Shellshocked Mearns residents are “reeling” after illegal Travellers made a fresh bid to make their stay permanent.
Aberdeenshire Council is still embroiled in an enforcement battle over the North Esk Park Travellers’ site which was built without permission on land near St Cyrus in September 2013.
A fresh bid for retrospective planning permission has now been lodged by the group which was yesterday described as “a means of manipulating the system to buy time”.
One couple living in the shadow of the site said they want to move away from the area but do not think they will be able to find a buyer.
“We are reeling,” said the woman, who did not wish to be named for fear of reprisals.
“We can’t quite believe that this is happening. I think they are here to stay.
“We are just in despair and we are looking to sell up and move away from the area but who is going to buy our place?
North Esk Park has become home to a complex of around 20 caravans and 120 residents, with roads and lighting surrounded by a 1.8 metre fence.
Residents James McCallum and William Docherty tried to win retrospective planning permission for a permanent halting and touring site on the grounds in March.
However, the application was rejected due to concerns about flooding and foul water drainage as well as the fact the site is in a site of special scientific interest.
In September Aberdeenshire Council served an enforcement notice on residents of the camp telling them to quit the site which was appealed to the Scottish Government.
It has now emerged that fresh planning documents asking for consent to turn the site into a permanent fixture have been sent to the local authority.
North East MSP Alex Johnstone said: “This situation is outrageous and has dragged on long enough, and it has made a complete mockery of the planning system.
“Retrospective planning permission is absolutely unacceptable in this case because it would simply set a precedent for similar incidents elsewhere.
“This fresh bid for planning permission strikes me as nothing more than a means of manipulating the system to buy time.
“The residents of this site may be calling it ‘North Esk Park’ but in reality it is a fenced-off illegal village thrown up without any regard for appropriate process.”