The Marr Area Committee met on Tuesday, 05 May 2026, to discuss a range of local issues, including a planning application for a new dwelling, updates on roads and infrastructure programmes, and the annual scrutiny and improvement report. Key decisions included the deferral of a planning application for a dwelling in Ballater pending a site visit, approval of revenue funding allocations for roads and bridges, and agreement on the proposed scrutiny programme for the upcoming year.

Planning Application for Dwellinghouse and Garage in Ballater

The committee considered a full planning permission application for the erection of a dwellinghouse and garage at land to the north of Birchwood, Ballater. The application, recommended for approval by planning officers, was primarily referred to committee due to concerns regarding the connection to an existing private water supply and water capacity.

During the discussion, Councillor Sarah Brown raised questions about the seasonality of water quantity surveys for private water supplies, and whether the February testing was the only one conducted. Neil Mair, Senior Planner, explained that while water supplies can fluctuate seasonally, the purpose of holding tanks is to mitigate these issues. He noted that Environmental Health, the governing body for private water supplies, had no records or evidence of water scarcity for this particular supply, despite anecdotal evidence from users.

Mark Palmer, speaking on behalf of an objector, Robert Fyvie, outlined several objections, including concerns about an inadequate water supply, a dangerous access proposal, the prominence of the house in the landscape, and the felling of trees for the water supply installation. Mr. Palmer highlighted that the water supply test results were taken after the wettest January on record, and that in late summer, the supply had failed completely in previous years. He also raised concerns about the steep and blind access road, the potential for increased traffic and accidents, and the bulky design of the proposed house which he argued would be prominent in the landscape.

Following the presentations and questions, Councillor Eileen Durno requested a site visit to gain a better understanding of the site, its setting, and the access. The committee agreed to this deferral, and the application will be revisited after the site visit.

Roads and Infrastructure Programmes of Work

The committee received an update on the Roads and Infrastructure Programme of Work for 2026-27 and an update on 2025-26 works. Lee Watson, Principal Engineer, presented the report, highlighting a £83,000 reduction in the budget across all functions of the service, with a significant shift in allocation from bridges to road maintenance. The committee was informed that the service is moving away from a fixed programme of works to a more responsive, dynamic list of prioritised works, which currently exceeds available funding.

An additional £1.88 million identified during budget setting was welcomed, which would allow for a substantial spray injection patching contract, the acquisition of an additional pothole repair vehicle, and an increase in pothole repairs carried out by in-house resources. However, it was noted that road maintenance funding levels remain well below the steady-state level, and the conditions of roads will continue to decline.

The committee agreed to note the updates on 2025-26 works, approve the proposals for allocating revenue funding within the Marr area for roads and bridges, and provide comments to the Infrastructure Services Committee on the proposals for capital funding. The committee welcomed the inclusion of four Marr bridges on the priority list for capital funding, particularly Aboyne Bridge and Dinnet Bridge.

Councillor Sarah Brown raised concerns about the clarity of the data presented, particularly regarding the repetitive road sections and the allocation of funding. Catherine Sparrow from Roads and Infrastructure explained that some road sections cross boundaries between areas, which could cause confusion, and that a map would be provided in the future to clarify these details. Councillor Ann Ross expressed concern about the managed decline of roads and the impact on rural communities, but Tim Stephen, Area Manager, advised caution due to the pre-election period and the need to stick to the scope of the report.

Annual Scrutiny and Improvement Report

Kirsty Macleod, Area Committee Officer, presented the Annual Scrutiny and Improvement Report, outlining the scrutiny activity undertaken by the committee over the past year. This included consideration of performance reports, policies, strategies, plans, and budgets, as well as informal sessions and ward meetings. The committee noted that a petition regarding winter or all-season tyres on school transport was due to be considered by the Education and Children's Services Committee in August.

The committee agreed to comment on the activities detailed in the report, highlighting the importance of Area Committee influence, as demonstrated by the sheltered housing review. Councillor Gwyneth Petrie expressed ongoing frustration that while scrutiny is undertaken at committee level, it sometimes feels pointless when it reaches policy level, suggesting a need to consider the powers of area committees and how they feed into policy decisions.

The committee also agreed to approve the proposed programme of scrutiny activity for 2026/27, with members encouraged to identify service areas for further scrutiny. Councillor Petrie's comments were supported by Councillor Blackett, who also thanked Kirsty Macleod for her hard work in organising seminars.

Other Business

The committee also agreed to defer consideration of an application for ACT2 (Aberdeenshire Charities Trust) funding for further information from the applicant and requested an informal session with officers from Legal and Finance to consider the long-term management of remaining funds.

The meeting concluded with the committee agreeing to defer consideration of the ACT2 application and requesting an informal session with officers. The public session of the meeting was then concluded.