Mearns councillors are expected to approve plans for a “home working” housing estate despite local concerns over A90 safety.
Aberdeenshire Council officers have recommended approval of a Peterkin Homes scheme next to the bowling green in Drumlithie.
All 15 houses, with a further 15 due to be handled by a future application, will have offices in their gardens.
But locals have warned the village’s connection to the dual carriageway is already over capacity after the developer recently finished 20 houses in adjacent Burnside Croft.
Members of the Kincardine and Mearns area committee will be asked to decide the application in Stonehaven on Tuesday.
Resident Derek Keith commented on the application: “The access road from Drumlithie to the main A90 is not safe for existing residents and would endanger the lives of more people by building more homes prior to any reduction in the risk this hazard presents.
“The bridge is also a hazard with heavy lorries negotiating the sharp bend of the bridge, it would not take much for a load to spill or an accident to cause debris to fall on to the rail line causing a potential disaster.
“(The road) has a history of many fatalities because of the dangerous access to the A90 highway.”
Neill Elliott wrote: “More houses will obviously mean more traffic heading to Aberdeen at rush hour times.
“As part of the planning permission surely a slip road must be built to allow traffic to turn north without the danger of judging fast-flowing traffic and reducing frustration and taking chances which will increase the chance of serious accidents.”
Peterkin Homes states in its application that the village is “a desirable place to live” but seeks to delete a local employment land stipulation as there is “no demand” for it.
“Home working is considered to be an increasingly popular and sustainable method of employment resource provision,” they add.
A direct access on to Station Road, the most direct route to the A90, was deleted in favour of a new access on to the Glenbervie road, because there were concerns it would become a rat run.
Infrastructure services chief Stephen Archer states the application does not provide the half-hectare employment land specified in the forthcoming local development plan, but Peterkin’s supporting information pointed to a lack of necessity in the village.
Objections based on road safety had been “considered”.
“It is considered that the proposal will not have a negative impact on the residential or visual amenity of the area in this case as the site is capable of being drained, accessed and landscaped to an acceptable standard, whilst the design and materials will sit well with existing properties located within the area,” he wrote.
