On June 3 there was a meeting in Mearns Academy chaired by Piers Blaxter, Policy Team Leader for Planning, Policy and the Environment with Aberdeenshire Council, the man responsible for the plan's production.

Community Council chair David Nelson felt the meeting was rather poorly attended.

"I took notes along with other community councillors. There were a lot of questions asked so the meeting served its purpose, but I felt Laurencekirk was not as well represented as it might have been.

"Issues raised included the roads infrastructure and how we will manage to get along the High Street with the proposed increase in housing.

"The meeting wanted to know when a new Mearns Academy will be built to cope with the increase in housing along the A90 corridor.

"It was also suggested that if developers want to build at the north end of Laurencekirk, as they appear to do, we will need a grade-separated junction at that end as well.

"There will also need to be a means of diverting HGVs away from the centre of the town.

"There was concern about housing types and whether enough affordable housing would be provided in the plan.

"It was mentioned that the growth of Laurencekirk seemed to be in the hands of a couple of major developers (Scotia Homes and Kirkwood Homes) who want to build a large number of houses and the meeting asked where the small developer could go.

"From the point of view of the planners, it might be easier to deal with one large developer on the provision of services, rather than a host of small ones, but it might not be desireable overall.

"The big developers are getting in first, but in the current climate it could be many years before the house are actually built.

"The evidence we gathered will be in our collective response, which will relate to all the villages in the Mearns, but it is important to note that any individual can make representations."

On June 9, a meeting was held in Luthermuir for both Luthermuir and Marykirk and was well attended.

Mr Nelson outlined the sites which were proposed for development. Community Council secretary Marjorie Stewart and Aberdeenshire Council's Karen McWilliam took notes and area manager William Munro was there to give advice.

"Views expressed at this meeting and others will be included in our submission.

"We have been encouraged by statements made by Mr Blaxter to the effect that the necessary infrastructure must be in place before developers come forward with their final plans."

The community council were due to hold further consultation meetings in Drumlithie on Wednesday and Auchenblae on Thursday. A meeting in Fettercairn will be held before the end of the month.