the
girl when she was about 12 or 13.
But
at the High Court in Edinburgh his guilty plea to
having unlawful sex once, between October 2000, and
December 2001, was accepted.
He
said that at the time he had been drinking heavily
and blamed the strain of working hard in his
business.
Lord Menzies said his behaviour
towards the youngster had been quite
unacceptable.
"Let me make it quite clear that in
the eyes of the law the fact that this offence was
committed while you were under the influence of
alcohol is no excuse," the judge added.
Lord Menzies said he took into
account that Kwok was a first offender, no violence
had been used, there was no evidence of lasting
effect on his victim, and he had spared her the
ordeal of giving evidence at the trial.
He
said he could impose only a short prison sentence
for the charge Kwok now faced, and probation would
be more useful in preventing re-offending.
Kwok also has to do 240 hours of
unpaid community work and take part in a sex
offenders' project as conditions of his three-year
probation order.
"You are being given a chance to
address your offending behaviour. But if you do not
take that chance you will be in very serious
trouble," warned Lord Menzies.
Defence advocate Neil Murray, QC,
said Kwok was ashamed of what he had done.
He
said: "It was an isolated incident committed by an
individual of previous good character."
At
an earlier hearing the court was told how Kwok was
supposed to be looking after the youngsters while
their mum was out of the house.
The
brother, who was about eight or nine, was watching
TV when he heard noises coming from a bedroom. He
went through and saw Kwok naked except for his tee
shirt.
The
court heard Kwok came to Scotland from Hong Kong
several years ago and worked hard to build up his
business. As a result of the allegation his
marriage had broken up and he had to transfer his
business interests to other family members.
http://www.thisinorthscotland.co.uk
DESPERATE FAMILY TAKE
DIRECT APPROACH : A Family are so
desperate to find themselves a new house in the
sought-after Aberdeen suburb of Kingswells that
they have taken the highly unusual step of
leafleting 140 homeowners in the area, expressing
an interest in their properties.
Chris Simpson and Lorraine Duncan
currently live with their three children in a
three-bedroom house at Hazlehead, but want a larger
property so their children, aged 10, seven and 10
months, can have a room each.
And
Kingswells is a particularly appealing option for
them because it is deemed to be a nice area, it is
close to town, and served by schools with good
reputations.
The
couple have already sold their home and have to be
out by Halloween, so they are fighting against the
clock to find a new house.
They have submitted offers for some
Kingswells properties, but have been caught up in
bidding wars - they offered £23,000 over the
asking price for the last house they tried
for.
"We
are just trying to get a property but it's an
absolute nightmare," Mr Simpson said.
"It's a bidding war just now. The
last four-bedroom property we looked at, seven or
eight other people looked at too.
"Kingswells is just where we want
to stay. Any other properties in Aberdeen of that
kind are £250,000 or more, but you seem to get
them in Kingswells for about £160,000.
"We
just put a leaflet into all the houses we fancy and
keep our fingers crossed."
Since putting out the leaflets, the
couple have been contacted and looked at some
houses, he said. They hope that someone who may
have been considering selling up will be moved to
do so when they see the leaflet, and that a
"handshake deal" and straightforward sale can be
done to avoid any competitive bidding. Mr Simpson
and Ms Duncan hope to get a property for between
£155,000 and £165,000.
"There's no more new houses getting
built out there. There are some in Kintore and
Balmedie but we don't want to move out as far as
that," he said.
"There's not a lot to choose from
(in Kingswells) but people are just paying well
over the odds because they're so desperate."
A
spokesman for the Aberdeen Solicitor's Property
Centre said: "This is definitely not a practice I
have come across before but that's not to say they
won't have some success with it."
Anyone interested in the couple's
offer can call Mr Simpson on 07763 771173, Ms
Duncan on 07732 280534, or call them at home on
01224 321823 (Posted 22.9.2003) By ANGELA TAYLOR
www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
KINGSWELLS NOW HAS A
MINI-RECYCLING CENTRE: Aberdeen's
£24million 20-year recycling plan got the
green light yesterday - and three new recycling
sites will open as early as next week.
Six
existing sites have also been refurbished, and a
£150,000 dedicated truck has been bought,
which is specially designed to empty recycling
containers without taking them off site.
Ian
Yuill, convener of the council's environment and
infrastructure committee, said: "This is good news
for the city, but it's only the start of our
20-year waste implementation plan.
"We
aim to further increase the number of
mini-recycling centres across Aberdeen to 15 new
sites in the current financial year, as part of a
range of challenging targets that will transform
waste management in Aberdeen."
Each recycling site will be able to
recycle cardboard, cans, plastic and three colours
of glass.
The
new recycling sites are at Kingswells
park-and-ride, Bridge of Don park-and-ride and
Safeway at Cornhill Shopping Centre.
The
refurbished sites are at Safeway (West North
Street), Tesco (Laurel Drive) Asda (Garthdee Road
and Riverview Drive), Sainsbury's (Garthdee Road)
and Somerfield (Wellington Road).
Yesterday's environment and
infrastructure meeting also backed other aspects of
the 20-year plan. The city council plans to buy
20,000 kerbside boxes, 12,000 green waste wheeled
bins, and new collection vehicles, compost bins and
recycling containers.
Fortnightly recycling kerbside
collections to 20,000 households in Aberdeen should
begin within the next few months, while fortnightly
collections of biodegradable waste will become
available to 60,000 households over the next five
years.
The
council also wants to stop the annual growth in
waste generated by the city.
It
aims to do this by 2020, through the promotion of
home-composting, by stopping the flow of junk mail
and by reusing items. (Posted 11.9.2003) By HENRY
HEPBURN www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
ABERDEEN JOINS BID TO
STOP CAR LITTER LOUTS: Aberdeen motorists are
being urged to clean up their act as the City
Council signs up to a national campaign to stamp
out car litter.
Mindless motorists in Scotland are
costing taxpayers millions of pounds a year - by
throwing rubbish out of their car windows. A
disgusting 130,000 bits of litter are dropped on
our roads in Scotland every weekend, leaving a
clean up bill of £6million annually.
On
Monday, August 18, Councillor Ian Yuill, Convener
of the Environment and Infrastructure Committee,
will be joined by NorthSound Radio's Marketing
Manager Iain McKenna and Spotless the Leopard to do
a spot check to ensure drivers are keeping the
Kingswells Park and Ride car park clean and
tidy
The
visit marks Aberdeen City Council's support for the
Keep Scotland Tidy campaign aimed at shaming filthy
drivers into changing their annoying habits. The
drive is being supported by NorthSound Radio, who
will be carrying adverts over the next three weeks,
aimed at persuading drivers to dispose of rubbish
responsibly.
Councillor Yuill said: "We are
delighted to throw the Council's support behind
this worthwhile campaign in an effort to stamp out
this terrible habit. There is nothing worse than
seeing people throw rubbish from their car, causing
a real eyesore, when it would take next to no
effort to hold on to it till they reach a bin or
take it home.
"We
are working hard to make Aberdeen and better and
cleaner place to live and we want to ensure car
litter louts get the message loud and clear that
this type of behaviour is just not acceptable."
Posters will be on display in
Aberdeen petrol stations, at the Park and Ride
sites as well as motorway service stations across
Scotland.
There will also be a series of
local radio ads throughout Scotland highlighting
the campaign. Councils have been provided with
display posters and commercial and haulage
companies encouraged to promote the anti-litter
message on their vehicles.
John Summers, National Director of
Keep Scotland Tidy said: "Safe in the cocoon of
their car, the litter lout thinks no one is
watching them and that it's okay to dump their
rubbish on the road.
"They think that their bit of
rubbish won't make a difference - but it does and
through this campaign we hope to highlight how this
habit of theirs is spoiling our beautiful country
for those who live here and the millions of
tourists that visit Scotland each year.
"The amount of litter on our roads
and verges is a national disgrace. It makes our
cities, towns and countryside look shabby and
unattractive and is expensive to tidy up. It truly
is time to raise a stop sign to car litter. Right
now."
For
more information, contact Ian Hay, Project Officer,
Clean and Green, Aberdeen City Council on 01224
522767 or Lara Eastham, Keep Scotland Tidy on 01942
612634/612617.
Cllr Yuill, NorthSound Radio's
Marketing Manager Iain McKenna, and Spotless the
Leopard will attend the photocall.
NOTES: Keep Scotland Beautiful is
an independent national charity working for the
improvement of local environments and runs the Keep
Scotland Tidy brand, the Seaside Awards and People
& Places programme.
Car
litter fact file
· It is the responsibility of
the Local Authorities to keep roads free of litter.
They aim to remove litter on a time scale based on
how busy the road is and promise to shift dangerous
or hazardous rubbish immediately.
· According to a survey
commissioned by Autoglass, the favourite food items
eaten on the go are chocolate, crisps and
burgers.
· A Keep Britain Tidy survey
of motorway services stations discovered that roads
going in to stop off points were mostly free of
litter, where as those going out were strewn with
rubbish &endash; in particular fast food, sweet
wrappers and drinks cans.
· A third of motorists reckon
that the best way to deter people from dropping
litter was to get them to spend a day cleaning up
with a road sweeper! Other popular answers were
higher fines (27%) and community service (13%).
Eight per cent of respondents wanted litter louts
to be publicly humiliated and made to wear a sign
saying, "I drop litter."
· The worst group of litter
bugs are drivers aged between 16-24. Around a third
of this group said car litter didn't bother them at
all. (Posted 17.8.2003)
PLANNING CONSULTANT
TO GET HIS HEAD IN THE CLOUDS: Aberdeen planning consultant
Alistair Stark is to mark his 60th birthday by
trekking in Peru, raising £7,500 in the
process. He gave consultancy advice to the
Kingswells Infrastructure First Group, who opposed
the relocation of Pittodrie to Bellfield
Farm.
His challenge is to
trek the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, the lost city
of the Incas. It includes walking for seven days in
climates varying from jungle heat to the high
altitude of the Andes.
Alistair's
adventure for the Scottish Society for Autism takes
on extra meaning because his elder daughter Fiona,
who works at J Sainsbury's store at Garthdee,
Aberdeen, suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form
of autism.
"I only need to
raise £2,500", said Alistair, "but because of
Fiona, I want do three times better. That's
£7,500."
Alistair, an
experienced glider pilot, took up hillwalking only
five years ago. "I was on holiday in France with my
wife when I suffered a seizure, and that stopped me
gliding for a year. I've since walked at 10,000
feet in the Alps, but never at 14,000 feet.
Normally, I'd want to be on oxygen at that
height."
The Scottish
Society for Autism helps thousands of autistic
people from all over Scotland. Autism is a lifelong
condition that isolates the child or adult from the
world around it. The society is currently building
a £3 million residential School and Education
Centre in Alloa. In a bid to raise much needed
funds for the cause, they have launched
"Bravehearts to Peru", an appeal to find Scots
willing to take a Saltire flag to Peru and carry it
throughout the trek.
Perhaps, with a
little gentle encouragement, some Kingswells people
might like to support my sponsored trek in Peru in
aid of the Scottish scoiety for Autism. Derek
Martin has kindly agreed to hold a few sponsor
forms in his home at 31 Kingswood Crescent, and is
quite happy for anyone to pick one up from
there.
|
ABERDEEN
FOOTBALL CLUB WITH DRAW BELLFIELD FARM PLANNING
APPLICATION: Aberdeen City Council was notified
today (Friday 4th July) that Aberdeen Football Club
has withdrawn its planning application for the
centre of sporting excellence and new football
stadium at Bellfield Farm, near
Kingswells.
The recently adopted policy and
action plan of the City Council states: "As part of
the Local Plan process, we support the retention of
the Bellfield Farm site as Green Belt."
The football club had been given a
deadline of July 7 of deciding whether to withdraw
the planning application or go to a public inquiry.
(Posted 5.7.2003)
|
RESIDENTS
SAY CHILDREN FACE DANGER IF ROAD IS
REOPENED: Residents of an Aberdeen community
have backed a report that suggests children's
safety could be affected if a city through road is
reopened to cars. People in Kingswells are
concerned that increased traffic might lead to
accidents on the western leg of the Lang
Stracht.
The half-mile
section of road between Fairley Road and Whitemyres
Stable, was closed to cars in 1999, at an estimated
cost of £1.5million, to accommodate the
£7million Kingswells park-and-ride
scheme.
A motion by Tory
councillor John Porter last month suggested it
should be reopened to cars, but not to HGVs or
other large vehicles, as a means of easing traffic
congestion.
However, a report
to be considered by Aberdeen City Council's
environment and infrastructure committee on
Thursday, backs concerns that increased traffic
would pose a danger to pupils at Kingswells Primary
School, which is based on two sites.
Local councillor
Peter Stephen said: "We have a split-site school,
with children going up and down the road. "The last
thing we want is more traffic because what happens
is that Kingswells becomes a rat-run. In the
current circumstances, with a split-site school,
the report would take the route that I am happy
with. It is not to say that if circumstances change
wholly in the future, the matter might be looked at
again."
Kingswells
Community Council chairman Alan Stott said: "The
kids are there, there would be a lot of traffic and
it's really not a good idea."This would seem to be
the uniform view here as conveyed to us, especially
of people who have pupils at the school." He added:
"The road has deteriorated so much, and badly needs
maintenance. The cost would be horrendous."
Fellow Kingswells
resident Derek Martin conceded that some commuters
might want the stretch of road reopened, but said
safety came first. "I have no doubt that some
people might have a different view of the matter,
but safety must override other considerations," he
said.The report also points to a number of other
reasons for maintaining limited access.
It suggests that
reopening to cars would create "the potential for
significant cost to address road safety and
sustainable transport issues", although it states
that it would be difficult to predict an exact
figure. It also says the park-and-ride scheme would
suffer and cyclists would be discouraged from using
the route.
Mr Porter could not
be reached for comment last night but at the time
of his proposal in April, he said: "You can tell
from the amount of cars using the (park-and-ride)
car park that it has not been a success. "I can
understand the reasons for wanting it, but if it's
not working, why should the Kingswells people be
disadvantaged?" The Tory-group leader admitted he
was not sure about the feasibility of the proposal,
but insisted that council officers should explore
it. By HENRY HEPBURN
(Posted 31 May
2003) http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
|
RED TAPE KEEPS
NEW SPORTING COMPLEX CLOSED: A New sports centre
completed more than a year ago remains unused
because of legal red tape. Aberdeen City Council
officials said paperwork was to blame for the
delayed opening of the Kingswells complex.
The frustration has
led to some fed-up youngsters holding illegal
kick-abouts on the five-a-side pitches.
Officials said the
centre should be in operation by this
summer.
Stewart Milne built
the centre for the city council in a planning gain
deal.
But although the
council has the keys, the centre has not been
officially adopted.
Brian Woodcock, the
council's north area corporate director, said: "The
city council needs to legally adopt the facility,
so there's been an exchange of correspondence
between various solicitors.
"After that we need
a legal agreement with the management committee of
the community centre so they can start operating
it.
"It's just that
there have been a number of things happening with
the council and it's just had to find its place in
the queue."
Trevor Mackie,
chairman of the Kingswells Community Centre
management committee, said he was unaware the
centre was still unadopted.
Local resident
Janette Gray, who runs the suburb's after-school
club, said: "They need to get the legalities sorted
out. With the summer holidays coming up it should
be in full use."
David Hodgson, 31,
of Clover Park, said: "The centre is very much
needed.
"There are always
kids hanging around with nothing to do."
The complex has an
all-weather five-a-side pitch, full-size football
pitch, a meeting room, an office, changing rooms
and showers.(Posted 28.5.2003) http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
|
KINGSWELLS PARENT
ANXIOUS FOR FUTURE OF SON: TEARS are set to flow on
Monday when former staff, patients and carers mark
the closure of Woodlands Hospital in Cults.
When it closes,
residents - aged between 25 and 70 - will be moved
into specially built homes so they can be cared for
in the community.
Woodlands Hospital
provides a range of acute and continuing care for
adults with severe learning difficulties.
Josie Burnett's
son, Robert, has been a resident at Woodland's
Hospital, in Craigton Road, for 28 years, since he
was eight.
Mrs Burnett, from
Kingswells, said: "This is where he grew up and has
been very happy. He has thrived at Woodlands and it
is a place full of memories. "I am anxious for his
future, as any parent would be." Robert, now 37 and
6ft 2in, will be one of the last residents to leave
Woodlands.
The controversial
decision to close the hospital was made in 1998 and
foughtby many parents - including Mrs Burnett. As
chairman of Friends of Woodlands she found herself
at the centre of the bid to keep it open. "I was
horrified at the time of the decision and was taken
aback by the idea. "But you learn to live with what
is going to happen.
"This is an
emotional time for a lot of people - me included."
Robert, like the other 55 residents still at
Woodlands, will be put in Care in the Community
programmes run by the councils and voluntary
organisations.
The aim is to give
residents - who have lived in institutions for the
bulk of their lives - a better quality of life.
The NHS will move
off the site by the end of summer but patients will
be cared for by other services until they are ready
to move early next year.
Mrs Burnett said:
"I take heart when I see some of the other
residents who have moved and they seem very happy."
The Woodlands site
contains five wards and a day centre. It is
peaceful and, nestled above Cults, is prime real
estate. But Mrs Burnett said the jewel in the crown
is the staff. "They are wonderful - everyone says
the site is beautiful but it is nothing compared to
the staff."
Fiona Parley, nurse
manager, has worked at Woodlands Hospital for 20
years. She is one of 120 staff of health workers,
caterers, porters and administration staff still
working there.
Mrs Parley said: "I
have always been proud to work here.
"I think there is a
family feel about the hospital and everyone knows
each other really well.
"I don't see it as
treating patients but as looking after people."
Susan Macpherson, support and planning manager at
Woodlands, said that whenresidents were moved into
care, including 24-hour care, staff they knew
weremoved with them.
Former and current
staff, patients and carers from Woodlands Hospital
areinvited to a gathering tomorrow from 2pm until
9pm to mark its closure. NHS Grampian will set up a
marquee where refreshments, live music, a barbeque
and an evening ceilidh will be held. Organisers
have catered for 500 people.
Anyone who would
like to take part should call the hospital on
(01224) 551511.
By Jane Gillard (Posted 22.5.2003)
http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
|
NEW ROAD
MEASURES TO MAKE KINGSWELLS COMMUNITY SAFER HAVE
BEEN PUT ON HOLD: Work to install eight new traffic
islands on busy Kingswood Avenue, in Kingswells,
was due to be completed on Tuesday 13th May. But a
double whammy of delays means the traffic-calming
measures will not beput in until next month at the
earliest. The islands aim to help protect children
from Kingswells Primary, who cross the road to go
to and from school.
A city council
spokesman said re-wiring an underground BT service
box and a lack of workers to carry out the work was
to blame for the delay.
He added: "However,
all the electrical ducts have now been put in and
work is due to start at the beginning of June, when
workers are due to be free from previous scheduling
commitments." The islands aim is to slow down
traffic
As well as pupils
crossing the road to go to school, the area is busy
with residents using the community centre, shopping
centre and local nursery.
The plans include
three pedestrian refuge islands and five smaller
traffic islands.
New road markings
will also be painted on the road to narrow the
carriageway.
Community leaders
and locals have welcomed the new measures. But
Newhills councillor Peter Stephen said he was
disappointed the works had not been completed on
time.
He said: "I believe
work was first due to start at the end of April,
but now June looks likely.
"It is a very busy
stretch of road, with a lot of children crossing.
"I haven't been
given a concrete date for work to start, but I'd
like to see it done as soon as possible."
The latest traffic
calming comes 18 months after two zebra crossings
were installed on nearby Kingswood Drive.
By Ross Clark
http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk (Posted
15.5.2003).
|
BEAT THE QUEUES
FOR DISCOUNTED GREEN PRODUCTS AT GREEN CITY FUN
DAY: The
public are being urged to beat the queues for
discounted green products at next month's Green
City Fun Day and Sale by reserving their purchases
in advance on a hotline number.
With over 4,000
people attending the event - on Saturday 7 June
from10am to 4pm - demand is sure to be high for the
wide range of waste and energy saving goods on sale
at reduced prices.
Among the most
popular waste and energy saving goods available on
the day will be: compost bins, water butts,
compostable garden mulch film, biodegradable bags
and low energy light bulbs. Anyone wishing to
pre-order these products, using a credit or debit
card, can do so by calling 01884 841 515.
Belinda Miller, one
of the event's organisers said: 'The Green Fun Day
and
Sale will give
people a chance to find out more about green issues
and demonstrate how a few small changes in
lifestyle can have a positive impact on the
environment. There will be informative displays and
stands to show people what's happening in the
Aberdeen area to protect and enhance the
environment and we'll have games and competitions
for children.'
The Green City Fun
Day and Sale is being organised by Aberdeen City
Council and Aberdeen City Environmental Forum.
A photo
competition, to illustrate the best and worst of
the environment, is also being held in advance of
the Fun Day. (Posted 13 May 2003)
|
TRANSPORT
A HOT TOPIC FOR CITY'S NEW LEADERS:
Once the wrangling
ends over which parties, if any, will join the
Liberal Democrats in coalition, the government of
Aberdeen will begin again in earnest within weeks.
One of the most controversial issues is how to
progress the city's transport infrastructure and
reduce congestion.
Delivery of the
long-awaited £120million city bypass is
certain to be one of the hot topics after the
scheme received Scottish Executive backing earlier
this year.
The Western
Peripheral Route (WPR) is expected to be completed
within five years and will involve the council
working with other local authorities and transport
organisation Nestrans.
Other pressing
issues are likely to be the reopening of a road
which was initially barred to motorists to
accommodate the £7million Kingswells
park-and-ride scheme.
It cost
£1.5million to close the half-mile western leg
of the city's Lang
Stracht between
Whitemyres Stables and Fairley Road four years ago.
The stretch is now only open to buses and emergency
vehicles. But Tory councillor John Porter wants
24-hour bus lanes opened to motorists outside peak
hours.
Further political
debate is also expected on plans for a new
£5million bridge over the River Don. Council
engineers have been instructed to provide more
detailed plans on the feasibility and costs of
three potential routes identified for a possible
new bridge.
However, there are
fears that such a scheme could jeopardise the
WPR.
Other issues for
debate involve the city's local plan, which has led
to uncertainty among North-east housing
developers.
The blueprint of
the city's growth was subject to a series of late
changes pushed through by the Labour
administration. It was abandoned earlier this year
amid angry public protests. A new draft plan is now
expected to be brought forward.
By Linda
SUMMERHAYES 06 May 2003 http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
|
WOODLAND
WORK CONTINUES: An Aberdeen farmer has converted more
than 100 acres of his land into a community
woodland area after losing heart with farming life.
Craig Cameron, of Greenfern Farm in Bucksburn, has
spent the last five years converting a large
portion of his 220-acre farm into a safe haven for
local wildlife.
Mr Cameron, 41, has
farmed the area for the last 14 years but is more
than happy to give up his land. The site, which has
minimal parking to encourage people from nearby
Kingswells and Sheddocksley to walk to the area,
has lots of deer, badgers and hundreds of birds as
well as a wetlands feature.
The Forestry
Commission funded the planting of thousands of
trees as well as a 250m path and footbridge. Local
school children have helped plant the young
trees.
Mr Cameron said the
work will be completed next week with a view to
opening before the end of May. He said: "It's taken
a long time and a lot of work to get this far. I'm
very happy as it ensures the farm will be around
for the next 30 years at least and gives something
back to the community."
By Mark DREVER _ 02
May 2003 http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
|
LANG STRACHT LINK
COULD BE REOPENED TO SUIT
COMMUTERS:
A main artery road to the west of Aberdeen, closed
at a cost of £1.5million, could be fully
re-opened to commuter traffic in a move to ease
congestion.
The western leg of
the city's Lang Stracht has been closed to cars for
the past four years to accommodate the
£7million Kingswells park and ride
scheme.
Council leaders are
now to consider the possibility of re-opening the
road to general traffic in order to ease congestion
for motorists.
The plan met with a
mixed reception from village residents last night,
with some welcoming briefer journeys to and from
Aberdeen, but others raising safety fears for
pedestrians.
The idea is being
proposed by Tory councillor John Porter who
instigated current moves to have 24-hour bus lanes
abolished and opened up to motorists outside peak
hours. Mr Porter said:
"The people of
Kingswells themselves feel a bit cut off and it
would be a great lift to them.
"Also you can tell
from the amount of cars using the (park and ride)
car park that it has not been a success.
"I can understand
the reasons for wanting it, but if it's not working
why should the Kingswells people be
disadvantaged?"
"Until we get a
system in place of lateral connections and
motorists are given the options they want, this
will never work."
Council bosses
closed the western leg of the Lang Stracht, which
was a major commuter route between Aberdeen and
Kingswells, in 1999.
The move cost an
estimated £1.5million and was part of plans to
launch the park-and- ride scheme in the
area.
The half-mile
stretch of Lang Stracht between Whitemyres Stables
and Fairley Road is now only open to buses and
emergency vehicles.
The proposal by Mr
Porter will come before a meeting of the city'
environment and infrastructure committee later this
year.
Mr Porter's scheme
would see the road left for the exclusive use of
cars - not HGVs or other large vehicles.
He added: "I don't
know if it's feasible, but I want the officers to
at least explore this fully to see what the options
are."
However, some
residents fear that cars filing through the
re-opened road could create a hazard at a nearby
school.
Councillor for the
area Peter Stephen explained that the split school
system leaves nursery and primary 1-2 pupils in the
"old" school in Fairley Road and older pupils in
the new school behind the local community centre.
He said: "You have to cross Fairley Road to travel
between the two schools. The old school doesn't
have a hall, so they have to go up to the new
school for things like rehearsals."
Mr Stephen added
that it may be worth examining 18 months down the
line when an extension to the new school is due to
be completed and all the pupils will be housed
together under one roof - away from the traffic
flow. He added: "At the moment this is a
non-starter."
Alan Stott,
chairman of the Kingswells Community Council also
voiced concerns over the plan last night. He said:
"You could have a lot of schoolchildren in that
area. I would have severe reservations about that.
I'm not sure if it is a good idea.
"I don't know what
the answer is with these traffic problems, but the
traffic lights seem to regulate traffic fairly well
at the moment." But commuters from Kingswells to
Aberdeen said re-opening the road could shorten
journey times. "It would be common sense to reopen
the road.
"A lot of people
clearly can't use park and ride for one reason or
another and shouldn't be penalised for having to
use their cars. Re-opening the road would help
them," said one resident. Another said: "It's
infuriating watching half empty park-and- ride
buses use the road when motorists can't. It should
be opened again."
By SCOTT MACNAB 22 April 2003 http://www.thisisnorthscotland.net.uk
|
BIG
CAT SEEN ON PROWL IN CITY'S KINGSWELLS:
A Kingswells woman got
the shock of her life when she saw a big cat while
walking her dog yesterday. Aleen Shinnie and her
husband Andy had taken their golden retriever to
wasteland near Wellside Wynd, a popular spot for
taking pets, which is situated alongside the Bucks
Burn.
The self-employed
caterer came across the animal at about
11.30am.
Her husband did not
see it, but she was adamant about what she
saw.
Describing it as
like a dark tabby cat in colour with dark stripes
and a long tail, the 35-year-old said: "I am
totally in awe. I have seen some deer around there
but I have never in my life seen anything like this
before.
"I am not sure
whether it saw us. It would have been about 30 to
40 yards away from us at the most.
"I kind of panicked
when I tried to get my dog on the lead.
"I am concerned
because kids come home from school along that way
and there are a lot of people that walk their dogs
there."
Mark Fraser, of the
Scottish Big Cat Society, revealed it was not that
unusual for such animals to venture into populated
areas.
He said: "These
cats are seen more and more coming into towns and
on the outskirts of cities.
"They come closer
for food and if their territories are expanding
because of breeding - that could suggest there are
more of them."
But Mr Fraser, who
has been investigating sightings for 15 years, does
not feel people should be concerned.
He said the
creatures were only likely to lash out if cornered
and suggested people just leave them alone.
He believes the dog
walker may have seen a type of African wild
cat.
Police confirmed
they were aware of the incident.
A spokeswoman said
a description of the animal had been taken and the
SSPCA would be notified.
The sighting came
as the Scottish Big Cat Society appealed for
witnesses of big cats to come forward to try prove
the animals exist.
The organisation
has built up a dossier on their movements and
possible territories and says it has scientific
facilities to analyse evidence which could be
attributed to big cats.
It is looking for
information on past sightings, pictures, video
footage, and paw marks and would also like to hear
from people keen to become involved in its work.
Witness confidentiality will be respected.
Scotland is said to
be one of the "hot spots" for big cat
encounters.
More than 1,000
sightings of the creatures were reported in the UK
last year with more than 200 of them north of the
border.
Mr Fraser can be
contacted at mark@scottishbigcats.org or on 01292 310533.
There have been 47
reports of big cats in Scotland this year.
Aberdeenshire is one of the most likely places to
encounter one.
By GEOFFREY BEW, 24
March 2003 http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
|
STOP RABBITING!
Generous
children at Kingswells Primary School are to donate
more than £5,000 to a cancer charity.
The youngsters took
part in the Hold Your Tongue Challenge 2003, a
nationwide event in aid of Macmillan Cancer
Relief.
The money raised by
Kingswells pupils will go specifically towards the
new palliative care unit which will replace
Roxburghe House.
Linda Cattanach,
the charity's fundraising manager for Aberdeen and
Aberdeenshire, will visit the school on Monday to
accept the cash.
Pupils took the
"stop rabbiting" theme quite literally, and made
rabbit ears which they wore during the 10-minute
sponsored silence at the beginning of
February.
Each child was
asked to raise sponsorship from family and friends
for every minute they managed to remain
silent.
Assistant
Headteacher Shonaid Macdonald said: "We set out to
raise as much money as possible for the replacement
Roxburghe House. We are absolutely delighted to
have raised such a tremendous amount, the current
total is almost £5,055 and more money is still
coming in."
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KINGSWELLS SISTERS AND
FRIENDS have a really great night and
raised £560.
JUMBLE SALE
The indoor
car boot sale and jumble sale we have
organised as our next event will be held
on 22nd March at Airyhall
Community Centre 11am -
3pm. We are looking for jumble
donations (no electrical) and tombola
prizes.
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- Far left - Monique Flecher
(my sister who is doing the Wall of
China Challenge with me) back left -
Linda Blacklaw, front left - Patricia
Mutch, middle - Helen Crighton, Jason
Kelly (our bodyguard for the evening
who was wearing a kilt and made a lot
of money himself !) and last is me
Michelle Herd.
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Sisters to
try China hike for charity: SISTERS Monique Flecher and
Michelle Herd need to raise £6,000 for cancer
research.
If they do, the
pair will be jetting off to the Far East to walk 50
kilometres along the Great Wall of China.
The pair have to
raise £3,000 each to be one of about 30 people
walking the wall for Cancer Research UK in May next
year.
On Friday, the pair
will be dressed as schoolgirls and asking drinkers
to dig deep for the charity.
Monique, 32, said
they would be hitting Aberdeen's pubs and clubs as
part of their fund-raising.
On Saturday, March
22, the pair will be holding a jumble sale at
Airyhall Community Centre from 11am until
3pm.
"We are still
looking for jumble and tombola prizes," Monique
said. "This is our first event but we are hoping to
raise more than £3,000 each." Michelle, 38,
from Kingswells, said: "Cancer is affecting more
and more people and so it is a worthy
cause."
A small amount of
the money raised will be used to cover the expenses
of the Chinese trip. To make a donation of jumble,
call Monique on 01224 316189 or Michelle on 01224
740352. http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk (Posted 28.2.2003)
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CITY
COUNCIL TO GIVE AWAY FREE CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS
TO OVER 50s:
In a move
aimed at promoting greater home safety awareness,
Aberdeen City Council is to give away free carbon
monoxide detectors to the over 50s from next Monday
(3 March 2003).
Any local
residents, over the age of 50, can pick up their
free detectors, while stocks last, from The Point,
Customer Service Centre in Broad Street, Aberdeen.
They can either fit the detector themselves or ask
the Council's Homecheck Service to fit it for them.
Carbon Monoxide is a poisonous gas which can be
given off by gas, oil, coal or wood appliances if
they are not working properly.
Councillor David
Clyne, the city's 'Champion for Older People',
said: "I'm delighted the Council is to distribute
these detectors as a way of raising awareness of
the dangers of Carbon Monoxide poisoning in the
home.
"I hope that older
people will take full advantage of this initiative
and collect a free detector while stocks last. At
the same time, and perhaps more importantly, I hope
this initiative will serve as a useful reminder to
all householders in the city of the importance of
home safety.
"Householders
should ensure their homes are properly ventilated,
chimneys and flues are swept and kept clear, and
they should get a safety check on their appliances
carried out annually by a CORGI registered
engineer."
The Homecheck
service &endash; available on 01224 584060 - is
free to all householders in Aberdeen whether in
council or private housing. Glass safety, smoke
detector and microwave oven safety checks are also
available and the Homecheck team even provides a
minor repairs and installation service.
The cost of the
free carbon monoxide alarms &endash; which would
normally retail at over £30 each &endash; will
be paid with through funds from the £3.581
million windfall the council received from the
Scottish Executive. (Posted 28.2.2003)
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KINGSWELLS GIRL
SINGS: Best
pals sing for children's cancer ward in tune: Katie
Murray and Megan McIntosh raised cash for the Royal
Aberdeen Children's Hospital by singing to their
neighbours.
A PAIR of friends
doubled up as charity songbirds for the day to
raise money for young cancer victims. Little Katie
Murray and pal Megan McIntosh collected a bucket of
cash when they sang to their neighbours.
Katie, who is
diabetic, decided to raise the money after a recent
stay at Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital.
The 10-year-old,
who has two injections of insulin a day, was in
hospital with a viral infection. And it was there
that she met some of the young cancer patients in
Ward 4. The youngster was so touched by their
plight she decided to raise money for the ward.
She roped in the
help of best friend Megan, of Countesswells Road,
and the pair managed to collect £54 during
their afternoon singing session. Proud dad Danny
Murray, of Migvie Gardens, Kingswells, said: "Due
to Katie's diabetes she has had to spend some time
in hospital after picking up a viral infection.
"She was taken into
Ward 4, which is the children's cancer ward."
The girls made a
banner and hit the streets and doorsteps of Katie's
Kingswells neighbours.
"We were thinking
about doing a car wash but we couldn't reach the
top of the cars," said Katie.
"We asked people to
donate £1 and then we sang Beautiful, by
Christina Aguilera.
Megan added: "The
song is about beauty, but people who have cancer
lose their hair and are not considered beautiful.
"We thought it
would make people think." Katie and Megan donated
the money to the ward yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile, offshore
workers on Talisman Energy's Buchan Alpha Platform
donated £200 to Aberdeen Maternity Hospital's
neo-natal unit.
The cash was raised
by staff holding a raffle on Christmas day. The
neo-natal unit was one of the recipients of the
cash raised.
By Jane Gillard. Wednesday 19 February 2003
http://www.thisinorthscotland.co.uk
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KINGSWELLS
RESIDENTS PROTEST AT PARK 'GLARE': Council chiefs are to
re-examine the possibility of partially dimming the
evening glare produced from an Aberdeen
park-and-ride site. Residents living nearby the
Kingswells park-and-ride complex have regularly
complained about the lighting at the scheme, which
is left on through the night.
Roads bosses on
Aberdeen City Council say the measure is required
for security reasons, but have agreed to look again
at the issue of the lighting.
The matter came to
a head yesterday as councillors discussed a report
which stated the future annual cost of maintaining
each park-and-ride site in the city could top
£100,000.
Local councillor
Peter Stephen told a meeting of the council's
resources management yesterday that he had received
a string of complaints about the lights from
residents
It was agreed that
officials would look at turning down the
"intensity" of the lights. (Posted: 5.2.2003)
http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
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FIRST
MINISTER - ABERDEEN RING ROAD INITIATIVE:
Plans for
'a new western peripheral route in´Aberdeen
have the support of the Executive, business leaders
in the city were told today (27.1.2003).
At a Chamber of
Commerce business breakfast, First Minister Jack
McConnell said that, in partnership with the North
East Scotland Transport Partnership (NESTRANS), the
Executive would now support plans for a dual
carriageway to the west of the city to alleviate
city centre congestion.
The First Minister
said the government would fund the strategic
element of the project, with NESTRANS expected to
contribute the remaining portion.
Mr McConnell said:
"Efficient transport links are essential to help
businesses flourish throughout the North-east,
moving goods and workers around the region
easily.
"Aberdeen's
transport problems have been well documented. I am
sure this new road will be a tremendous benefit to
the city, help it will to remove through traffic
from the centre and take heavy traffic off rural
and urban routes.
"The Western
Peripheral Route is just part of the integrated
transport solution for Aberdeen. Combined with
measures such as improved public transport and
park-and-ride in the councils' wider plans, the new
road will make travelling in and around Aberdeen
quicker and easier as well as reducing congestion
and pollution in the city centre.
"We need to see
better roads and transport systems across Scotland.
Here in the North-east and elsewhere this road will
be widely welcomed."
The First Minister
was speaking at an Aberdeen and District Chamber of
Commerce business breakfast in the Marcliffe at
Pitfodels.
Funding for the
road - including the proportions to be provided by
the councils and the Scottish Executive - is still
to be finalised.
The partnership
approach, with the Executive funding the strategic
elements and the local authorities the local
elements, is precedented in the M74 Northern
Completion scheme.
The Executive will
also be keen to explore the possibility of a public
private partnership (PPP) approach, taking into
account value for money considerations.
NESTRANS is a
public/private partnership - made up of the
Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council,
Scottish Enterprise Grampian and Aberdeen and
Grampian Chamber of Commerce - which is working to
develop an integrated transport strategy for the
North East over a 16-year period. (Posted
28.1.2003) Scottish Executive
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KINGWELLS
SCOUTS MAY HAVE TO DISBAND!! Extraordinary Meeting
Wednesday 22nd January, Kingswells Community
Centre
The Kingswells
Scout Group are to hold an Extraordinary Meeting at
the Kingswells Community Centre on Wednesday 22nd
January 2003. The only item on the agenda at this
meeting will be the disbandment of the Group. The
Committee of the Scout Group have reluctantly had
to call this EGM as the Group has been unable to
recruit sufficient adult leaders to allow the group
to continue.
The current status
of adult leadership in the group is as
follows:
Beaver Section - No
Leader despite several attempts to recruit
Cubs Section - One
leader who's job entails significant travel [which
means the
Cub Section
programme is at best disjointed]
Scout Section - One
leader who will be moving on to leading an Explorer
Scout
section at Area
Level.
The above means
that if new adult leaders cannot be recruited the
Group will have only a disjointed Cub Programme
available going forward, which is an unsustainable
situation and hence the reluctant decision of the
Committee to propose disbandment.
Before making the
final decision on disbandment the committee want to
discuss the adult leadership situation with the
parents of both current members of the group and
also prospective members - so if your sons and
daughters are either current members or prospective
members please make every effort to attend this EGM
so your views can be taken into account in making
the final decision on the future of the
group.
Contact
Details
Mike Oxley (Acting
Group Scout Leader)
Tel No:
833457(Office) 743368(Home)
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RETHINK
OVER DONS STADIUM PROPOSAL : Aberdeen fc have put the
brakes on their dream move to a purpose-built
£30million home on the outskirts of the
city.
Dons chiefs say
they want a public inquiry into their proposed new
stadium delayed for six months so they can "weigh
up the situation carefully''.
A meeting scheduled
for next week, ahead of the inquiry into the
controversial development at Bellfield Farm near
Kings-wells, has now been scrapped.
However, Dons chief
executive Keith Wyness said yesterday: "We are
certainly not withdrawing our planning application
or shelving plans for Bellfield."
Protesters against
the stadium say the delay will not blunt their
opposition.
It emerged
yesterday that the Reporters Office at the Scottish
Executive had been contacted with a request that
the inquiry process be "sisted" for six months.
This means the planning application will be left in
limbo for that period, after which the club can
decide if they still wish to pursue the move to
Kingswells or stay at Pittodrie.
A Scottish
Executive spokeswoman said: "The council and
Aberdeen FC asked for this to be sisted for six
months to allow both to consider their
position."
The club's
Kingswells plans suffered a major setback last
month when Scotland lost out in the race to stage
the Euro 2008 football championships.
Scottish ministers
had given special dispensation for Euro 2008 venues
to be built on green belt land, and the Dons'
planning application for Bellfield Farm proceeded
on this basis.
The club said that,
after the failure of the bid, they would "take
stock" over the best way ahead for the stadium
bid.
Mr Wyness said:
"Without the time constraints of Euro 2008, we are
under less pressure and can afford to review the
plans and the external factors which may influence
them.
"We firmly believe
that Bellfield is still the best option. However,
in six months the political environment may have
changed and the plans for the Western Peripheral
Route may have moved forward and, although not
critical to the club's plans, its status plays an
important role in them."
Mr Wyness also
pointed to the imminent creation of the Events
Scotland organisation to help Scotland bid for
major sporting events. "A world-class complex of
the type we are planning would be a tremendous
boost for Scotland and ensure that the North-east
is represented in Event Scotland's
strategy."
Derek Martin,
chairman of the Kingswells Infrastructure First
Group, said: "I note what Mr Wyness has said and
have no doubt that Aberdeen FC will wish to proceed
in due course and, when they are ready, KIFG will
be ready.
"Our planning agent
has been fully briefed and our expert witnesses
have been fully briefed. We have to sit back and
await their pleasure, but matters remain as they
are. This is simply a delay in coming to
court."
The city council
backed the development in August of last year, but
the application was called in by the Scottish
Executive for a public inquiry. (Posted 9.1.2003)
By SCOTT MACNAB
http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
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PRE-INQUIRY
MEETING: WEDNESDAY 15 JANUARY 2003 PROPOSED
DEVELOPMENTS AT BELLFIELD FARM,
KINGSWELLS:
The purpose of the pre inquiry meeting to be held
on 15th January is to give the "main" parties the
opportunity to provide an outline statement of case
and an intimation the witnesses they are likely to
call. This in turn enables the reporter to estimate
how long the inquiry itself will last and whether
any special circumstances need to be addressed.
Aberdeen Football Club have indicated that, led by
a QC, they intend to call expert wtiness on a wide
variety of subjects including noise, lighting,
planning, transport and "economic benefits". I
understand that their chief executive will also be
appearing as a witness. There will be no
examination of witnesses at the meeting on 15th
January, it is likely to be a fairly undramatic
day.
Naturally, KIFG will be professionally represented
through the offices of Mr J AA Agnew.
The agenda is
listed below.
TOWN AND COUNTRY
PLANNING (SCOTLAND) ACT 1997
TOWN AND COUNTRY
PLANNING (NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATIONS) (SCOTLAND)
DIRECTION 1997
PRE-INQUIRY
MEETING: WEDNESDAY 15 JANUARY 2003
PROPOSED
DEVELOPMENTS AT BELLFIELD FARM, KINGSWELLS,
ABERDEEN
The agenda for the
meeting will include:
1.
Introductions;
2. The background
to the public inquiry
3. The purpose of
the pre-inquiry meeting;
4. The Reporter's
preliminary assessment of the issues likely to be
before
the inquiry:
5. Identification
of the parties who wish to give oral
evidence;
6. The contribution
from those who have made representations and
from
consultees:
7. The scope of the
evidence which parties, intend to lead;
8. The opportunity
for parties with similar concerns to group
together;
9. The scope for
agreed statements
10. The order of
appearances. cross-examination. etc:
11. Procedure at
the inquiry:
12. The likely
length of the inquiry;
13. Timetable for
compliance with the Inquiries Procedure Rules and
the date on which the inquiry will start;
14. Timetable for
the parties unable to attend the whole
inquiry
15. Application of
the Rules to parties;
16. Document
exchanges;
17. Identification
of a suitable location for the deposit of
documents:
18. Venue and daily
programme;
19. Supplementary
information required by the Reporter;
20. Questions on
practical and procedural matters.
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If you can
provide assistance or information with any of the
above please contact me at: info@kingswells.com A credit will be given to
anyone submitting articles and photos used on web
site. Claire Burt Web mistress
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