Access to planned development

SIR, – I refer to plans to replace Ardene House veterinary hospital at Kingswells with an office development.

It is highly worrying that Aberdeen City planners have approved access arrangements for the development against strong advice from the council’s own roads engineer.

Access to and from the site will be from the very busy A944 dual-carriageway on a “left turn only” basis.

Drivers leaving the site will only be able to reach Westhill via the Kingswells roundabout. Those trying to access the site from Kingswells roundabout will first need to travel to the roundabout at Tesco, Westhill, and then double back.

This 3.2-mile diversion will be necessary be-

“The declared plans do not include a single thing which could be described as having the ‘awe factor’”

tunities” to support community regeneration, bolster resilience and bring economic, social and environmental benefits to the south of Mull.

I wish the Ross of Mull and Iona Development Group every success, but what has prevented Forestry Commission Scotland from doing all or any of these things before now? It has been on Mull long enough.

The commission’s charter already allows them to work with local communities and stakeholders in ways that help to deliver shared objectives. Is it no longer interested in these matters, or would it rather turn its back on the countryside to which it owes so much?

Those who have the task of managing the commission’s operations on Mull should be cause the present roundabout at Arnhall is being removed.

There are real concerns that some drivers will attempt to avoid these diversions by making dangerous U-turns on the A944. This has happened before.

The folly of these plans cannot be underestimated. They will put future occupants of the new offices at a real disadvantage. Hopefully, councillors will realise the road-safety risks and traffic implications and reject the proposals outright. A much safer solution would be to provide access to the new office development through the Prime Four site.