Kintore News and Comment RSS feed

Tuach Hill access reopened

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-07-16T14:09:40+01:00

Aberdeenshire Council and site owners Malcolm Allan Housebuilders Ltd have confirmed that, following clean up restrictions to access have now been lifted. “This has been an ongoing saga which has restricted local residents’ access to Tuach Hill,” says Councillor Fergus Hood who has been negotiating with his colleague Councillor Dominic Lonchay. “I am pleased that the community will be able to continue to enjoy this outstanding site in Kintore.” “While some individuals were advocating an antagonistic approach,” Councillor Lonchay adds, “this satisfying solution is the result of close cooperation and understanding between the interested parties who worked together to allow this iconic site to be reopened.” “We are very pleased that the asbestos risk has been down rated to negligible,” Colin Wood, Technical Manager at Malcolm Allan Housebuilders Ltd, explains. “The precautionary approach, restricting access on public health grounds is no longer necessary and we are happy to agree immediate reinstatement of access to Tuach Hill for responsible use by the public. “We would like to thank Councillors Hood and Lonchay for their valued cooperation in finding a solution to this difficult problem.” In making the announcement all parties reminded visitors to Tuach Hill that – with the access being reinstated on the path – they must behave responsibly, taking into account that Tuach Hill is in effect a private property and part of an active agricultural operation. Visitors are therefore reminded that crops should not be harmed, and that livestock should not be bothered, by dogs or otherwise. Moreover, dog owners are requested to keep their dogs under control and particularly to pick up litter and any dog mess. Dog fouling is an offence, and will be treated as such by regular dog warden visits. ...Details require to be submitted within 7 days include date and time, description of dog and owner, vehicle registration (if available); a statement is also compulsory.

Blocks of flats planned for Forest Road

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-06-29T15:00:13+01:00

Plans have been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for four blocks of flats on a site on Forest Road, Kintore. The proposal is being put forward by Langstane Housing Association and the finished development would total 24 flats. The closing date for comments about the development is July 12 and comments can be submitted by letter or online. Concerns have been expressed about the traffic and parking implications of the proposed development, which will have 30 parking places, including two for disabled use. A new access would be formed off Forest Road to enter the car parking. Three of the three-storey blocks would be along the Forest Road frontage with the fourth block behind, in the middle of the site.

Your chance to support the Town House

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-06-26T14:35:29+01:00

Action Kintore – Kintore’s community charity – has an ambition to bring the Town House back into use for the community. Kintore Town House Open Events Saturday, June 30 and Saturday, July 7 from 9 am to 12 noon Until 1974 the magnificent 18th century Town House, with its distinctive double staircase, housed the council chamber and offices for Kintore Burgh Council. Over the years it has also served as court and even as the town jail. Action Kintore is applying for a Community Asset Transfer with the aim to develop the Town House into a new social and civic centre for Kintore. The current plans include a flexible multi-use hall, small bar / reception room, toilets and a small commercial kitchen. The plan is also to have a commercial use unit, which would provide some rental income. The old vault would be used for local exhibition opportunities to display artefacts relating to the extensive Roman, Pictish and agricultural heritage of the area. A new rear vestibule would provide lift and stairs to access the upper floors. Come along to find out more about the plans for the Town House and to give Action Kintore your comments and confirm your support.

Concerns for the safety of our children

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-06-20T11:28:02+01:00

At the Kintore and District Community Council meeting last night members and councillors heard safety concerns for children attending Kintore School, from a local resident and the crossing patroller. Their concern had been sparked by the number of near misses with children in the vicinity of the school. It was quite shocking that quite a number of the culprits, driving too fast in the vicinity of the school, appeared to be parents delivering and collecting their children from the school. The meeting heard how there appeared to be an alarming disregard for the 20 mph limit that applies when the lights flash. The crossing patroller said she reckoned eight out of every ten cars was currently exceeding the 20 mph limit and said she believed the signs were no longer prominent enough. It was suggested that a sign showing drivers’ actual speeds might embarrass drivers who were currently ignoring the speed limit. It was recognised that there had been issues with these lights being wrongly timed and flashing in the evenings and during school holidays. ...The school crossing patroller questioned the visibility of the orange globe beacons on the zebra crossing and pointed out that other crossings in Aberdeenshire had much more visible circular LED lights. One of the Aberdeenshire councillors said there was a programme for the upgrading of pedestrian crossing lights and Kintore would have to wait its turn in that programme. A community councillor said he hoped that the Aberdeenshire councillors could encourage the council to accelerate the upgrade of the crossing in Kintore, in light of serious safety concerns. ...The Police Scotland representative at the meeting said that he would set up a speed camera and would also look at scheduling police with a speed gun to be stationed, regularly, at the school to enforce the 20 mph speed limit. Councillor Martin Ford reported there is a proposal at the Scottish Parliament to change the default speed limit for all built up areas in Scotland from 30 mph to 20 mph.

Flood prevention work underway

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-06-20T10:49:25+01:00

Work is well under way on building bunds designed to contain future flooding in the Kingsfield Road area of Kintore. Properties in Kingsfield Road were badly affected by the January 2016 floods, when flood water from the Tuach and Torry burns met rising waters from the River Don, backed up by high tide. The new bunds are designed to contain and channel flood water to stop it getting into nearby properties and gardens.

Planning updates

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-06-20T10:40:39+01:00

The following planning applications were highlighted at last night’s Kintore and District Community Council meeting. If you wish to see more detail on any of these applications go to the Aberdeenshire Council Planning Applications page and enter the reference number, postcode or keyword in the search box at the bottom of the page. APP/2018/1173 Erection of Dwellinghouse in the rear garden at Elm cottage, 30 Forest Road. Public comments close TOMORROW (Thursday, June 21) and can be submitted online. ...APP/2018/1317 Kintore Car Sales Mid Mill Kintore. Proposal, Extension, Alterations and Change of Use from Car Sales/Workshop Office (Sui Generis) to Hair and Beauty Salon (Use Class 1) Consultee comments by 25 June; public comments by 03 Jul 2018 APP/2018/1180 Erection of Shed 3 Smithfield Northern Road Kintore Aberdeenshire AB51 0YN. ... APP/2018/1063 Extension of dwellinghouse & garage erection at Drumnaheath Farmhouse, between Lauchintilly & Bogford, nr. ...APP/2018/0133 Erection of Signage Including 1 Illuminated Sign (Retrospective) Kintore Arms Bar The Square Kintore Consultee comments by 24 June; public comments by 01 Jul 2018 ...Extension to Existing Farm Shop to include Additional Retail Space, Cafe and Drive Through and Associated Landscaping. ...APP/2018/1198 Erection of Car Port, Formation of New Access and Driveway and Erection of Fence, Castleton Castle Walk Kintore. Public comments by Thu 21 Jun 2018.

Rural Watch Scotland aims to reduce crime

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-06-20T09:12:41+01:00

“Rural Watch Scotland” is an extension of the Neighbourhood Watch Scotland movement aimed specifically at rural communities, like those around Kintore. Rural Watch aims to bring all the benefits of Neighbourhood Watch to all rural communities. ...Rural watch is an online community for any member of the public where appeals, crime prevention tips and safety alerts can be posted by those who subscribe. ...Subscription is free and the sharing of information on the forum is a great example of real time crime prevention in action. ... • Reduce crime and the fear of crime by providing the right information, to the right people, at the right time. • Encourage people to think about the safety and security for themselves, their neighbours and their community. • Improve community cohesion and well-being by supporting communities to develop ‘their watch” their way. • Work in partnership with national and local service providers to develop more resilient communities that are better prepared against threats, intentional or unintentional, such as crime or extreme weather. The experience of Neighbourhood Watch throughout Scotland and elsewhere across the world is that members of Rural Watch Scotland will be less likely than non-members in the rural community to be a victim of crime. By joining the Rural Watch Scotland scheme members can receive alerts and advice by phone, text, or email. By keeping members informed about crime and other threats in specific areas, Rural Watch Scotland can help prevent crime, keep communities and residents safe and member’s responses to these alerts can help catch criminals or be better prepared to deal with other threats to communities. To join Rural Watch Scotland go www.ruralwatchscotland.co.uk and click the green JOIN button at the top of the page.

Kintore business seeks purchasing adminstrator

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-06-14T15:54:59+01:00

RIM Fabrications in Kintore is looking for two new purchasing administrators – one a permanent post, the second for maternity cover. ...Purchasing Administrator - full time, permanent basis. 2. Purchasing Administrator - full time, maternity cover. Requirements of the Purchasing Administrator include: • Good intermediate IT skills, in particular MS Office & applications • Strong attention to detail • Ability to organise, prioritise and complete work to meet deadlines • Excellent interpersonal skills including a confident telephone manner • Team player with the ability to use your own initiative • Hard working with a strong work ethic To apply, please submit a copy of your up-to-date CV to enquiries@rim.uk.com

Do you know of the Shakin' Bridge?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-06-12T13:12:51+01:00

The Institution of Civil Engineers have been in contact to say they have a postcard in their collection of a “Shakin’ Bridge, Kintore”. Can any of our website users shed any light on it? From the look of the postcard photo, it looks like a fairly substantial river that it is crossing, which would suggest the River Don. Was the ‘Shakin’ Bridge” the predecessor to the original vehicle bridge at Boat of Kintore? If you know anything about this bridge, please get in touch and we will let the Institution of Civil Engineers know. You can use the comment facility on this page, you can post a comment on the Kintore Facebook page post, or you can email editor@kintore.org.uk. FOOTNOTE: The general consensus seems to be that the “Shakin’ Bridge’” was a pedestrian bridge from Castlehill in Kintore across to Balbithan Island in the River Don. It was replaced, many years ago, by a vehicle bridge to allow agricultural vehicles to reach the island.

Dyce to Aberdeen rail closure

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-05-01T10:39:54+01:00

The rail line from Dyce to Aberdeen will be closed as part of the programme for doubling of the track between Aberdeen and Inverurie. This section of line will be closed from May 12 to August 20. The second phase will be a similar closure next summer affecting the line from Dyce to Inverurie. This programme will include the installation of the new rail station at Kintore. Ironically, of course, the line used to be double track and there also used to be a station in Kintore. So, effectively, the work will restoring the infrastructure. To find out about the service alterations and alternative travel options during the construction work go to www.scotrail.co.uk/improvements

Fire Brigade blocked by parked cars

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-04-21T16:00:02+01:00

At the community council meeting this week, those present heard from police that a fire engine, on the way to a fire, had been obstructed by parked cars in Allendale Gardens which, we were told, had not left sufficient room for emergency vehicle access. This could clearly have had very serious consequences. At the very least, it could have cause considerable delay in responding to the emergency, as the vehicles causing the obstruction would have to be moved, by whatever means necessary. We all like convenience. We all like to be able to park at our own door. But, as you do so, please stop and take a second look at where you have parked. Have you left enough space for an ambulance or fire engine to get past? Next time it could be your life, or your property, on the line. (At the meeting, we were given an insight into what happens in New York if a car is parked in front of a fire hydrant. The Fire Department are likely to break both front windows to pass the hose through from one side to the other!)

Abattoir plans to go on show

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-04-20T16:54:08+01:00

Developers are holding an meeting to discuss their plans for a new Scotbeef abattoir and meat production facility and Thainstone, in the Kintore & District Community Council area. Because of the planned location, high on the hillside, particular concerns have been expressed about the visual impact on views of Bennachie, recognised by the National Geographical Society as possibly Britain’s favourite hill. Other noted concerns have been the loss of fields, the impact on historic Camies’ Stone and increased traffic at the Thainstone roundabout on the A96. Members of the development team will be available to discuss concerns and issues regarding their planning application to move the abbatoir to a greenfield site at Thainstone. The meeting will be on Friday, April 27 from 11 am in The Bothie, Allendale Gardens, Kintore AB51 0UQ.

Garioch Heritage Centre buy-out plan

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-04-20T16:28:49+01:00

The Garioch Heritage Centre opened in October 2017 and houses the collections of Garioch Heritage Society. It is located in the renovated Inverurie Loco Works. In addition to historical information and artefacts and displays that tell the story of the Garioch, the centre has a gift shop, cafe and activities for children. Until now the centre has operated under a Management Agreeement with the owners of the building. But the registered charity has been told that the best way to secure the long-term future of the centre is to use the Scottish Land Fund to support a community buy out. “We need people to come forward and support us,” says chairman Nora Radcliffe, “as applications to the Scottish Land Fund are only considered where real community support can be demonstrated.” To learn more about the plans and to show support for the buy-out the Garioch Heritage Centres has arranged two meetings, one in the afternoon and one in the evening to allow as many people as possible to come along: Thursday, April 26 at 2pm and Thursday, May 3 at 7pm. Both meetings are in the Garioch Heritage Centre, Locoworks Road, lnverurie AB51 4FY (off Harlaw Road, behind Aldi). At the meeting the implications of a community buy-out will be explained and the meeting will be opened for questions and ideas. “Your participation at this stage is really, really important to show that local people are interested,” explains Nora Radcliffe, “but be reassured that coming along will not commit you to any future involvement beyond what you want to give.”

Balbithan broadband bid fails due to cost

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-04-17T15:19:44+01:00

Residents in the Balbithan area of Kintore have had to throw in the towel on their bid to improve their slow broadband. Encouraged by BT and Aberdeenshire Council they made an application for a Community Fibre Partnership which would co-fund the provision of fibre connections to the premises. They had hoped that Balbithan might be the pilot for similar schemes to bring decent broadband to the Leylodge and Cottown areas. Initially the households received a response from Openreach saying that “nothing was moving in Scotland” as everyone was waiting on the Scottish Government to announce their plans. When the MSP for the constituency including Balbithan, Gillian Martin approached Openreach they said that “getting fibre to this area is technically challenging”. At a rough estimate, the response continued, it would “suggest a cost of over £200,000”, which would work out at £20,000 per household. This contrasted with the tone of the Openreach Community Fibre Partnership website which states: “We can get you upgraded to superfast or ultrafast speeds” and says “we’ll work with you to find a way to bring fast fibre broadband to your area”. ...This, of course, is in even more stark contrast to the hype at the launch of the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme which – with £157 million of public money behind it – promised to bring “superfast” (24MB minimum) broadband to rural properties that would otherwise not be connected to “superfast”. “Four years ago, when the Kintore exchange was fibre enabled we all looked forward to receiving decent broadband,” a spokesperson for the residents explained. “Our hopes were then raised again when the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme was launched and we all waited to see trucks with fibre cable heading out along the roads from Kintore to deliver the promised superfast broadband. “In reality our lines were connected to fibre at the exchange and the aged copper cables were left to take the signal to our properties. ...It seems incredible that we have apparently been forgotten by the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme.”

Suspicious door-to-door sales

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-04-16T10:51:58+01:00

We have received the following message from Police Scotland about suspicious door-to-door sales calls in the area. Police Scotland have over the last two days received a number of reports of a group of males in the Inverurie, Kintore and Westhill areas who have been going door to door trying to sell household items. The males identify themselves as being ex-prisoners from the Middlesburgh area and have in the main been polite. The majority of these individuals do not have licences to sell door to door and a number have been charged accordingly. If attending at the door, the public are advised to ask to see the relevant licence, and of not provided, politely ask them to leave. If you feel threatened or have information into any crime that you believe may have been committed by this group of individuals please contact Police Scotland on 101 or the charity Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. ... This messaging system is not for reporting crime as responses are not monitored 24/7. If you have time-critical information regarding the content of the above message, or if you wish to report any other non-urgent matter, please call 101. ... Police Scotland's North East Division covers rural and urban areas in Moray, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City. The division has five territorial command areas which have their own dedicated Area Commander, who is responsible for the daily policing function. Each command area is served by a number of community policing teams whose activities are built around the needs of the local community. ... They are assisted by the division's Crime Reduction Unit who deliver against Force and local priorities in a number of areas, including physical and social crime prevention, supporting and enhancing community engagement and creating and sustaining strong and effective partnership working.

New for car enthusiasts at this year's festival

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-03-30T13:15:26+01:00

New for this year’s Kintore Summer Festival is a Performance and Classic Car Show in the car park at the Kintore Primary School. The show will take place on Saturday, May 26 from 1pm to 4pm. If you have an interesting vehicle that you think would add to the occasion, register it now – details are on the poster above. • For the latest news on the Kintore Summer Festival see the Festival page.

Kintore Community Council report

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-03-27T12:25:44+01:00

...Our Youth development worker, Rachel Lewis, is still attending Kemnay Academy assemblies and providing support to all children who attend the Bothie. 2018 is the “year of the young person” and it is hoped that events can be held locally to celebrate young people and the role that they play in our Community. ...Work to repair the fountain outside the Town Hall is planned to get under way spring/summer as money from the Common Good Fund has been allocated and a contractor finally found to carry out the work. ...Brian Johnstone is in the process of finalising an agreement with the council for the Angling Club to take over the Common Good Land at the Golf Course. ...There was widespread concern amongst the community with regard to the lack of gritting of pavements during the bad weather with many accidents being reported due to icy conditions and reports of older residents being housebound. Cllr Hood advised that the council changed their policy on gritting due to the past few milder winters but the policy would now be reviewed to reinstate gritting routes and pavement gritters. It was agreed that the Chairman will email Stephen Archer the Director of Infrastructure to convey the community’s dissatisfaction at the Council’s gritting policy and request that it be changed to ensure that pavements would be gritted along with roads in the future. ...Jim Savage has said that the Infrastructure Director has put a hold on this scheme as the council currently has overspent £3.5M of their budget. ...The landowner is looking for an offer of compensation from the council in respect of the strip of land he was going to give up to facilitate the building of the bund. ...Council officers have visited the site and marked out the asbestos site and outlined it on their map and it is their view that the area blocked off is actually accessible. ...Environmental Health and Planning confirmed that the Local Authority has indeed asked the landowner to restrict public access to the area of land which has been contaminated. However, Officers do consider the interventions taken by the land owner at Tuach Hill to be excessive and disproportionate and have been trying unsuccessfully to negotiate with the land owner to allow access. The Council has confirmed that these discussions have not been as productive as hoped so a formal procedure to gain public access will now begin.

Balbithan road safety

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-03-21T15:38:26+00:00

At Kintore and District Community Council last night there was praise for the work that Aberdeenshire Council have completed on the road up Balbithan, past the Kintore Golf Club. In the last fortnight a council workman has remove a veritable forest of broom bushes that were enclosing the road, making visibility much better. Nowhere is this improvement more noticeable than on the nasty blind bend just up from the golf clubhouse. As the picture above shows, it is now possible to see oncoming traffic. Previously, drivers had cross fingers and crawl round the corner with the hand on the horn. On other sections of road it is now possible to see oncoming traffic much earlier. In fact, the only downside is that we can now see the disgusting amount of litter that our fellow citizens jettison on the way up the hill! Are you really too lazy to (a) stop and drop it in a bin, or (b) take it home and put it in your own bin?

Concerns voiced over Thainstone developments

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-03-21T11:57:10+00:00

Since the Scottish Government Reporter overturned the decision of Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch Area Committee to refuse the application to expand the Thainstone Business Park up Thainstone Hill, details of landscaping and the new Scotbeef slaughterhouse have been put forward. ...Among those concerned that the eastern slopes of Thainstone (left of Bennachie in the above picture) and Shaw Hill (to the right in the above picture), will be covered with commercial and housing development is Dr Paul Davison. Bennachie has been described by the National Geographic Society as potentially ‘Britain’s most-loved hill’, so its landscape setting is clearly of national significance. “The Garioch Area Committee recently granted planning permission in principle for the Crichie development of 737 houses and industrial estate next door on Shaw Hill,” says Dr Davison. “So the introduction to Inverurie for travellers on the main road will be to have the high ground along the A96 full of warehouse units, storage yards and houses.” ... • In 2011 in the approval process for the 2012 Local Development plan the council stated that a flyover was essential to allow the first part of the Crichie and the Thainstone developments to go ahead. ... • He states that Planning permission for the Thainstone Business Park has been granted without an environmental impact assessment, or a screening opinion or direction. ...“The current plans for landscaping eight-metre high buildings on fields, on a hillside you can see for miles along the valley is to ‘utilise local native species of local provenance and where suitable consist of a mix of trees, shrubs, hedges, wildflowers and incorporate suitable grass seed mixtures’. ... ...Make your comment online on the Aberdeenshire Council website (or write to Planning & Building Standards, Gordon House, Blackhall Road, Inverurie AB51 3WA quoting APP/2018/0140) The deadline for comments is Thursday, March 29. The first planning application submitted for the Thainstone Business Park extension up the hill is for the erection and landscaping of a slaughterhouse, or abattoir, for Scotbeef. ...Comments about the Scotbeef abattoir application need to be in by April 12 and can be submitted on the Aberdeenshire Council website (or write to Planning & Building Standards, Gordon House, Blackhall Road, Inverurie AB51 3WA quoting APP/2018/0428). Dr Davidson says subsequent applications will include relocating Aberdeenshire Council’s Road Maintenance Department onto the hillside, with further concerns about traffic and access.

Kintore Rail Station meeting success

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-03-21T11:34:44+00:00

Last week’s Kintore Railway Station exhibition, at The Bothie in Kintore, has been rated as a great success with more than 200 people attending. Paul Finch of Aberdeenshire Council has thanked Action Kintore for giving such strong support and assistance, helping to get The Bothie set up to make it such a successful event. He also commented how the promotion of the event through the Kintore.org.uk website and social media had helped to boost the numbers attending. For those who were not able to attend the exhibition, you can see the exhibition display panels on the NESTRANS website. There is further information on Kintore Station on the Documents - Rail page of the NESTRANS website.

Visit the Garioch Heritage Centre free

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-03-16T10:41:53+00:00

From now until the end of March you can visit the Garioch Heritage Centre in Inverurie, absolutely free. The heritage centre, which opened in October last year in the former Inverurie Loco Works, is open from Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 4 pm. On the upper floors are fascinating displays depicting aspects of life in the Garioch along with a special exhibition telling the story of the Inverurie Paper Mill. Downstairs there is a reading area, with a wealth of local information and photographs accessible on computer terminals. The Works Coffee Shop downstairs offers tempting options for lunches teas and coffees. Upcoming events on our What’s On page or on the Garioch Heritage Centre website: • Thursday, March 22: A Heritage in Stone: Ian Mitchell Davidson • Saturday, March 31: Easter Egg-stravaganza • Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21: Nae the Antiques Road Show, but affa like it! The Garioch Heritage Centre is just beyond the Aldi supermarket on the Inverurie Loco Works site.

Watch out, there's a thief about

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-03-07T14:42:02+00:00

Reports of some people trying doors last night in the Hallforest area of Kintore are a timely reminder to remember to lock your doors and outbuildings. The police often tell us that one of the most common crimes in Kintore is opportunists simply checking people’s front doors. If the door is open they will nip into the house and take what they can. Often, that is the set of car keys that you have very handily placed on the hall table – just where they can grab them and run out to steal your car. Don’t make it easy for the thief. • Don’t leave your front door or outhouses unlocked. • Don’t leave your keys, or other valuables, on the hall table If you need your keys handy in the hallway, maybe you should fix a small key safe box, with a combination lock. And, of course, never be tempted to leave your keys in the ignition – even while you go to get the windscreen de-icer or hot water!

Community Fibre Partnership on hold

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-03-02T12:03:25+00:00

People just outside Kintore who live beyond the 1,200-metre distance from fibre broadband connection boxes have been dealt another blow in their battle to receive a decent broadband service. Many of the longer lines in Kintore have simply had their original copper cables connected to a fibre-enabled cabinet, most of them at the telephone exchange in Kintore. While that nominally enables the authorities to claim these lines have been upgraded to fibre, anything connected with more than 1,200 metres of the old copper cable, is likely to see no speed benefit. ...Fed up with slow speeds as low as 0.5Mb, the residents had clubbed together to apply for a community fibre partnership to deliver superfast broadband to their area. But their hopes have been dashed again when – rather than the expected proposal and outline costs – they received a reply from Openreach saying that: “Nothing is moving in Scotland at present as everyone is waiting for the Scottish Government to announce their coverage plans under the R100 programme”. The Openreach response continues: “Until we see what areas will get coverage, what technologies will be deployed and what expectations of speeds are available – it would be a complete waste of your time for us to design and propose new infrastructure at this juncture”. The Balbithan residents had hoped their Openreach Community Fibre Partnership might not only deliver superfast broadband to their area, but also act as a model for other areas around Kintore, like Cottown and Leylodge, who are also suffering from very poor broadband. “It is very frustrating, because this is the second time we have had a community fibre partnership application stall on us,” commented one of the residents. “In 2016 we were advised by senior executives at both Aberdeenshire Council and BT to apply for a community fibre partnership. ...“In November last year we submitted a second application to Openreach, who had taken over the community fibre partnership programme from BT. Now this second application has been put on hold because everyone is waiting on the Scottish Government to explain how it will deliver on its promise to make ‘superfast’ broadband available to everyone by 2021. “For those of us who felt let down by the promises that the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme was going to deliver ‘superfast’ broadband to rural subscribers, this just rubs salt into the wound.

Thainstone Business Park landscaping

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-03-01T16:18:22+00:00

Following the approval, on appeal, of the Thainstone Business Park extension, further details, including landscaping proposals, have now been submitted for the site, marked red in the photograph below. The site is in the Kintore and District Community Council area. The proposals are on the Aberdeenshire Council website and comments can be submitted online from now until March 8. Among the documents are: • landscape master plan, which includes belts of trees, including silver birch, rowan and Scots Pine, on the downhill side of the development, with strips of trees separating the units on the upper section • a phasing statement detailing the first and second phase of the development • proposals for the relocation of the Cammie’s Stone standing stone.

Kintore rail station to open December 2019

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-02-21T10:28:57+00:00

That was the message delivered to Kintore and District Community Council last night by Paul Finch of Aberdeenshire Council. The public will get a chance to see and comment on the details of the planned station at a public meeting: ...Mr Finch reported that drilling contractors are now on the site of the proposed station to survey the ground conditions for the construction of the station. the planning application is due to be submitted at the end of March. Construction of the £12 million Kintore station has to be scheduled to fit in with the upgrading of the Aberdeen to Inverness railway line. When complete, this upgrade will mean there will be between three and four peak-hour trains into Aberdeen, from Inverurie and Kintore. This summer work will take place on the Dyce to Aberdeen section of the line, with bus replacement services during the closure. The opportunity to construct Kintore Station comes with the work on the next section of the line and that is scheduled for summer 2019. Again, there will be bus replacement services from Inverurie while the railway line is closed. Mr Finch said that all people living within 200 metres of the rail line will receive a letter detailing this work. ...Kintore Station will have two platforms, as the line will be dual track again by the time it is open. ...The car park is planned for 160 spaces which, Mr Finch told the meeting, is more than sufficient for the anticipated demand. • To see the previous rail station posts, click the rail station tag towards the bottom of the left side bar.

What a waste!

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-02-21T10:08:24+00:00

More that twice the weight of the steel that went into building the new Queensferry Crossing. That’s how much waste we, in the Aberdeenshire Council area, send to landfill each year – 80,000 tonnes. ...That was the message delivered to the Kintore and District Community Council meeting last night. ...Most of our waste ends up at the Stoneyhill landfill site near Peterhead. ... • 21.8% is food waste that should go in the green food caddies to go for composting ... A substantial amount of the foodstuffs wrongly thrown into our black, or grey bins is potatoes and bread – like all food waste this should be put in a biodegradable bag inside the green caddies, for collection. (Remember, if you need more biodegradable bags, just tie one to the handle of your caddy as you put it at the kerbside.) The councillors reminded us of the importance that we check what goes in the mixed dry recycling (blue lidded) bins. Anything wrongly put in there can end up contaminating a whole load, meaning it, too, has to go to landfill. So there is a lot we can do to reduce landfill waste. And it is be in our interests to do something about it. It costs £15 million to handle Aberdeenshire’s waste and that comes out of our pockets as tax.

Kintore Angling Club take over

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-02-13T10:52:18+00:00

Kintore Angling Club has just signed a lease to take over the Common Good Ground waters that belong to the people of Kintore. It means the club can now offer, Salmon, Sea Trout and Brown Trout fishing, right on your doorstep. Kintore is famous for its Brown Trout fishing and with 5 miles on both banks plus over a mile of Salmon fishing offer some of the best fishing in the North East. Kintore Angling Club has announced the rates for season tickets. There are special rates designed to encourage youngsters into the sport, by offering reduced rates for 15-year-olds and juniors under-15 can fish for free, with any member. ... • Season Ticket Junior 15 & under £20.00 • Day Tickets available from Kintore Post office, Sloans in Inverurie or online via Fishpal. • Salmon & Sea Trout – Feb to Aug £30.00 • Salmon & Sea Trout – Sep to Oct £50.00 • Salmon & Sea Trout - Junior £10.00 ...More information is available on Kintore Angling Club website and on Kintore Angling Club Facebook. Or contact the club chairman Neill Cameron, cameronneill78@gmail.com, Tel 07702 181416 or club secretary Brian Johnstone brianjohnstone54@btinternet.com, Tel 07710 409629.

Are you looking for funds for a good cause?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-02-09T15:16:15+00:00

Are you fundraising for a good cause in or around Kintore and Kemnay? If so, Rotary Club of Kintore, Kemnay and District is inviting applications for financial support from local individuals or organisations for activities through its “Funds4U” programme. Applications will be considered for awards of between £100 and £500 and must meet the following criteria: • Applicants must be local to the Kintore / Kemnay or the surrounding district or the cause must support the local area • Applicants must be completing a portion of any fundraising themselves ... • Funds must not be used to cover salary or employment costs in any form • Applications from individuals who are looking for sponsor style funding to help 3rd party causes will not be considered. ... • The project or cause which the funds will support. ... • Details of the exact use of any funds that may be awarded • The level of fundraising the applicant / organisation will complete themselves ...All requests will be considered by The Rotary Club of Kintore Kemnay & District in terms of the above criteria. Applications or any queries should be sent by email to the Club Secretary at henry@riddoch.uk.com by February 28, 2018.

Do you know a Citizen of the Year?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-02-09T14:59:57+00:00

The Rotary Club of Kintore, Kemnay and District has started its search for the Citizen of the Year 2018. Do you know someone who deserves to be nominated for the title? Within our community in Kintore, Kemnay and the surrounding district there are many people of all ages who are prepared to help others and who quietly dedicate a great deal of their time and energy in the service of other people. The rotary club of Kintore like to recognise these people by awarding a ‘Ctizen of the Year’ Trophy if you know of a person who should be nominated and would like their services to the community recognised, you are invited to submit your nominations. Send their name, details of their service to the community and why you think they should receive the award to Henry Riddoch, Secretary of the Rotary Club of Kintore, Kemnay and District. If you have any questions these should also be directed to Henry Riddoch. The contact details are: Henry Riddoch ...Rotary Club of Kintore Kemnay and District ...Email henry@riddoch.uk.com Nominations must be in before the March 31, 2018

Action Kintore prepares for future

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-02-01T10:17:04+00:00

Action Kintore, Kintore’s community charity, has unveiled a new look as it starts initial work on a project aimed at bringing the Royal Burgh of Kintore’s iconic 18th century Town House back into community use. Action Kintore was established as a charity in 2009 to provide much-needed facilities for the young people in the Kintore area. In 2013 Action Kintore realised its ambition to open The Bothie, an environmentally-friendly, purpose-built community building as a hub for young people. With the help of volunteers and youth workers, The Bothie provides a safe, fun environment for the young people of the Kintore area. Youth workers organise sessions on specific topics and issues and provide advice and support to help them deal with situations more effectively. The Bothie events are all free-of-charge and the building and support staff are funded entirely from grants and fundraising. To help raise funds for the initiative, The Bothie is also rented out for events, when it is not being used by the young people. “Action Kintore is now aiming at a new longer-term project which will hopefully result in the historic Town House coming back into use for the benefit of the local community,” explains Stewart Henderson, Chairman of Action Kintore. “That means there is now a need for Action Kintore to come to the fore as the umbrella organisation that operates The Bothie and will now also be working on the Town House project. “Part of that process of raising the profile of Action Kintore is this new identity for the organisation and we are grateful that the design work has been donated at no cost to the charity.” • For more information on Action Kintore go to the Action Kintore page. To make an enquiry about booking The Bothie (current rate at January 2018 is £10 per hour) contact bookings@actionkintore.co.uk.

Cheques for Scouts and Boys Brigade

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-01-19T11:25:08+00:00

At its meeting this week, Kintore and District Community Council presented cheques to representatives of the Scouts and Boys Brigade to thank them for their work in helping to organise the Kintore Fireworks Display in November. The cheques to both organisations were handed over by past chairman of the community council, Brian Johnstone.

State of icy pavements discussed by community council

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-01-19T10:50:03+00:00

The state of roads and pavements in Kintore, during the recent periods of snow and ice, was a point of discussion at this week’s Kintore and District Community Council. The state of the pavements, in particular, had been the subject of much adverse comment on the Kintore Facebook page. The meeting heard a number of reports of a broken collarbone, broken knee and an 81-year-old who broke her wrist. It also heard that many elderly people had been afraid to go out and were running short of food as a result. One community council member asked what had happened to the narrow motorised pavement gritter that used to be a regular winter sight around the town. Was it sitting unused? The state of the road past Kintore Golf Club up Hill of Balbithan was also raised, with reports that it had not received any salt or grit, leaving it in a treacherous state, not helped by the poor visibility due to broom bushes encroaching on the road and obscuring visibility at corners. Councillor Fergus Hood said that, after several mild winters, the council had apologised for the issues with winter maintenance. He assured the meeting that winter maintenance was to be stepped up. There was a suggestion that volunteers could augment council gritting work. To this end Kintore.org.uk was asked to invite members of the Kintore community to suggest where grit boxes should be located. If you wish to suggest locations where grit boxes are needed, please post a comment at the bottom of this page, or add a comment to the story on our Facebook page.

Apply now for Kintore Summer Festival

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-01-11T11:13:28+00:00

If you have an organisation that wants to be part in the Kintore Summer Festival on Saturday, May 26, you need to submit your application before the end of this month (January 31, 2018). If you are keen to participate on the day, please contact the organisers now to request an application form. Kintore Summer Festival ...The organisers say they are hoping to improve the layout of the field next year, and to do this they require to know how much space organisations require. The committee will be holding a meeting during February 2018, where they will consider all applications. They will then confirm groups activity on the day. The organisers add: “As many of you are aware we are trying very hard to make changes to the festival so that we can cover the costs of the running of it. It is with this in mind that we have decided to ask all stall holders to pay £15 which will go towards the running costs. We really hope you don’t have any objections with this.” The Kintore Summer Festival will be held in the park behind the Kintore School. Updates on Kintore.org.uk as and when we get the information from the organising committee.

Dance your way into 2018

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2018-01-06T12:38:32+00:00

A new opportunity is starting up in Kintore from age 2 upwards to learn how to dance. The organisers of the new classes say that they cater for all abilities from “newbies to pros”. The classes take place in the Kintore Public Hall every Tuesday from 4.45 pm. • Mini movers for the 2/3 year olds • Ballet • Scottish Highland Dance from Beginners to Championship • Scottish National • Theory grades For more information go to the website www.lawrencedanceacademy.co.uk or email rhona@lawrencedanceacademy.co.uk.

New ice cream shop to open in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-11-25T11:02:04+00:00

A new ice cream shop is about to open in the centre of Kintore. The Scoop will open at 1A Northern Road from 2pm on Saturday, December 2, selling ice creams from Rizza’s of Huntly – continuing the theme of supporting local family businesses. The new shop will be open seven days a week from 11.30 am to 9.30 pm. In addition to Rizza’s ice cream, the shop will also sell crèpes, waffles, milkshakes and ice cream sundays.

Christmas promotion

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-11-24T10:16:48+00:00

Have you got a Christmas promotion that you want to tell the people of Kintore about? Are you offering something new in the Kintore area? Maybe you have special Christmas offers, or a Christmas list. Maybe you have opened a new business in the Kintore area. Or, maybe you just need to remind people about what you offer. That’s where we come in. We have a range of options for advertising and promotion, including a sponsored news post like this… and it is available at a special introductory price of just £110. In addition, your sponsored post will be promoted on our Facebook page and our Twitter feed for no extra cost. You can book your page right now, online. Then, all you have to do is write something about what you are offering, or promoting. Then, once you have booked your sponsored post, send us the text and up to three photos. ...Tell people what you are offering and do something to boost your business in the run up to Christmas.

New beauty salon opens this Saturday

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-11-23T11:08:34+00:00

A new beauty salon is due to open on Kintore’s School Road, starting with an open day on Saturday. Trading will start on Tuesday (Nov 28). Belle Marie was in Inverurie, but is relocating to Kintore. “We have totally refurbished the old run down building at 32 School Road to a beautiful modern beauty salon,’ explains Belle Marie’s Rhea Robinson. “We offer a range of treatments from gel polish, lash treatment, waxing, spray tans. We also have three brand new sunbeds – one stand-and-tan and two lay-down beds, which are the first of their type in the UK. We will be offering lots of discounts, packages our first week of business.” Opening hours of the new shop are 10am-8pm from Tuesday to Friday then 10am-4pm on Saturday, but Rhea Robinson says these times may change in the new year depending on demand.

Broadband bid for Balbithan area

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-11-22T13:01:04+00:00

Residents in the Balbithan area of Kintore have submitted a bid to improve their broadband services. The residents have joined forces to submit an application to Openreach for a Community Fibre Partnership to deliver superfast broadband to their homes. A spokesperson for the group of residents explained: “At the time the Scottish Government launched the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme, much was said about bringing superfast broadband to rural premises. We waited to see rolls of fibre cable being laid on the roads out of Kintore to deliver this promise. “To say we were surprised to discover there were no plans to replace the old copper cables, is an understatement. Because anything more than 1,200 metres of copper cable saps all the speed benefit of fibre, our upgraded lines are no faster than the old exchange-only lines. “Three years after superfast broadband arrived in Kintore – this year’s Kintore Broadband Survey showed that the DSSB had not achieved its promise of delivering superfast broadband to rural premises – at least not in the Kintore area. No-one in Balbithan reported being able to get the UK Government’s household minimum of 10Mb and some reported speeds as low as 500kbps. “Good broadband is a necessity these days, not a luxury. So it’s essential that we find a way to bring our broadband up superfast standards. “We hope that our Community Fibre Partnership application may achieve that goal and provide a model for other broadband blackspots around Kintore, like Leylodge and Cottown.”

House plan for Forest Road

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-11-22T12:39:59+00:00

Plans have been submitted for a three apartment flat on a site at Gowanlea, Forest Road at the junction of Forest Road and Allendale Gardens. The new build would be in the garden ground, on Allendale Gardens, at the rear of Gowanlea. Comments, supporting or objecting to the development, can be submitted before Friday, November 24 on the Aberdeenshire Council planning department website. You can view layout plans and elevations on the Aberdeenshire Council planning department website.

Christmas Lights Switch-on

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-11-09T10:22:55+00:00

The Kintore Christmas lights will be switched on on Saturday, December 2 at 4.30 pm in The Square, Kintore, in front of the Town House. Santa and his elves will be at the 4.30pm switch-on event, as will be our very own Kintore Pipe Band and Christmas music. There will also be drinks, burgers and stalls. Come along and celebrate the start of the Christmas festivities. Thanks to the volunteers from Kintore Fundraising Team who put in a lot of hard work each year to raise the money for the lights and to erect them, usually on a bitterly cold weekend in November.

Action for Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-11-08T12:38:47+00:00

This article was produced to explain more about Action Kintore, what it is, what it does and how you can help. ...Action Kintore Limited, is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity, with a board of Kintore volunteers set up in 2009 to relieve the needs of young people in Kintore and district by bringing together young people, local authorities, voluntary and other organisations. ...It was decided to raise funds for a purpose built building to support the youth in Kintore. ...Situated in Allendale Gardens, behind Moar’s Furniture Store and Ceann Torr Cafe and Restaurant, is a special environmentally friendly construction, built with straw bales covered by a lime mortar. The Bothie is home to a range of youth and community groups and with the help of volunteers and youth workers, we are able to set up and provide a safe, fun environment for the young people of Kintore and district. Workers do sessions and provide advice and support on specific topics and issues that are established through needs assessments and informal chats with young people, thus enabling them to deal with certain situations more effectively. ...The Bothie can be rented out hourly for community or leisure organisations or family events and is used by many, including an Art Group, Yoga Classes, Local Angling Club, Council Departments and individual, birthday parties and other events. ...The Bothie youth evenings and events are all free of charge, and the building and support staff are funded entirely from grants and fundraising, so it needs all the help it can get to support and maintain the services provided for these young people. ...Action Kintore Limited is now applying for a Community Asset Transfer to take a lease on the beautiful and historic Kintore Town House. ...The plan, if successful is to install a rear glazed atrium and lift to enable disabled access, upgrade both floors to provide function/events room, bar, kitchen and toilets, an area for displays relating to our Roman, Pict, Agricultural history, perhaps a feature around the fact that it was used as a jail in the early years and a commercial venture to bring the Town House to life. This will require a lot of fundraising, so your help and support will be needed to bring this to fruition and with committed and enthusiastic people Kintore can do this!, so GET INVOLVED please. ...So, look out for news on this exciting venture by Action Kintore Limited, an organisation with Kintore at its heart.

Fireworks go with a bang

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-11-03T21:33:33+00:00

Our thanks to Lewis Mackland a 16-year-old amateur photographer from Blackburn who was quick off the mark in sending us these photos from tonight’s Kintore Fireworks event. Lewis says: “I am writing to say that thoroughly enjoyed the evening display and got some amazing photographs. He goes on to say how well the event was managed and gives a particular mention to the Scouts. The Kintore Fireworks display was organised by Kintore and District Community Council with the support of many volunteers, organisations and companies in the town. (With grateful thanks to a personal hot spot on our mobile phone as our Balbithan broadband is too pathetic to support uploading pages.)

Save Bennachie public consultation

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-10-30T12:43:17+00:00

The Save Bennachie Campaign is urging people to attend the forthcoming Public Consultation Sessions for the A96 dualling. They say that this is a the first key opportunity to have a say on the future of Bennachie. “For the Save Bennachie Campaign to succeed in protecting the hill from the dual carriageway,” the group says, “it is absolutely essential to have a major turnout at each of these 'Meet The Team' consultation sessions and to have as many of your issues/queries raised as possible, ideally focusing on the protection of Bennachie. The contractors are duty bound to answer each and every query raised. “So please do try to get along to one of these events and make your feelings count. Both Transport Scotland and Amey Arup Joint Venture must be left in no doubt about the level of public support for the protection of the hill. “The public opportunities to influence the final decision on the route of the new A96 dual carriageway via the public consultation process are extremely limited. • Wednesday 8 November 2017, 12 noon – 7pm at the Garioch Heritage Centre, Loco Works Road, Inverurie, AB51 4FY • Thursday 9 November 2017, 12 noon – 7pm at Stewarts Hall, 19 Gordon Street, Huntly, Aberdeenshire, AB54 8AJ • Friday 10 November, 12 noon – 7pm at the Kinellar Community Hall, Fintray Road, Blackburn, Aberdeenshire, AB21 0JQ

Broadband good news, bad news

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-10-20T11:17:15+01:00

Finally we have some news on broadband for those of us living in the Balbithan and Wester Fintray areas of Kintore, thanks to inquiries by the office of Gillian Martin, the Gordon constituency MSP. ...The good news is that people living in the AB51 0UN postcode (the area around Wester Fintray) could be about to see an upgrade to “superfast” broadband as part of ‘Gainshare’. ...This is extremely disappointing for an area where – based on the most recent Kintore Broadband Survey, no-one receives even the UK Government’s minimum of 10Mbps, let alone “superfast”, and subscribers report download speeds dropping as low as 500kbps. At these speeds watching video becomes impossible and uploading web pages like this one usually requires expensive mobile data on a phone hotspot. At the moment we’ve not received any word of whether there is any prospect of improvement for the other broadband blackspots around Kintore, like the Leylodge and Cottown areas. The problem for those of us living and working in a broadband blackspot is that we have nowhere to turn to get a decent, reasonably-priced service. ...The Scottish Government has committed itself to the Reaching 100 (R100) programme that means everyone should be able to get “superfast” (generally accepted as 24Mbps) by 2021. There has been no word of what costs people might have to pay for the installation of the technology to deliver this commitment to each house or business. For those of us who feel we have been let down by the DSSB, which we recall promised to deliver “superfast” to rural areas, the future is very uncertain. ... With more and more of our work, commerce and leisure now being conducted on the internet I am dreading the next four years in the slow lane as we wait for the promise to connect everyone to “superfast” by 2021. When the Digital Scotland Superfast Programme was announced, the hype led us to believe that – only a mile outside Kintore and just ten miles from Scotland’s third city – we would soon be enjoying faster, more reliable broadband. ...The reality, we now realise, is that we have been nominally upgraded to fibre, allowing the authorities to tick a ‘job done’ box when the reality is that the connection from fibre still takes place on an ancient copper cable.

Winning Garden chosen by Jim McColl

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-10-19T10:11:45+01:00

This summer Jim McColl of BBC Scotland’s Beechgrove Garden donned his judging hat and headed down from Oldmeldrum to choose the best garden in Kintore. Jim had no information about whose gardens he was seeing. But he found a winner. At this week’s Kintore and District Community Council meeting the owner of the garden was revealed. He is none other than Ainslie Reid, who organises the team of volunteers who plant and maintain Kintore’s colourful floral displays, but still manages to find time to create an award-winning garden. Accepting his winning trophy from Fiona Cooper (above, left), chairman of Kintore and District Community Council, Ainslie Reid (right) talked enthusiastically about his plans for winter planting in Kintore and explained how he was already planning and ordering plants for summer 2018. He also talked of his ambition to get some more floral displays around our beautiful 18th century Town House. Fiona Cooper congratulated Ainslie on his success in the garden competition and thanked him and his fellow volunteers for their tremendous work in organising Kintore’s attractive attractive floral displays each year.

Looking for your views about parking

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-10-18T17:49:38+01:00

Your views on town centre parking in Aberdeenshire are required to help Aberdeenshire Council plan future parking policy. One of the outcomes could be the decriminalisation of on-street parking restrictions, so that their enforcement could pass to the council, as it has in many other council areas. We all know the importance of parking to the vibrancy of our town centres as part of the attraction for customers to support businesses and leisure facilities. To make your views known, see the Aberdeenshire Council post and take part in the survey. For the public survey go to https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GQ8LSGF For the business survey go to https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7Q88XHW

Remember, remember the 3rd of November

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-10-18T16:11:12+01:00

Kintore and District Community Council are organising this year’s Kintore Fireworks at the Kintore School Playing fields on Friday, November 3, starting at 6.30pm. The entertainment will begin at 6.30pm with entertainment and the bonfire then fireworks at about 7pm. Please remember to take a torch and some cash for donations, burgers and refreshments. Burgers and refreshments will be on sale, with profits going towards community projects. This is the fourth year that Kintore and District Community Council has run our revived local fireworks display, so please come along and support this community initiative. A huge thanks to all those people and organisations who have, once again, come together to put on this event.

How much of Tuach Hill needs to be closed?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-10-18T15:06:55+01:00

There is no word yet of when Tuach Hill might re-open following its closure because of asbestos found in the area. Among those in the know there seems to be some surprise that the whole area around Tuach Hill has been closed, when they believe closure of the immediate area where the asbestos was found, is all that is required. Given the importance of Tuach Hill to Kintore, as a place where generations of Kintore citizens have enjoyed some open space for recreation, it is to be hoped that it will not be long before we can all enjoy access to the fields and paths once more. Thanks to Nick Archibald for the picture.

Oct 3: Kintore Angling meeting

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-10-10T15:16:28+01:00

Aberdeenshire Council is seeking confirmation that Kintore Angling Club is interested in taking on the council’s beat for salmon, sea trout and brown trout, from 2018. An extraordinary meeting of the Kintore Angling Club at 11 am on Sunday, October 22, will hear that the River Don is likely to be downgraded to Category 3 river. That would mean would become manadatory catch-and-release for Atlantic Salmon throughout 2018 season. “We are keen to hear comments from members and prospective members and expression of willingness to take on this commitment at a cost around £130 for a season ticket,” explains Brian Johnstone of the angling club. The meeting will give members and prospective member the chance hear more about the club’s plans and to ask questions or make comment. Kintore Angling Club Extraordinary Meeting Sunday 22nd October 2017 at 11 am in The Bothie, Allendale Gardens, Kintore If you are unable to attend, you may make a comment on this page, or the post about this story on the Kintore Facebook page. Or you can call 07710 409629 or 07712 171416.

Thainstone abattoir public exhibition on Friday

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-09-27T16:37:57+01:00

Plans for a new abattoir, within the Kintore and District Community Council area, are to go on public exhibition this Friday (September 29) in the Thainstone Agricultural Centre. The plans will be on show in the centre between 11am and 8pm. A POAN (Proposal of Application Notice) for the abattoir was submitted to Aberdeenshire Council in November 2015 ENQ/2015/1870 by Scotbeef. As the Kintore Community Council minutes record, there were obvious concerns about odours from the facility if it is built. The plans are for the construction of a new abattoir and meat production plant at Thainstone, with the existing Scotbeef plant in Inverurie being relocated to the new premises.

New chairman for community council

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-09-23T10:51:01+01:00

Brian Johnstone, chairman of Kintore and District Community Council for the past four, years has stepped down from the voluntary role after four years. At the community council AGM this week, Brian said it was time for someone new to come in and take on the chairman’s role, but added that he was keen to continue his involvement with the community council. ...Speaking to the AGM, Brian Johnstone said: “This past year has been a frustrating time in Kintore, with many proposed building developments and road infrastructure projects delayed with the economic climate. “One development has stirred up a lot of interest in the community over their plans for development on Tuach Hill and its associated flood mitigation plans, and we still wait on the council’s decision on the developers detailed proposals. “I hope things progress soon and enable the developments to move forward and provide additional and much needed facilities for Kintore.” Following the flood emergency in January 2016, Brian also highlighted the steps the community council hat taken to ensure the community was better prepared, should any similar emergency occur in the future. “Our Community Resilience Plan is in its final stages and we shall soon be presenting it to the community,” he explained. “Our emergency generator plans are progressing and expect to have the installation completed before the year end.” The emergency generator would give power to the Kintore Public Hall in the event of a power cut. This would ensure that there was an emergency reception centre that could provide warmth and comfort – and also be the centre of relief efforts – in the case of a future emergency. Brian also paid tribute to those who have worked tirelessly for the good of the Kintore community, highlighting the floral displays in particular. “This past year again we have enjoyed great support from the local businesses and individuals for the provision of the floral displays again this year,” Brian commented, “and I must mention Ainslie Reid and his team of volunteers who have done a terrific job in delivering and maintaining fantastic displays.”

Asbestos scare closes Tuach Hill

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-09-23T10:30:22+01:00

Tuach Hill, the popular walking area at the heart of Kintore, has been closed off by Aberdeenshire Council following the discovery of crysotile asbestos. At this stage there is no word about when Tuach Hill may re-open, but this kind of asbestos is carcinogenic, so, caution is clearly the best approach. As yet there has been no word of a timescale for the removal of the material. Tuach Hill has been a popular area for recreation for generations in Kintore. It is believed to be the source of the gaelic “ceann tor” (“the head of the hill”) which was anglicised into the name Kintore. Thanks to Nick Archibald for these two pictures:

Floral displays brighten Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-08-14T12:03:34+01:00

Local shops and businesses again generously supported the floral display fund run by the Community Council, with a combined total of £1680 in donations. These donations are vital as they cover the cost of the plants and compost and other expenses. The other vital element is of course the large team of volunteers headed by Ainslie Reid, who plant the flowers in tubs and containers, fill and position the hanging baskets and are involved in the twice weekly watering which continues through the summer and autumn. Thanks to all for helping to make Kintore town centre such an attractive and pleasant environment for those visiting local shops and businesses or passing through the town.

Community council update

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-08-14T11:40:38+01:00

Following last January’s devastating flooding, Aberdeenshire Council asked Community Councils in each of the affected communities to provide information on three priority areas for remedial action. For Kintore, those areas most affected were by the burn which runs along the rear of the Fire Station and properties on Northern Road; the burn which runs through the Nicol Road and Macallan Road areas and thirdly, the lower end of Kingsfield Road where most damage was caused to houses last year. ...At the third location at the lower end of Kingsfield Road, there seemed to be scope for an easier solution and the Council arranged a meeting involving members of its Flood Team, Councillor Lonchay, the landowner, a significant number of local residents and members of the Community Council. ...Also on the theme of flooding and following the experiences from previous events, it has been agreed that the versatility of the Public Hall makes it first choice as the focal point for our Community’s response to future serious incidents, including flooding. As part of a Community Resilience Plan, the Community Council successfully applied for a grant to purchase a large generator, which will be sited alongside the Hall and used in circumstances where power cuts are caused by such incidents, allowing the Hall to continue operating. ...Public support in the form of information would be much appreciated and anonymous information on these and other crimes, offences and anti- social behaviour can of course be reported to the Crimestoppers hotline. ...Residents in some of Kintore’s outlying areas experience major problems with BT Broadband and a report was compiled by the Community Council on the deficiencies. ...The Community Council, supported by the local Scouts, the Rotary Club and other organisations, was responsible for reintroducing the annual Bonfire and Fireworks display 3 years ago and plans are already underway for this year’s event. ...On to Planning and discussion is still taking place relative to the construction of a new roundabout, to replace the existing small one, or the alternative installation of a traffic light system, at the Midmill / Kemnay Road junction. ...Two KDCC members attend Bus Forum meetings and from recent meetings have learned that although the No 37 bus service has been cut to two per hour, there is also the x20 bus service to and from Kemnay, which goes along School Road once every hour, to and from Aberdeen, making that 3 buses per hour to Aberdeen from Kintore. ...As can be seen, there is a lot happening in Kintore and the Community Council exists to be the link between the Council and the community and represent and inform the public of matters likely to affect them. ...Our meetings take place on the third Tuesday of each month, at Kintore School, starting at 7pm and the next one is on 19 September.

Long-term impacts of flooding

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-07-26T17:48:11+01:00

The University of Aberdeen and the James Hutton Institute are carrying out a study of the long-term impacts of the flooding which took place in January 2016. The study will help inform authorities regarding flood prevention and how to respond to any future flooding. You can find more information on the team’s website or the Facebook page. The team are looking for residents and business owners in Kintore and Port Elphinstone to complete this online survey.

Community Cycle Goups

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-07-26T17:40:46+01:00

Dave Sage the Cycling Development Officer for the North of Scotland for Cycling UK is looking to support Community Cycle Groups. ...The cycling charity is looking to contact established community groups and provide them with access to free training, tailored support and free insurance so they can begin running their own cycling activities on their terms and challenging local barriers. ... ...Community Cycle Clubs are developed by Cycling UK to support existing groups and community organisations to deliver cycling activities that are open to all. ... They provide a social environment to gain confidence and skills on a bike, improve fitness and have fun! Cycling UK will provide support tailored to their needs through access to training, insurance and advice. They are part of our UK wide network of community clubs, cycling groups, and thousands of individual members that support people from all backgrounds to access cycling. Community Cycle Clubs are created by working closely with established community groups so that cycling activities can be tailored to meet the needs and interests of local people that have already come together for a common purpose. ... • Free Cycling UK Affiliation worth £75 with subscription to monthly Cycle magazine, newsletters, shop discounts etc. (this also provides you with ride insurance for peace of mind) ...If you are interested in becoming a Community Cycle Group or would like more information, contact Dave Sage, Development Officer (North) – Big Bike Revival Cycling UK Mobile: 07887 567361 dave.sage@cyclinguk.org www.cyclinguk.org ...“You just need a couple of people in your group who are keen to use their interest in cycling to help get others out and about,” Dave explains. “Sending a message around your volunteers / community to see if those individuals exist and if they can support you in that way is a great way to get started. ...“You don’t have to get your volunteers to complete the training straight away – you can just become an affiliated group immediately – but it’s completely funded and will provide them with extra skills to take rides out with confidence and competency.”

Aug 19: Organ Recital

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-07-26T17:35:27+01:00

Kintore Parish Church are hosting an organ recital on Saturday, August 19 at 6.30pm in the kirk. The recital is by Philip Berg MVO FRCO ARCM Master of the Music, The Queen's Chapel of the Savoy, London. He will be playing a varied & inspiring selection of music. There will be refreshments after the recital. Admission is free, but donations will be welcomed.

Kintore garden competition is live

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-07-19T11:57:19+01:00

Nominations are now being taken for the Kintore and District Community Council Garden Competition. Between now and August 7, keep your eyes open and if you see an attractive front garden in or around Kintore, please send in your nomination. The short list of finalists will then be judged by Jim McColl, presenter of the BBC’s Beechgrove Garden, around mid August. Please email your nominations to the Kintore and District Community Council secretary by Monday, August 7. May the best garden win!

KDCC Agenda for July 18

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-07-17T11:22:55+01:00

Agenda for the Kintore and District Community Council meeting on Tuesday, July 18 in Kintore Primary School at 7pm. All interested are welcome to attend. KINTORE AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING 7.00pm on Tuesday 18th July 2017 in Kintore Primary School AGENDA ...Minute of Previous Meeting ...Matters Arising from the Minute ...• East Kintore Development • Council flood mitigation plans for Kingsfield Road Area. ...• Community Resilience Planning • Community Arts Project ... ...Anti-social behaviour at Kintore Primary School ...Date of next Meeting - To be discussed

RBS Kintore mobile branch to close?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-07-12T10:13:25+01:00

Rumours are circulating that the Royal Bank of Scotland are about to withdraw the mobile bank service that has provided a banking lifeline for Kintore. As RBS’s own website explains, the mobile bank is a: “vital banking service for rural and semi-rural communities”. It is said the bank are to stop serving Kintore in September. It would be ironic if RBS were to withdraw banking at a time when the business park (above) is expanding rapidly and a 600-home Kintore East development is about to start. Currently the RBS mobile bank visits The Square in the centre of Kintore – between J&G Dossett, the butcher, and The Square Bar – on Monday between 10.25 am and 10.45 am. With the RBS Westhill branch due to close in October, Royal Bank of Scotland customers will have to review their banking relationships. Personally I’ve been with the Royal Bank all my working life, but – faced with having to travel into Aberdeen or Inverurie when I need to make a deposit or other non-ATM transaction – I fear I may have to consider switching banks. I still have some hope that – like the closure of the Clydesdale Bank ATM in The Square – this rumour may prove unfounded.

Design contract awarded for A96 dualling

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-06-27T09:54:25+01:00

Transport Scotland has announced a contract worth up to £50 million, to progress the 26-mile eastern section of the A96 dual carriageway between east of Huntly and Aberdeen. Subject to the mandatory standstill period, Amey Arup Joint Venture will start design work on the project next month. ...Because the Inverurie by-pass has been allowed to be built up on either side, there is no longer space for a second carriageway on that line. ... • Option C, the most westerly route which would move the A96 to the other side of Thainstone Hill, running in an almost straight line from Blackburn past Insch and on to Huntly. This route is seen as threatening the scenic setting of Bennachie and Save Bennachie are protesting this potential route. • On the eastern side there is Option Q, which would take the Aberdeen to Huntly section which would roughly follow the route of the A947 from Dyce to Old Meldrum, then cutting across to the Glens of Foudland. • Taking the A96 east over the River Don just north of Kintore to form a new easterly by-pass round Inverurie. • Follow the existing A96 dual carriageway to just south of Inverurie, before heading to a new western by-pass past Inverurie. Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, Keith Brown explained the contact was part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to dual the Aberdeen to Inverness road by 2030. “This major design contract marks a further milestone towards the dualling of the A96 with all the investment and improvements that it will bring to local economies right across the north of Scotland,” Mr Brown said. “Road users will not only enjoy the benefits of improved journey time and reliability, better connectivity between destinations but also, crucially, improved road safety for all those who use this key artery connecting two of Scotland’s economic hubs. “In addition, this contract will also provide a huge boost for the local and national economy, with the successful bidder securing steady work for years to come and many more opportunities for small and medium enterprises through subcontracted work.”

Flood prevention meeting this Friday

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-06-21T11:08:20+01:00

A meeting has been scheduled for Kingsfield residents to discuss flood prevention, following the floods in January 2016 (pictured below). The meeting is scheduled for this Friday (June 23) at 10.30 am outside 101 Kingsfield Road, Kintore. if you live in the Kingsfield area and are able to attend, you are asked to come along on Friday. Attending the meeting will be Lee Watson from Aberdeenshire Council, Bruce Allan representing Malcolm Allan, plus Kenny Thomson and Fiona Cooper from Kintore and District Community Council..

Vote for your Kintore charity at Sainsbury's

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-06-20T12:29:27+01:00

Sainsbury’s Local has now opened voting for the Kintore charity that they will support this year. To vote simply drop a token in the appropriate slot in the display immediately inside the door of Sainsbury’s Local. The charities include Action Kintore, which is the community charity that runs The Bothie youth project and is also examining options to bring Kintore Town House back into community use.

Community council agenda for June 20

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-06-20T10:47:24+01:00

Agenda for tonight’s Kintore and District Community Council meeting 7pm in KIntore School. All interested are welcome. KINTORE AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING 7.00pm on Tuesday 20thJune 2017 in Kintore Primary School ...Minute of Previous Meeting ...Matters Arising from the Minute ...• East Kintore Development • Council flood mitigation plans for Kingsfield Road Area. • Community Resilience Planning ...• Square Bar Planning Issues ...Date of next Meeting - 17th July 2017

Thainstone Business Park extension approved on appeal

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-06-18T11:54:36+01:00

The Scottish Government Reporter has granted planning permission, on appeal, for the extension of the business park on the hill at Thainstone. Aberdeenshire Councillors had refused permission for the development in December 2016, over concerns about the damage to the landscape and fears about the impact the development would have on the local road network. There were a large number of local objections to the proposal, including one from Kintore and District Community Council. The proposed business park extension will spread across 27 hectares of grazing land on the hillside, in the area marked red and pink below (the pink section was strategic reserve land designated not for development until 2027). This being above the existing Thainstone Business Park, it would extend commercial development to just below the ridge line in front of Bennachie. The yellow area to the right is proposed for housing development. The business park extension is expected to facilitate a new abattoir planned for the fields to the left of the Thainstone Centre.

Objections close today for demolition

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-06-01T11:31:19+01:00

Today (Thursday, June 1) is the closing date for objections, which can be submitted online. “The main building is important because it was the historical Bridgealehouse,” says Paul Davison, a local resident. ... It served the nearby Kintore railway station which opened in 1854 and it was probably also a posting station on the Great Northern Road.” ...The house and the summerhouse are C-category listed buildings, and are on the National Buildings at Risk Register. Category C means “Buildings of local importance, lesser examples of any period, style, or building type, as originally constructed or moderately altered; and simple traditional buildings which group well with others in categories A and B [national & regional importance]. ...The summerhouse is listed in Canmore records as: “slated rubble, mono-pitch ancillary with boarded timber door to W of house, and rectangular-plan circa 1900 timber summer house with canted corner windows to east boundary walls: coursed rubble boundary walls, some flat coped and some rubble coped.” ...He thinks the fact it does not appear on OS maps until 1965 is probably because the Ordnance Survey did not survey the area between 1919 and 1965. Dr Davidson says his research finds the summerhouse was actually built between 1932 and 1935 by a local Kintore craftsman, Dod Taylor, who had a workshop on the site of the Station Garage, opposite the Bridgend cottage. ... “The Bridgend summerhouse is an interesting structure, and is a little spot of beauty in our part of Kintore that has stood out for as long as I have lived here,” Dr Davison says. ... This would include the milestone currently in the garden at Bridgend cottage, and copies of maps and prints currently in the House of Lords and Aberdeen University library. “The summerhouse would be close to the new Kintore railway station, and so could also serve as a display location for the original Kintore to Huntly railway and the nearby Tollhouse for the Aberdeen to Inverurie turnpike. This would be a great opportunity to show important local history to the people in the town and those using the new railway station, thereby attracting new tourists to the town.”

Community Council meeting Tuesday, May 16

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-05-13T17:41:31+01:00

This is the agenda for the Kintore and District Community Council meeting on Tuesday, May 16 at 7 pm in Kintore Primary School. All interested are invited to attend. KINTORE AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING 7.00pm on Tuesday 16th May 2017 in Kintore Primary School ...Minute of Previous Meeting ...Matters Arising from the Minute ...• East Kintore Development • Council flood mitigation plans for Kingsfield Road Area. • Community Resilience Planning • Community Arts Project ... ...Treasurer’s report ...Date of next Meeting - 20th June 2017

A sign of what is to come?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-04-25T16:17:01+01:00

Is this a sign of what is to come for Tuach Hill, the much loved open space in the heart of Kintore and the hill that gave Kintore its name? This photograph was taken by Paul Davison and, as he says it was “taken on my iPhone in a snowstorm”, so the quality is not great. But it clearly shows a digger and a pick-up truck on Tuach Hill. “It looks like they are making an archaeological survey,” Paul reckons, “but the location of the scrapes is where they want to put the new road. The location was on the bank next to the long barrow.” Paul it looked like about 40 yards from the existing access road, that many of those opposed to the new access road believe could provide satisfactory access for Kintore East.

Could Kintore be Village of the Year?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-04-20T15:41:47+01:00

Now she is taking on her biggest challenge yet – to scour the length and breadth of Britain to crown one village ‘Village of the Year 2017’. Should Kintore throw its hat in the ring and see if we can reach the area finals, or even win the overall title? ...“I immediately thought it has the potential to generate pride in our town,” Kenny explained, “should it reach even the stage where it features in a visit. ...“We have Hallforest Castle and its history of association with King Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots and the fantastic façade of the Town House, with what is proposed for its modernisation to community use. Having seen some of the TV programmes featuring Penelope Keith as the presenter, these two factors would seem to be in our favour and may attract attention.” Kintore was first granted Royal Burgh status with a royal charter in the late 12th century (about 1190), the charter being renewed by King James IV in 1506. ...In addition to the history associated with Hallforest Castle, Kintore has more prehistoric roundhouses than any other place in Scotland and, of course, there is the Deer’s Den Roman camp, which had more bread ovens than the rest of Britain put together, to feed pizza to the centurions! ... • the summer floral displays (all arranged and managed by volunteers and local businesses), which will be in full bloom as this ‘Village of the Year’ initiative gets underway. ... • a youth and community facility at The Bothie, which is very unusual if not unique, in that its walls are of environmentally friendly straw bale construction. ... • An active community council which has progressed many initiatives, the latest project being a Community Resilience Plan, involving the public hall as a base of operations in times of emergency. ...Penelope Keith will preside over heats, semi-finals and final, with a panel of expert judges deciding which villages will progress through the rounds before revealing their winner. ...They will award their chosen village with the accolade of ‘Village of the Year’ and £10,000 to be used for a worthwhile community project.

Planning application for Bridgend Farm

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-04-19T12:38:18+01:00

A planning application has been submitted to convert Bridgend Farm on Northern Road into offices. The farm buildings have lain derelict for some years. The Bridgend Farm site consists of a farmhouse, derelict summer house, stone outhouse and steading buildings on a 4.89 acre site, the proposed office would be on a site area of approximately half an acre. The applicant has said that the summer house, stone outhouse and steading will be the subject of separate planning applications. The farmhouse itself is said to be in a poor state of repair, having been unoccupied for a number of years. The applicant says it will require a “high level of renovation and modernisation”. ... The slate roof will be repaired and the external harling would be replaced with a new render finish approved by the planning department and Historic Scotland. The windows need replaced and would be with mock sash and case double glazed units. The existing porch is in need of replacement and the developer has committed to replace it with a new porch of the same style to provide a focal point on the front of the building. The conversion would create six offices, a meeting room and employee facilities. The steading buildings are said to be in a “dangerous state of disrepair”. The intention is to convert the farmhouse into offices for Monarch Developments, which is a small local building company with about 20 employees.

KDCC agenda for April 18

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-04-19T12:04:43+01:00

The agenda has been issued for the Kintore and District Community Council meeting on Tuesday, April 18. All interested are welcome to attend. KINTORE AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING 7.00pm on Tuesday 18th April 2017 in Kintore Primary School AGENDA ...Minute of Previous Meeting ...Matters Arising from the Minute ... • East Kintore Development • Council Flood mitigation plans for Kingsfield Road Area. • Community Resilience Planning • Community Arts Project ... • New Council Headquarters ... ...Date of next Meeting - 16th May 2017

Do you have old tools you no longer use?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-04-14T09:57:52+01:00

Do you have tools that you no longer need? Maybe they need some refurbishment? Sorry for the very short notice, but you can take these tools along to Kintore Public Hall car park tomorrow (Saturday, April 15) between 10 and 11.45 am. Kenny Thomson will be there to collect the tools for the Ellon Rotary Club. The tools will be refurbished and sorted into tool kits. These tool kits are then sent to African countries where they are used to help projects that promote self reliance. The tools are sorted and refurbished at Camphill Tools, part of Camphill School Aberdeen, in Milltimber, where they provide valuable work experience for the pupils, who really appreciate their role in helping communities in Africa. So, please have a look in the shed or the workroom. Tools that have served you well can have a new life helping others.

Kintore to Hatton of Fintray April closures

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-04-11T11:36:48+01:00

The B977 is to close in two locations for during April. But the dates have changed since the original notification. The B977 through Fintray village will be closed From 8pm on Monday, April 10 to 5 am on Friday, April 14 for works to be carried out by BT. The section to be closed is from the junction with Lairds Park for 60 metres north east. The Aberdeenshire road closures website says it will be closed from 9.30am to 3.30pm. The alternative route is by Keithhall and the B993. However, when we passed through Fintray on Tuesday, April 11, it appeared the road was open as usual. It had been reported on the Aberdeenshire road closures website that the B977 would be closed at the level crossing at Boat of Kintore for four nights later this month. However, the website has now brought this forward to April 10 to 13 and that the closures are scheduled for overnight (10 pm to 5 am) only. However, when we passed today the level crossing was completely closed during the day. The closure is to allow Network Rail to carry out work on the crossing. The alternative route is by Blackburn and the B979.

Error in plan could have consequences for Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-04-07T10:45:39+01:00

On page 417 of the Garioch Settlement Statement the planners have included a map showing the green fields between School Road and the Tuach Burn as “employment land”. You might think that the map shows an area of employment land in site OP1 agreed as part of the Kintore East Masterplan on 03 June 2014. ...The map also blurs the boundaries between the P1/P6 protected land site sites and the M1 development site (as it was in 2014 - now renamed OP1 in the 2017 LDP). Aberdeenshire Council states that “the plans in that document [masterplan] were simplified by this office and incorporated into the Local Development Plan. We accept that the plan included in the Local Development Plan was not approved by the Area Committee on that date but an interpretation of the broad transport and land use concepts put forward.” The Council have reassured me the P1 and P6 protected land sites have been retained in the 2017 LDP, so the “employment land” designation is wishful thinking. ...In the developer’s masterplan (the official one approved by the Garioch Councillors on June 3, 2014) the area was identified as: ‘open space, neighbourhood centre, commercial/community land, and P1 protected land’. ... In their Planning Performance Framework No. 5 2015-16 publication, Aberdeenshire Council said this about the involvement of the Planning Dept Strategic Delivery Team in the Kintore East development: “The Delivery Team were integral to the approval of the Development Framework for this site, and have continued their involvement by supporting the Case Officer with the Masterplan and Planning Application in Principle which are both now approved. …the consortium can move forward with Matters Specified in Conditions for the substantial infrastructure requirements on site, including the delivery of a new bridge across the Tuach Burn, and an employment area enabling the provision of much needed local facilities including retail. The Delivery Team are assisting with the co-ordination and assessment of the MSC Applications which are complex for a site of this size and continue to attend team meetings.” ...which set out concerns about proposed developments on Tuach Hill and described how it appears that Aberdeenshire Council Planning Service was colluding with the developers to enable a road and commercial building to be built on fields identified in the 2012 LDP as P1 protected land. So this “error” presenting fiction as fact could be seen as a part of the ongoing effort by the developers and the Planning Dept Strategic Delivery Team to subvert the protected status of Tuach Hill and the surrounding area.

Broadband divide widens in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-03-27T10:49:03+01:00

A survey organised by Kintore and District Community Council reveals a widening broadband divide in and around the Aberdeenshire town. In Kintore itself fibre broadband subscribers are enjoying speeds up to 70 Mbps, yet just a mile out of town communities are struggling with speeds as much as 140 times slower. ...No-one in these areas reports speeds reaching the proposed household minimum, with some saying their speeds are as low as 0.5 Mbps. “The survey starkly confirms the widening digital divide between urban and rural broadband subscribers in the Kintore area,” says Brian Johnstone, Chairman of Kintore and District Community Council. ...“Most of the people living in Kintore itself now have access to superfast fibre broadband. But, those in rural areas, even just a mile or so from the town, are currently seeing little or no benefit from the superfast programme. “This should concern the authorities and the telecom providers as much as it does our community council – especially given all the talk there was about connecting rural subscribers at the launch of the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme, which was supported by £157 million of public money. Certainly, in our area, it seems that the fine words have not translated into reality and rural communities have been left behind.” “Slow broadband speeds have been common throughout Aberdeenshire and I supported the Council decision to invest £16 million of taxpayers’ money into the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband Programme,” comments Councillor Fergus Hood. “The programme runs until the end of 2018 by which time 90% of premises in Aberdeenshire should be able to access a fibre product offering speeds of 24Mbps or better. ...I will continue to monitor the broadband programme and seek regular updates on providing superfast connections for rural residents” ...Losses on this network mean that when distance from the connection box exceeds 1,200 metres, there is little, if any, speed benefit remaining.

March 28: Big Brew Evening

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-03-22T11:18:14+00:00

Kintore Kirk is running a Big Brew Evening on Tuesday, March 28 at 7.30pm in the church hall. The evening is to celebrate Fair Trade with wine tasting, a Chicken quiz, paper decoupage, Fair Trade stories and plenty of tea, coffee and fine pieces. The event is open to all.

KDCC agenda for March 21

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-03-17T12:14:10+00:00

The agenda for Tuesday’s Kintore and District Community Council meeting. All interested are welcome to attend. KINTORE AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING 7.00pm on Tuesday 21st March 2017 in Kintore Primary School ...Minute of Previous Meeting Matters Arising from the Minute ...East Kintore Development - Flood mitigation plans Community Resilience Planning Community Arts Project ...School Site retention ...New Council Headquarters ...Aberdeenshire Councillors’ Update

Road closure in The Square, Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-03-17T11:58:54+00:00

The road between J&G Dossett and the Town House will be closed for urgent utility work by BT from today (Friday, March 17), for three days.

Stagecoach bus consultation

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-03-06T15:16:09+00:00

Stagecoach is making changes to its timetables that are planned for introduction on May 1, 2017. The consultation closes on March 10 – so if you wish to make comment please respond quickly. You can see details of the changes proposed on the Stagecoach website. Some of the changes are to tie in with the new Craibstone Park and Ride on the A96 at the new Aberdeen International Airport roundabout. “Apparently, Stagecoach are no longer going to be servicing the new Park & Ride with the Airport Bus No 727,” commented one Kintore resident. “Instead, they are to be utilising the Inverurie to Aberdeen No 37 and the Kemnay to Aberdeen X20 services instead. “To make matters even worse the No 37 is going to be changed to a 30 min service instead of the 20 mins that currently exists.” Stagecoach are also holding an information event in Inverurie this Wednesday (March 8) from 10 am to 2pm at Tesco. For those unable to attend the above events, the proposed timetables are now available using the download links below, all feedback is welcomed to nscotmarketing@stagecoachbus.com. All feedback should be submitted no later than Friday 10th March 2017.

Kintore Angling Club permits and tickets

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-03-01T11:35:15+00:00

Kintore Angling Club has launched its permits and tickets for 2017. 2017 Brown Trout Permits, now available:- Adult £70.00, Junior 15yrs and under FREE. Two Free Guest Day Tickets for each paid up member. You can download application forms, rules and the beat map from Dropbox, by clicking on this link. Further information is available on the Kintore Angling Club Facebook page.

May 13: Casino Night fundraiser

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-03-01T11:17:47+00:00

On Saturday, May 13 the Kintore Summer Festival is holding a Casino Night fundraising evening to raise money for this year’s festival. Tickets cost £10 each and include £5 of chips. Get your tickets at J&G Dossett or email kintoresummerfestival@yahoo.co.uk. Visit the Kintore Summer Festival Facebook group.

Community Council broadband survey

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-02-28T15:12:19+00:00

Kintore and District Community Council are looking for your help to establish how the broadband service in Kintore is progressing. “The community council is getting conflicting reports about broadband in and around Kintore,” community council member Ken McEwen explains. “While people close to the exchange seem to able to connect at good speeds, many of those who are further away are still stuck with unacceptably slow connections. “When the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme was launched, there was a great deal of talk about bringing superfast broadband to rural communities. It is only in the past six months that it has become clear that replacing the old copper cables to more outlying addresses was never part of the programme. “The speed losses on the old copper cable network are such that any property that is more than 1200 metres from the fibre connection is unlikely to see any speed benefit. What has been difficult to establish is how many people are affected and how widespread the problem is, which is one of the things we hope to find out with this survey. “In the interest of getting a proper balance, we really need those who are closer to the exchange and have good broadband speeds, to complete the survey too.” Please take a few minutes to complete the survey below (or on the web at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/V8ZSBFP). Please share this and encourage friends and neighbours in the Kintore area to complete the survey. Please note the survey closes on Sunday, March 19.

Create your own user feedback survey

Proposed roundabout for Kemnay junction

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-02-22T14:59:36+00:00

A new roundabout is being proposed for the junction of the B987 (the road from the Broomhill Roundabout into Kintore) and the B994 to Kemnay. The proposal is for a second roundabout, just north of the existing roundabout at Tumulus Way, serving Midmill business park. The proposed roundabout would be built largely in the field just to the north west of the existing T-junction. As such, it could be built without much traffic disruption. Previously there was a proposal for a staggered traffic-light controlled junction to include Tumulus Way and the B994 to Kemnay. At the Kintore and District Community Council meeting there was a cautious welcome for the roundabout proposal, but regret was expressed that the opportunity had been missed to realign the B944 with Tumulus Way to form a single roundabout for both junctions. • The detailed proposal can be seen on Aberdeenshire Council’s planning website. Click on the tab entitled “Documents” and you can view the diagram of the existing layout and the proposed new roundabout. You can comment on the proposal online.

Broadband: Community Fibre Partnerships

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-02-22T12:29:52+00:00

If, like us – you are more than 1200 metres from a fibre connection and are struggling with a connection that drops as low as 1.5 MB, when people just a mile or so away are enjoying up to 50 MB – then you may look to community fibre partnerships as a potential solution to bring our broadband into the 21st century. ...Then I waited for the contact back. The reply was not the one I expected. BT tell me that our postcode is one that is being considered for an “enhanced Digital Scotland programme currently under review”. I tried to get more details and received this response: “Digital Scotland are just in the process of agreeing the contract for the enhancement to their roll-out plans. The contracts have not been formally signed yet so, of course, there’s no indication or confirmation of the plans on their website at this time. ...“There’s no guarantee that all the properties within said postcodes will get covered but equally, we can’t consider a Community Fibre solution when we don’t know what the target coverage would actually be at this time or, indeed, if it will be required at all.” If you are also in an area just outside Kintore, and too far away from the broadband connection box to benefit from fibre broadband speeds, you might want to consider a community fibre partnership. Our experience would certainly suggest not spending too much time firing up enthusiasm from your neighbours, until you find out if you actually need to go down that route. Get your enquiry in and see what response you get. Once you register your interest on the website, BT should be able to give you a ballpark figure for connecting your neighbourhood to fibre broadband.

From Kintore to Kenya

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-02-21T12:41:27+00:00

Rachel Lewis, from The Bothie, in Kintore and her team area heading back to Kenya and they are organising a coffee morning this Saturday (February 25) to raise money for supplies to take with them. “As some of you know, end of April, my team and I will be going back to Embu, Kenya to work with the local schools, hospital and Orphanages,” Rachel explains. “This is a few months earlier than when we usually go so we're trying to fundraise like mad!” The Coffee Morning will offer Tea, Hot Chocolate and juice at the Bothie in Kintore and, yes, coffee! Handmade crafts will also be available to purchase too and all the proceeds go will go towards buying stationery, equiptment, school books and blankets for the people of Embu. As well as finding out more, you will be able to brows the photo books from previous trips to see what the team has previously done in Embu.

Princess Royal to open new Kintore school

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-01-31T11:17:47+00:00

The Princess Royal will open the new Midmill School in Kintore on Wednesday, March 1. Princess Anne will open the £11.5m school that opened its doors in November. There are currently two classes from Kintore, as well as pupils from nearby Kinellar Primary School who are attending Midmill School while a new replacement school is being built. "We're very much looking forward to welcoming HRH The Princess Royal to Aberdeenshire again at the start of March,” said Aberdeenshire Provost Hamish Vernal. "Midmill School is a wonderful new, modern building and staff and pupils were thrilled to move into it in November. "Aberdeenshire is very proud of its links with the Royal Family and Her Royal Highness's visit to officially open the school will be a very special occasion we're all looking forward to."

Feb 4: Leg it - over hot embers - for Lewis!

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-01-10T12:24:36+00:00

Anyone looking for a personal challenge and keen to help a local cause, will soon have the chance to try fire walking. The Fire Walk is organised by a Kintore family who are fundraising to get their son to the USA for potentially life-changing surgery. “How about a wee 20ft walk over burning hot embers?,” say the family, urging people to sign up or for more information. The ambition for Lewis Fraser to have this chance that he could walk unaided, was featured in the Evening Express last night. The Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy surgery alone would cost $39,745, but with braces and equipment, possible PERCS surgery, travel and accommodation, plus post-op physio therapy, the total the family are seeking to raise is £65,000. If you feel able to help the Frasers towards their target, but don’t want to test your toes, please go to www.treeofhope.org.uk/leg-it-for-lewis/ where you can learn more about Lewis and his family and why they are so keen to give Lewis this chance.

Councillor welcomes cycle route progress

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2017-01-09T12:18:03+00:00

Aberdeen City Council is working towards provision of a cycle route between Bucksburn and its boundary at Blackburn. Councillor Ford has been pressing Aberdeenshire Council for a cycle route between Inverurie and Kintore so cyclists do not have to cross or use the A96 dual carriageway. ...Along with Cllr Paul Johnston, Cllr Ford secured an extra £250,000 per year for active travel (cycling and walking) in Aberdeenshire Council's revenue budget from 2016/17. ...Cllr Ford has been pressing for the 'missing link' section of cycle path (between the Thainstone roundabout and Kintore Business Park) to be constructed as soon as possible, thus providing a cycle route all the way between Kintore and Port Elphinstone which does not involve using or crossing the A96. Council officers have advised the construction of the Thainstone roundabout to Kintore Business Park section of cycle path should go out to tender this month, with the new length of path due to be complete by May 2017 at the latest. Commenting, Cllr Ford said: "I will be delighted to finally see cycling provision in place all the way between Kintore and Port Elphinstone. Certainly, cycling on the A96 itself is not a good experience, so having a cycle route available instead will be a significant improvement for cyclists wanting to travel between Kintore and Inverurie." Council officers have also confirmed to Cllr Ford that Aberdeenshire Council has appointed infrastructure consultancy firm AECOM to progress delivering a cycle route between Kintore and Blackburn. AECOM will look at feasible options for the route, from the site of the planned railway station in Kintore to the south end of Blackburn at the boundary between Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City. ...Council officers anticipate a report to the Garioch Area Committee will follow on 18 April 2017 for councillors to take a decision on the preferred route. Detailed design will then proceed during financial year 2017/18 so bids for funding for construction can be made in financial year 2018/19. ...“I look forward to engaging with the consultants working on the project over the choice of route, and agreeing a preferred option in the spring.

Developers appeal Thainstone business park extension

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-12-29T16:35:39+00:00

The developers of the proposed extension to Thainstone business park – on the hillside in front of Bennachie – have submitted an appeal against Aberdeenshire Council’s refusal of planning permission. Councillors refused permission for the development over concerns about the damage to the landscape and fears about the impact the development would have on the local road network. The developers have now appealed to Scottish Ministers to overturn Aberdeenshire Council’s refusal of planning permission. The proposed development would be spread across the hill below Camiestone Farm, from Clovenstone right across the hill to the trees in front of the Thainstone Hotel. The photograph below indicates the location in red viewed from the east with Millstone Hill on Bennachie behind – the Mither Tap is just out of shot on the right. ...The ridge that runs from from Bruce’s Camp to Clovenstone and on to Tom’s Forest is part of the landscape setting for one of the most iconic views of Bennachie – undoubtedly one of Aberdeenshire’s most celebrated hills. The Bruce’s Camp and the ridge provide an outstanding natural setting for Bennachie when viewed from the east – one of the best viewpoints to enjoy the distinctive profile of the Mither Tap. If this commercial development gets the go-ahead objectors fear the green ridge will be covered, to just below the summit, with intrusive an mosaic of highly-visible commercial buildings. At night they fear street lights and flood lights will screen the views of Bennachie with unwelcome light pollution. The plan for the business park extension, with the ridge line in front of Bennachie on left margin of the map Objectors say they recognise commercial development is essential if we are to develop our Aberdeenshire economy for the future. ...Letters of objection submitted to Aberdeenshire Council will be forwarded to be considered as part of the appeal procedure.

Aberdeenshire households miss out on superfast broadband

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-12-22T11:09:19+00:00

With the Scottish Government committed to providing 95% access to “superfast” (24-30 MB) broadband in the new year, many Kintore households who find themselves more than 1,200 metres from the exchange are still stuck with broadband well below the recommended household minimum of 10MB.

The Bothie launches new video

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-12-07T12:34:27+00:00

Over the past few weeks The Bothie has been working with Right Here Productions to create a wee video to explain more about what it is and how it works with young people in Kintore. In the video, some of the young people who go to the Bothie, explain what it means for them. The Bothie celebrates its third birthday this Friday.

Good and bad news on the station

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-12-05T12:21:54+00:00

The Nestrans board was advised the Scottish Government had increased its agreed funding contribution towards constructing a station in Kintore to £7.32 million (60% of the estimated cost) while Aberdeenshire Council had now committed up to £1.898 million. By agreeing to an increased allocation of £2.974 million for Kintore station from Nestrans' budgets, the Nestrans board closed the remaining funding gap – meaning the entire £12.2 million estimated construction cost is now pledged to the project. “Clearly, funding is one of the essentials for getting a station built in Kintore,” commented East Garioch councillor Martin Ford, who is a member of the Nestrans board. ...“On top of the extra funding now put in place by Aberdeenshire Council and the Scottish Government, this means all the money expected to be required to build the station is now committed to the project. ... Friday's Nestrans board meeting was also advised that the expected cost of the Aberdeen–Inverness rail line upgrade had increased from £170 million to £330 million. The board was told that consequently completion of the upgrading works would have to be delayed so some work could take place in financial year 2019/2020, instead of all work being undertaken before March 2019. The new planned completion date for the Aberdeen–Inverness rail line upgrade is December 2019, with Kintore station now intended to open in July 2019. At Councillor Ford's suggestion, the Nestrans board asked Nestrans director Derick Murray to write to the Office of Rail and Road seeking an explanation for the huge cost increase for the Aberdeen–Inverness rail line upgrade. "The scale of the increase in the projected cost of the Aberdeen–Inverness rail line upgrade is astonishing,” Councillor Ford points out, “especially since the work has already started. ..."Apart from the alarming overall cost increase for the Aberdeen–Inverness rail line upgrade, the delay in the expected opening date for Kintore station is also very disappointing." ...This was brought forward to December 2018 so the new station would be available for passengers when the line between Kintore and Inverurie was due to be closed for several weeks in early 2019 to allow renewal of the viaduct over the River Don. Now, with the upgrading works for the whole line on an extended timescale, the opening date for Kintore station is being pushed back to July 2019.

Happy birthday to the Bothie

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-11-22T15:09:57+00:00

It was established as an initiative to give young people in Kintore somewhere to call their own, where they could meet, socialise and take part in activities. But, do you really know what goes on behind those innovative straw-bale walls, at the heart of our community? ...Well, this is your chance to come and see what goes on at the Bothie, and how you can support it. During the week of December 5, the Bothie is going to throw its doors open to the community on four nights, from 6pm to 9pm each night. • MONDAY, December 5: Come along and find out more about what goes on at the Bothie – how the community can help and how we can all benefit. • TUESDAY, December 6: Tuesday night is particularly targeted to businesses and the Bothie is inviting companies and organisations to come along to our open evening to learn about the work of the Bothie and how businesses could benefit. • THURSDAY, December 8: Come along and find out more about what goes on at the Bothie – how the community can help and how we can all benefit. ...Come along and help us celebrate what we’ve achieved since 2013! Everyone is welcome and you will have a chance to chat with some of the Bothie folk and find out what the Bothie can achieve for the community of Kintore. This is your chance to see how you can help the Bothie and how the Bothie can help you. ...Heading out Forest Road from The Square in the centre of Kintore, take the first road on the left which is Allendale Gardens. Follow Allendale Gardens round to the right and, as you turn the corner, the Bothie is behind the car park on the right.

Leg it for Lewis

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-11-22T14:56:30+00:00

A Kintore family has started a fundraising appeal to get their son to the USA for potentially life-changing surgery. The ambition for Lewis Fraser to have this chance that he could walk unaided, was featured in the Evening Express last night. The Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy surgery alone would cost $39,745, but with braces and equipment, possible PERCS surgery, travel and accommodation, plus post-op physio therapy, the total the family are seeking to raise is £65,000. If you feel able to help the Frasers towards their target, please go to www.treeofhope.org.uk/leg-it-for-lewis/ where you can learn more about Lewis and his family and why they are so keen to give Lewis this chance.

Kintore's new Midmill School opens

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-11-16T12:37:16+00:00

Kintore’s new Midmill School has opened to pupils today. It is the town’s second primary school, with the existing Kintore School having moved into its new building ten years ago. Midmill School head teacher Scott Calder has been working hard to make sure that everything is ready for today’s opening. “The most rewarding thing about being a teacher is seeing the journey young people take on their lives throughout school,” Scott commented. “It’s always great to hear how well pupils are doing once they leave primary school and move on to secondary education. “I’ve been very lucky with the opportunities I’ve had in my career. As Depute Head Teacher at Hill of Banchory I was able to support the staff team and head teacher to set up a brand new school and now I can take everything I’ve learned from that experience so that Midmill School can aim for excellence too.” Speaking of the opening Cllr Alison Evison, Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Education, Learning and Leisure Committee, said: “The new Midmill School is an £11.5 million investment by the council to make sure that the ever-increasing population of Kintore has access to state-of-the-art education facilities for their children. “The new school has space for 540 pupils and will be occupied by both its own pupils and those who attend Kinellar Primary School while a brand-new replacement is built for them. “This is an exciting time for both local communities and I’m sure Scott and the other school staff, as well as pupils and parents, are looking forward to seeing their new school as much as I am.”

Community chairman's report

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-11-10T12:05:02+00:00

Following on from the approved minutes of the Kintore and District Community Council Annual General Meeting, we have now received a copy of the chairman’s report to the AGM. Kintore and District Community Council AGM September 2016 ...“It seems we discuss the same topics each month, and unfortunately many items take a long time to resolve. “Many frustrations - Scheme of Establishment East Kintore, Town Park “Positive items, the pub is open, Primary School almost complete, Town House development and asset transfer plans progressing, Fountain leaked but will be repaired and operational for next year. ... Council Fishing rights hopefully to be transferred to KAC. ...This year we have begun discussions regarding Community Mosaics, Community Artwork, Disappointments, decision not to locate a Secondary school meantime at Kintore. “On very Major issues for Kintore were of course the flooding and I would like to again commend all the amazing local and some not so local volunteers but in particular Kenny Thomson, Elizabeth and all other volunteers who helped us during and after the floods. “We have enjoyed great support from the local businesses and individuals for the provision of the floral displays again this year and I must mention Ainslie Reid and his team of volunteers who have done a terrific job in delivering and maintaining fantastic displays. “People do care what is happening and have strong opinions on what needs to happen for the future benefit of Kintore. “So, I hopefully look forward to continuing next year...... and strongly recommend all to get involved in some way, we have vacancies in the Community Council and the more members we have the more we will be able to take on and hopefully progress. “So come on, let’s all get going for the benefit of Kintore.”

Dec 3: Christmas Lights switch-on

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-11-07T11:46:30+00:00

The Kintore Christmas lights will be switched on on Saturday, December 3 at 4.30 pm in The Square, Kintore, in front of the Town House. Prior to that, at 4pm just across the road in Kintore Kirk, there will be a Christmas Sing-along. Santa and his elves will be at the 4.30pm switch-on event, as will be our very own Kintore Pipe Band and Christmas music. There will also be drinks, burgers and stalls. Come along and celebrate the start of the Christmas festivities. Thanks to the volunteers from Kintore Fundraising Team who put in a lot of hard work each year to raise the money for the lights and to erect them, usually on a bitterly cold weekend in November.

Nov 4: Big Sing in Kintore church

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-10-18T11:25:56+01:00

John Bell and Jo Love will lead a Big Sing in Kintore church On Friday November 4 at 7pm. This will be a chance to join in an evening of magnificent melodies and hearty harmonies. Entry costs £5 and includes refreshments during the interval. Money raised will go towards the Iona Abbey Refurbishment Appeal (https://iona.org.uk/island-centres/the-abbey/).

Kintore Fireworks on Friday, November 4

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-10-18T10:50:23+01:00

Kintore and District Community Council are organising this year’s Kintore Fireworks at the Kintore School Playing fields on Friday, November 4, starting at 6.30pm. The entertainment will begin at 6.30pm with fire spinning, followed by the bonfire then fireworks, at 7pm. Please remember to take a torch and some cash for donations, burgers and refreshments. Burgers, refreshments and light sticks will be on sale, with profits going towards community projects. This is the third year that Kintore and District Community Council has run our revived local fireworks display, so please come along and support this community initiative. A huge thanks to all those people and organisations who have, once again, come together to put on this event.

Tuach Hill and the developers... public engagement?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-10-17T15:11:46+01:00

Local resident Paul Davison has produced a paper entitled “Tuach Hill and the developers… public engagement?’. In his paper Paul points out: “Tuach Hill has been a green space in the village for as long as most of us can remember, and a good place to walk. The land has been privately owned however, with Malcolm Allan buying most of it over a period of years. “Some people in Kintore were concerned about rumours about plans to build on the hill, they formed the Kintore Open Space Initiative, a group with the aim of protecting Kintore’s premier open space for use by the community. The group raised awareness of the value of the hill to Kintore. “Before 2006, Tuach Hill was designated a Site of Interest to Natural Science, an area identified by Aberdeenshire Council as being of local importance that should be protected from damaging development.” You can read the full paper in pdf format (2MB) by downloading it here. This is an ‘Opinion’ piece and doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of Kintore.org.uk. We’re always happy to consider opinion pieces for publication on the website and would be happy to receive any comment or article from the developers or the planners.

Is your phone box due to close?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-10-10T16:20:38+01:00

Is your phone box about to close? Word reaches us that some phone boxes in this area are earmarked for closure. Yes, we know most people these days use mobiles. But, if you’re one of the few without a mobile, or your mobile has run out of battery (a not uncommon occurrence in my experience) phone boxes can be a godsend. Apparently the boxes slated for closure have signs on them to that effect. We’re told the consultation process regarding the closure ends on October 28.

Oct 16: Kintore Angling Club Meeting

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-10-08T12:20:30+01:00

Kintore Angling Club are having a meeting on Sunday, October 16 ...Club Meeting Sunday 16th October 2pm ...Proposed lease from Aberdeenshire Council and additional beats. ...Proposed budget and discussion on tickets prices for 2017 season. ...Proposed Fishing Rules for 2017 season. ...Proposed plans to develop the fishing. ... We are keen to increase the membership for next year when we hope to have Salmon, Sea Trout and Brown Trout fishing on the Don at Kintore. ...New members are very welcome to attend. Those who cannot and wish further information, please contact

Digital divide widens in Kintore area

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-09-26T11:11:36+01:00

As the Scottish Government’s 2017 target looms for 95% of households to have access to superfast broadband, a survey in the Aberdeenshire town of Kintore suggests the digital divide is widening. While those living near the exchange in Kintore are able to opt for superfast broadband, with 20% reporting speeds of more than 20MB, 48% of the survey respondents report speeds of 5MB or less – half the recommended minimum of 10MB. ...The results come from a small straw poll run on kintore.org.uk and its associated Facebook page, but it suggests that the digital divide in the town is widening. ...It is clear that there are many who live more than 1,200 metres from the nearest fibre connection, who feel completely let down by the current programme. ...Digital Scotland tell us that our line is now categorised as ‘upgraded’ in terms of the current Openreach contract. That doesn’t seem right as we don’t have access to superfast broadband, which appeared to be the main aim of the programme. ...With £157 million of public money invested in the Digital Scotland programme a lot of people assumed that there would be something of a focus on bringing high-speed broadband to rural subscribers, who might otherwise miss out. ...“I recently upgraded from standard to fibre broadband and have seen no change to the speed of my service. ...Unfortunately standard service would offer under 0.5 Mbps and we have absolutely NO 3G let alone 4G coverage (O2 & Vodafone) and neither supplier interested in boosting signal to cover dead spots.” “We are only 3 miles from the centre of Kintore, with many houses and businesses on our road and we cannot get more than 0.4mb. ...“We're just outside the village and it seems there's not any interest in us having a better connection as we're a small collection of houses that can be forgotten about.” ...Since moving to a fibre connection, we no longer suffer the slowdowns at peak times that we did when we had just a "normal" (typically 16 Mb/s) broadband connection through BT.”

The Bothie update

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-09-16T12:50:56+01:00

The Bothie is a purpose built, straw bale, community hub in the heart of Kintore, opened in December 2013 and driven by Action Kintore, a charity set up to provide facilities for the community with the help of many local organisations including Grampian Opportunities, Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action and Garioch Partnership. The Bothie is the home of many Youth and community groups, meetings and birthday parties, and with the help of volunteers and youth workers, we have a range of youth groups set up to provide a safe, fun environment for the young people in Kintore to come along and get some support and advice on issues currently affecting them. We also hold fundraising events (mostly run by the young people who attend the Bothie) in order to raise money to purchase Bothie hoodies and equipment for our users. Earlier this year, we were successful in an ‘Awards for All’ funding grant which enabled us to take a group of kids aged 12-16 away on a residential, team building weekend to Aberfeldy. ... We booked activities with SPLASH White Water Rafting for the Saturday, so the Kintore YAFTS (Young and free to speak) took part in white water rafting activities in the morning, and duckie canoeing in the afternoon along the river Tay. ...New friendships within the group were created and old ones became stronger, as the group had to work together, had to encourage each other and to push each other to overcome fears and challenges; so the weekend was a great success. Since being back, the YAFTS, who meet on a Tuesday evening 7pm-9pm, have been stronger together and are still talking about the trip and how it’s changed them, so all in all, a positive experience had for all! ...The young people who attend this group are very interest in fundraising and working towards awards, so with the help of youth workers and volunteers, fund raising events will be more frequent and the young people can get Saltire/Youth achievement awards by working together to make these events happen. Issue based workshops are also provided at this group, where the young people can get help and support on any issues currently affecting them, whether it’s exam stress, home life, drugs and alcohol issues and many more. ...After doing some research on their detached project and through the summer program activities (which were very successful!), our two youth workers, Rachel and Kirsty, are hoping to open a new group on a Thursday evening, which will enable more young people to access the Bothie and the facilities it provides. We are always on the look-out for more volunteers to help with our projects, fundraising, or event to join our team at Action Kintore. So if any of this interests YOU, please don’t hesitate to contact our youth and volunteer co-ordinator to hear more about what YOU can do for your community.

Please tell us how is your broadband

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-09-15T12:55:40+01:00

The Scottish Government has set a target for 95% of the population to have access to superfast broadband by 2017. The recent experience, where ‘long lines’ are being classified as upgraded, even though they receive less than half the government target of 10MB, makes us keen to understand the state of broadband services in and around Kintore. We last did a survey of broadband in 2014. Two years on we’d like you take a minute to fill in our broadband survey. As we approach 2017, how many people in the Kintore area now have the access to superfast broadband – are we anywhere near the 95% target set by the Scottish Government? What are the real speeds that people are getting on their broadband? Is broadband in Kintore reliable? Over to you. We hope your answers will help us to understand more about the state of broadband in Kintore. Thank you.

Closure of Broomhill Roundabout access to Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-09-13T18:00:12+01:00

Aberdeenshire Council say that due to BT Works to be carried out by BT Openreach/A Plant Lux it will be necessary in the interests of public safety to close the road from Broomhill Roundabout into Kintore for one night. The road from the A96 at Broomhill Roundabout to Bridgefield, Kintore will be closed on 10 October 2016 from 21:00 hours to 06:00 hours. Access for pedestrians and to adjacent properties will be maintained at all times. The alternative route is via A96 from Broomhill Roundabout to Tavelty Junction, Tavelty Junction to B987 Northern Road, School Road and B987.

Oct 1: Fiddler's Rally at Kintore Kirk

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-09-13T17:32:26+01:00

We have organised a Fiddlers’ Rally to be held in Kintore Church on Saturday 1st October at 7.30 pm with Strathbogie Fiddlers. Tickets, including refreshments, cost £9 each and can be bought at J & G Dossett, Butcher, The Square or by phoning 07814039586 or 07974938315. This event is part of our fundraising effort in aid of the Iona Abbey refurbishment appeal ( for more information go to https://iona.org.uk/capital-appeal-information).

More than 1,200 metres from the exchange? You might miss out on superfast broadband.

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-09-06T19:27:46+01:00

Our confidence was based on the fact that the Scottish Government and local authorities were backing the Digital Scotland programme with £157 million of public money. The aim, as it says on the Digital Scotland website is: “The Scottish Government and its partners are extending high speed fibre broadband to around 95% of Scotland by the end of March 2018.” It seemed clear that our money was being invested to ensure that there was a flat playing field and that superfast broadband would be made available to addresses where the infrastructure might not be commercially viable. ...For months the line checker said it would take “a little longer” to bring superfast broadband to exchange-only (EO) lines like ours and our status was given as “technology pending”. ...Last week I received a shock response from Scotland Superfast's Facebook team stating that: "As far as the existing contract that is in place between Scottish Government and Openreach, your line has been upgraded.” This is because our line, along with all the other 'long lines', have now been connected to fibre-enabled distribution boxes at the exchange. But – because we are more than 1,200 metres from the box – any speed benefit from fibre is negated by the length of copper cable between the box and our house. Puzzled how Openreach could claim that our line has been upgraded when there is no change in the speed rating of our line, I made further enquiries. I have since been told that the contractors can claim that all the lines in any postcode have been upgraded, if just one line in that postcode sees an improvement in speed – let alone ‘superfast’ speeds. Considering all the hype at the launch and that investment of £157 million of public money, this reality seems to fall a long way short of the “high-speed fibre broadband” promise of the Digital Scotland programme. The only hope that Scotland Superfast could offer us was the Scottish Government’s aim to have superfast broadband for all subscribers by 2021. I guess that means up to five more years of waiting for web pages to open, waiting for pages like this one to upload to the server and being unable to watch videos as they stop and buffer every few seconds.

Two days to go for Tuach Hill

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-09-06T10:27:30+01:00

Campaigners against the construction of a bridge and new road across the lower slopes of Tuach Hill are encouraged by the number of objections that have been submitted against the proposal. But, with just two days left until the deadline for objections they are urging those who oppose the construction of the road from School Road, across the Tuach Burn to the new 600-house Kintore East development. Most of the objections so far are focussed on straightforward objections road and bridge and point out the option of accessing Kintore East by the existing Carnie Road. “We need people to take time to read the application and look at things like landscape, the water, SUDS drainage and flooding issues. We need people to submit comments on other aspects of the development,” commented one of the campaign group today. “There are a number of points that people will see and immediately think are simply not right. It is important to include the words ‘I object’ to make it clear that you are submitting an objection to the plans.” The leaflet urges people to submit an objection to the proposed access road either online using the Aberdeenshire Council website or by letter to: Planning & Building Standards, Gordon House, Blackhall Road, Inverurie AB51 3WA, quoting APP/2016/2046.

Plan to bring Town House back into community use

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-08-31T10:33:49+01:00

Kintore Town House, which has taken pride of place in the centre of Kintore since the 18th century, is a fitting centrepiece for a town that received its first charter as a Royal Burgh in the 12th century. But, since the disbanding of the Kintore Burgh Council at the time of the local government reorganisation in the 1970s, the Town House has no longer been at the centre of our community. Over the past two years, work has been going on in the background to try to bring the iconic building back into community use. ...The plan is to turn the upper floor of the west wing into a space that could be used for small community events, film shows or performances. ...The outline proposal includes connecting this auditorium through to the council chamber which could be used as a reception area, or space for break out sessions, coffee or a bar. The feasibility study envisages a small extension at the back of the Town House to provide improved access and also a lift for disabled access to the upper floors. Below the auditorium, on the ground floor of the west wing, the floorspace would be dedicated to services, with a new internal stairway to the upper floors. The former jail in the middle of the old building, accessed below the double stairs and from the extension at the back, is envisaged as a small museum/display area in which to showcase the wealth of history in the Kintore area, from neolithic times, through to the Picts and the Roman Camp at Deer’s Den and more recent heritage. The ground floor office, below the council chamber, would be leased out on the commercial market to provide income to support the project. The ambition for this space would be to find a commercial use that would also be an attraction, drawing people into the centre of Kintore to increase footfall for the existing businesses in the centre of town. You can read more about the plans in the Kintore Town House Feasibility Study which you can download and read (PDF). ...If you are interested in finding out more about the project and would be keen to get involved to make it happen, please contact Kintore and District Community Council.

'No road on Tuach Hill' campaign

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-08-29T15:38:52+01:00

Leaflets have been delivered to houses across Kintore for the ‘No Road on Tuach Hill’ campaign fighting the proposal to build an access road on the lower slopes of Tuach Hill. The proposal by the consortium behind the 600-house Kintore East development, envisages an access road for the development running from School Road on a bridge over the Tuach Burn and along the banks of the burn itself. This access road would start at a new neighbourhood centre, which would be built in the open fields between the existing bungalows in School road and Carnie Road. The campaigners say that Tuach Hill, with its path, wood and and fields “have been the heart and lungs of Kintore”. The significance of Tuach Hill to Kintore can hardly be over estimated as it is from Tuach Hill that the town gets its name. At a time when when gaelic was the common language in Kintore it comes from the Gaelic Ceann Torr meaning ‘at the end of the hill’. Such was the importance of Tuach Hill to Kintore that Kintore and District Community Council led the fight to ensure that the hill was safeguarded from development. As a result Tuach Hill and much of the area round about it has been allocated protected status in the Local Development Plan. Those campaigning against the proposed new access road, say that the new road would violate that protected status and destroy the current peaceful countryside below Tuach Hill. “The road would cut through paths along the Tuach Burn we have rights of way for as long as we can remember,” the campaign leaflet points out. ...“An alternative access road to the proposed housing area can be built from Carnie Road from the new road to the primary school,” the leaflet states. “The Carnie Road direct route road would keep untouched all the paths and fields we have enjoyed for years on Tuach Hill.

September 20: Kintore community council AGM

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-08-29T15:08:31+01:00

The Kintore and District Community Council AGM will take place on Tuesday, September 20 at 7pm in Kintore Primary School. All interested are welcome to attend. A particular welcome, of course, to those who may wish to get involved with the community council.

Plans submitted for Kintore East access road along Tuach Burn

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-08-11T16:57:11+01:00

The Kintore East consortium has now submitted its planning application covering the infrastructure required for the development. This application includes the proposed access road from School Road across the Tuach Burn and on to the Kintore East development. The developers plan to build the road through land that is designated P1 on the current Local Development Plan. This P1 status indicates an area that is protected as part of a long-standing agreement to protect the historic Tuach Hill as undeveloped open space at the heart of Kintore. When the previous application was submitted to Aberdeenshire Council, a number of residents wrote to object to the proposed bridge over the Tuach Burn and an access road through the P1 zoned area, alongside the Tuach Burn. Many of the objections were rejected because they were not deemed valid to the subject of the application which, it was later explained, was to do with phasing. We understand there were 75 objections, most of which were rejected as not being valid, with reportedly only seven objections being recorded. Kintore and District Community Council has been in the forefront of enquiries into why objections were rejected while others – apparently similar – were accepted. It was pointed out that people who are not closely involved in planning matters could hardly be expected to realise that their objection was invalid. If previous objectors wish to have their objections considered, Aberdeenshire Council has made it clear that these objections will have to be resubmitted for this application. ...Among the 68 supporting documents is an overall site plan, a map showing the detail of the proposed new access road from School Road across the Tuach Burn and along the lower slopes of Tuach Hill and plans for the road bridge over the Tuach Burn and the footbridge. ...In the Middle Ages, Gaelic was the common language in rural Aberdeenshire. and the name Kintore derives from the Gaelic, Ceann-an-torr, meaning ‘at the end of the hill’ – Tuach Hill.

We should be protecting not blighting Bennachie

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-08-10T13:01:47+01:00

Bennachie, and its iconic Mither Tap peak, are probably the most iconic of Aberdeenshire’s mountains, widely celebrated in music and poetry. So the current moves by Aberdeenshire Council to establish a Special Landscape Area to maintain and improve the setting of Bennachie, are surely to be applauded. ...Unfortunately, these moves come at a time when the setting of Bennachie in the landscape is under threat. ...There are also plans to build up the hills along the existing A96, which form the foreground to many people’s introduction to Bennachie, as they arrive in the area on the A96. As plans stand, most of the eastern slope of the hill stretching from Clovenstone to Crichie will be covered by business sheds or housing. ... • The pink and red areas are the subject of a current application for extension of the Thainstone Business Park up and across the hillside. ...The planning application for the extension to Thainstone Business Park will come before Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch Area Committee on Tuesday, August 23. ...This despite the fact that the pink section is zoned as ‘strategic reserve’ and, according to the current Local Development Plan, should not be released for development until 2024-2030. ...But, it seems disappointing that our council is zoning land for development on hills that are so important to the setting of Bennachie, when there seem to be many suitable alternatives in a less prominent location. We should be protecting and enhancing the setting for Bennachie, not building business sheds and houses. ...If you want to meet them they will be arriving at the Porterhouse Restaurant in Thainstone at 9.15am. The Thainstone Business Park application will then be discussed at Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch Area Committee in the Council Chamber at Gordon House, Blackhall Road, Inverurie AB51 3WA, starting at 10.15 am.

Watch out for Kintore East application

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-07-28T16:10:59+01:00

A planning application is imminent for the infrastructure to support the Kintore East development. This will include the proposed bridge over the Tuach Burn and the road across the fields below Tuach Hill. Following the rejection of objections to the recent Kintore East development, it has been pointed out that this application was purely about phasing for the development. Apparently this was why objections about the road and bridge, on the protected land below Tuach Hill, were rejected. The new application will be for approval of the infrastructure to support the housing development. This infrastructure is believed to include the road and the bridge across the fields below Tuach Hill. Frustrating though the rejection of so many objection was, objectors are being warned that their objections will not be carried forward. So, if you wish to make an objection to the road and the bridge, you should be prepared to resubmit your objections in response to this new infrastructure application. Keep a watch for the application on the planning website and, as soon as we have news that the application is open for comment, we will post it here on kintore.org.uk

Progress on new Kintore school

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-07-22T12:18:43+01:00

Alan Benton has sent in these photos showing the progress on the new Kintore school at Midmill.

Community council calls for landscape area extension

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-07-19T11:05:41+01:00

Kintore and District Community Council has written to Aberdeenshire Council requesting an extension to the proposed Bennachie Landscape Area. The community council wants the special landscape area to be extended to include Tom’s Forest, John’s Forest, Camiestone, Shaw Hill and Bruce’s Camp. The community council believes the ridge line in front of Bennachie (see picture below) is important to the setting of much-loved hill, when viewed from the current A96 corridor. This is probably one of the most viewed angles for Bennachie, both for locals and for visitors to the area. “The consultation document confirms the importance of the setting of Bennachie and its intervisibility with the surrounding landscape and is very important and special to the community of Kintore and the surrounding area,” Kintore and District Community Council say in their submission. “We strongly feel therefore that its iconic profile and historic features sited in the area should not be blighted by insensitive development that would have any negative impact on the vista.”

Hillhead road closed for two weeks

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-07-11T11:19:22+01:00

The road by Hillhead, from the junction with Forest Road to the junction with B994 Kemnay road will be closed from July 25, 2016 for two weeks. Aberdeenshire Council say access for pedestrians and for adjacent properties will be maintained at all times. The alternative route is via B994 to B977 Gauchhill Road, Gauchill Road to Hallforest Avenue, Hallforest Avenue to Forest Road.

Club aim to take over Kintore salmon and trout fishings

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-07-01T11:00:36+01:00

At the end of the 2016 fishing season, Aberdeenshire Council are going up the leases on the salmon and trout fishings on the River Don at Kintore. Kintore Angling Club would like to take over the lease and retain them for the people of Kintore. ...From the end of the 2016 fishing season, Aberdeenshire Council are giving up the leases on the Salmon and Trout Fishings at Kintore. These Salmon and Trout fishings include a stretch of the river on the Balbithan side (Left Bank) which were gifted to the people of Kintore many years ago and are recorded as a Common Good Asset . ...Kintore Angling Club would like to take over the lease for these waters and retain them for the people of Kintore and have subsequently expressed this interest to the Council Fishings Committee. They have in turn made a recommendation to the Area Committee that they offer the lease to a properly constituted Angling Club. Kintore Angling Club’s constitution states that members should resident or born on Kintore, with a small number of members allowed outwith Kintore. We currently have an agreement with the landowner to fish for Brown Trout on the left bank from sections 5 to opposite 13 and on the right bank sections opposite 1 to 13. We currently have around 50 members registered for Brown Trout and we expect this to rise considerably as the salmon rights pass to us next year, as there is a large number of fishermen, still taking the council permit this year for salmon fishing. To encourage younger generation interest in fishing, we allow members 15 years and under to fish for free and relax the rules regarding worm fishing etc. to make it more appealing to youngsters. We are committed to promote the River Don at Kintore as an excellent Salmon and Brown Trout river and will offering season and daily permits for both next year. We will of course be required to comply with the Don Fishery Board and Brown Trout Protection Order designed to conserve and improve stocks and all members are encouraged to release all fish caught. ...We are required as part of our application to show community benefit and carry out a community consultation on our plans to lease Common Good Property. We trust you can see our plans to look after the fishings at Kintore and retain this for the people of Kintore and therefore seek the support , comments and any suggestions from the Kintore Community on our proposal.

Kintore East and Tuach Hill briefing

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-06-28T14:59:20+01:00

There has been some confusion over the status of the recent planning application for Kintore East development, particularly in relation to the proposed access from School Road by the Tuach Burn. At the recent Kintore and District Community Council meeting, Councillor Martin Ford produced this briefing note prepared by Aberdeenshire Council to explain the current status. ...This brieﬁng note has been drafted in response to specific questions raised by Cllr Ford in relation to the current status of the access road within the Kintore East Development. The Planning Service is currently considering a Matters Speciﬁed in Condition (MSC) application (APP/2016/1330) for the phasing condition (Condition 1a) of Planning Permission in Principle APP/2013/3830. No other conditions relating to any other matter are currently being considered, although an MSC application addressing the infrastructure conditions is expected to be submitted in the next few weeks. ...Kintore East site M1 currently has an agreed Development Framework, Masterplan and Planning Permission in Principle (PPP) for a residential development comprising 600 houses, neighbourhood centre and associated facilities and infrastructure. The location of the road which takes access from a new junction on School Road to the north and extends through the development to the Tumulus Way junction at the south west has not received final approval, as the MSC application for this aspect of the development is yet to be received. However, the provisional location of the road as shown on the indicative plans has been proposed since the Kintore East Masterplan was agreed in 2014 and the location of the road was further represented on the indicative plans approved under the Planning Permission in Principle. While neither the Masterplan, nor the PPP offer a deﬁnitive road alignment and can only be considered as indicative, they do offer an indication of the proposed route which has formed part of the basis for design work done to date through said Masterplan and PPP which have subsequently been agreed upon as the preferred way forward for the development. No aspect of the development at this stage has Full Planning Permission (FPP) until all matters reserved in conditions have been addressed through subsequent MSC applications. ...After the community council meeting, the chairman Brian Johnstone said that the community council would be writing to Aberdeenshire Council planning department to seek clarification of a number of issues. “There seems some inconsistency regarding the issuing of notices to some adjacent addresses to the development site,” Mr Johnstone explains, “yet, not others and also to addresses you would not consider adjacent.

'Save Tuach Hill' call

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-06-07T16:46:54+01:00

Following on from news of the planning application related to the 600-home Kintore East development and a subsequent meeting last week in the the Bothie, a campaign has started to encourage residents to respond to the application. Writing on the Kintore Facebook page, Paul Davison says: “The open area of Tuach Hill is at imminent risk of being destroyed by an unnecessary road the Kintore East developers are planning to drive right across the hill. You might already have seen the posts marking the route on the hill, so you know what a massive impact it will have.” Objectors claim the road will be a violation of the Tuach Hill open space and contrary to the “protected area status” of Tuach Hill, as set out in the 2016 Local Development Plan. They say that the land the road will be constructed on is designated as P1 and argue that this status was to “conserve Tuach Hill and surrounding area, which contributes to the green network”. Mr Davison points out that Tuach Hill is the only large open area remaining in Kintore. “It is even more annoying because the proposed new houses could be accessed by extending a road that the developers have just built,” he argues, “extending Carnie Road to the new primary school. Members of the public only have until this Friday (June 10) to make comments on the application. • Comments by letter, quoting APP/2016/1330, can be sent to Aberdeenshire Council Planning Standards Dept in Gordon House, Blackhall Road, Inverurie AB51 3WA • Or you can submit comments online through the Aberdeenshire Council Planning site. ...On the application page you can see further documents and maps of the proposal. But, the maps in particular, are quite slow to download.

Flood Protection Product Roadshow

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-06-07T14:43:26+01:00

Following the severe floods of January 2016, representatives from the Aberdeenshire Flood Team, SEPA, Garioch Flood Support, Inverurie Round Table and community councils from the area are staging a Flood Protection Product Roadshow. The Roadshow will take place this Saturday, June 11 from 12 noon to 3 pm at the Royal British Legion in Inverurie. The event will be aimed at people in Garioch who were affected by the flooding in January. In particular it will focus on products that are available that may help to prevent damage in the case of future flooding and financial support.

Application for Kintore East development

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-05-27T18:11:38+01:00

The consortium behind the Kintore East development have submitted an application for approval of matters specified in the planning permission in principle for the 600-house Kintore East development. The plans submitted with the application show the proposed layout of elements of the major expansion of Kintore, including the new school, access roads and the proposed location of community facilities. This new application follows on from the approval in November 2015 of the Kintore East outline application for 600 houses, neighbourhood centre, landscaping and open space. ...s=600205&v=6770&q=295627&r=16571"> As the plans make clear the houses will be to the south and east of Tuach Hill with no development on the hill itself. A new access road will be required and this is planned to be from a new roundabout on School Road. The Site and Location Plan in the ‘documents’ section shows the location of the school and the proposed community facility. Kintore and District Community Council are concerned that this is too remote from the existing centre of Kintore. The community community council would prefer to see the community facility located at the start of the access road for Kintore East, at the roundabout on School Road. Comments on the application can be submitted online. If you have specific concerns about this development you can also contact the Aberdeenshire Council East Garioch councillors.

Community council update

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-05-24T11:48:13+01:00

Continuing from the last edition of KK, there is a Flood Recovery plan published by the council and to contribute to that the Community Council were asked to submit our top three priorities for flood prevention in Kintore. It was pretty obvious that we would propose flood prevention measures to be undertaken to prevent future flooding at Macallan Road, Kingsfield Road and Northern Road, the areas most affected by the floods. The steps we proposed were further excavation of the run off behind Macallan Road to increase its capacity, or build a barrier, improve the banking at Kingsfield Road and fix the gaps in the wall and the diversion of the Loch Burn to the river side of the railway embankment to prevent the flooding onto Northern Road. These suggestions have been included in a report covering all flood prevention proposed measures for all of Aberdeenshire to go to the Infrastructures Committee and full council in time for approval and funding. ...The time it may take to effect these changes, emphasis the need for residents / owners to also take their own precautions, where feasible, to limit the extent of flooding in their own properties by using proper door barriers and vent covers which can be obtained through the council. ...A public consultation on this will take place in due course and will involve many community sections to ensure Kintore is well prepared for any emergency that should befall us. ...The construction of the cycle path from Kintore to Inverurie has begun and we look forward to that being completed, giving a safer route for pedestrians and cyclists to Inverurie. There has been little progress in the Town Park development as this has been delayed by negotiations regarding the required modifications to the Kintore Road junction (traffic lights proposed) and modifications to the roundabout at Sandy Thain’s. We also believe the proposed new large development of a 300 person facility in Midmill will now see Transport Scotland requiring compulsory modifications to Broomhill Roundabout to maintain decent traffic flow on the A96, this we understand will be carried out by the Midmill developers. We received a copy of the feasibility study for the Town House, which is very promising, proposing an upper floor function room with separate bar area suitable for small weddings, corporate functions and small music performances. ...There is further scope in the lower floors to provide for a commercial venture which would help pay for the upkeep of the building and they will be looking for something that will be sustainable and hopefully bring people to Kintore. ...The broadband service experienced by some residents still remains an issue within certain areas in and around Kintore and we have written to BT and the council directors to complain about the poor service, despite the claims from BT and the significant investment made by the council to help finance this.

Conscientious dog walkers wanted

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-05-12T11:06:58+01:00

Kintore and District Community Council wish to start a Green Dog Walkers Campaign to promote responsible dog ownership and change the attitude towards dog fouling in Kintore. UPDATE: We now have three volunteers to help with the Green Dog Walkers stand on Saturday at the summer festival. We could do with a couple more to help in the afternoon. Are there any keen Dogwalkers that could help for an hour each please. Please get in touch with Brian Johnstone KDCC 07824 834193 Green Dog Walkers that sign up to the pledge to be a responsible dog walker, receive a free doggie gift-dog collar, snood, lanyard or badge and are asked to carry extra poo bags to help those who don't have or run out. We are hoping to have a stall at the Kintore Summer Festival, dependent on volunteers. Children are very welcome to help. The Aberdeenshire Council website that has all the details is: www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/media/12878/GreenDogWalkers-Handbook.pdf Contact: brianjohnstone54@btinternet.com or telephone 07824 834193 if you are interested.

New section of cycle path almost complete

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-05-09T13:04:48+01:00

The new cycle path running from Kintore to Port Elphinstone along the east side of the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness trunk road, has taken a big step forward. The construction of the section between Kintore (starting by the entrance to the Overdon Care Home) and Kintore Business Park is now almost complete. "The new section of path between Kintore and Kintore Business Park looks great,” says Councillor Martin Ford (pictured on the cycle path above), an avid cyclist. “I shall continue to press for the planned linking cycle path between Kintore Business Park and the Thainstone roundabout to be built as soon as possible." Following representations from Cllr Ford, a feasibility study was undertaken in 2012 into the possibility of a cycle path between Kintore and Port Elphinstone entirely on the east side of the A96 over the full length of the route. There is currently a cycle path on the east side of the A96 between Port Elphinstone and the Thainstone roundabout. Between Thainstone and Kintore though, Councillor Ford points out, until now there has been nothing for cyclists on the east side of the A96, and just a very poor path adjacent to the A96 on the west side of the road. Anyone wanting to cycle between Kintore and Port Elphinstone/Inverurie therefore has had to cross the A96 dual carriageway near Thainstone or cycle part of the way on the trunk road itself. Council officers are reported to be working on resolving remaining issues to enable a cycle path to be built between Kintore Business Park and the Thainstone roundabout. The cost of the cycle path is estimated at £300,000.

Clearing up the EO broadband confusion

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-05-05T14:50:23+01:00

Trying to get information about the availability of super-fast broadband, through the programme publicly funded by the Scottish Government and its partners, is proving an almost impossible process. Enquiries about the date when a particular property will be enabled are met with suggestions that you check the line checker, or with a bland statement that the aim of the scheme is to connect 95% of lines by 2018. ...Fibre was initially enabled for those subscribers who are connected to the green distribution cabinets that are a common sight in the built-up areas of Kintore. But, like many longer-established towns and villages, Kintore has a high proportion of direct connections, known as ‘Exchange Only’ or EO lines. ...As far as I can establish, these new cabinets will be installed at the Kintore exchange and the fibre broadband signal will then be sent to the premises using the existing copper wire telephone line. But, if the premises are more than 1,200 metres from these cabinets, the losses incurred in the copper wire network will mean that there is effectively no speed benefit from fibre. So, if like us, you are on an EO line outside that 1,200-metre radius, where does that leave you? ... ... • Aberdeenshire Council, who are investing £16 million in the programme, seem unable to get any answers as to when, or even if we will be connected. ...However it is likely that rural properties that are some distance from Kintore are unlikely to benefit from this work as the distance between the property and the cabinet will be too great for there to be any speed increase by upgrading to fibre.” ...But the technology to connect more remote EO lines not only exists, it appears to be already installed in parts of Aberdeen! If you take the road from Clinterty across to the Five Mile Garage you will see fibre splitters, like the one pictured below, fixed to telephone poles around Rivehill and Clinterty. So, can I suggest to Digital Scotland, BT and OpenReach, that – rather than confusing us – how about giving us some real information about the programme.

Carry out plan for former Peerie Pantry

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-05-03T18:26:58+01:00

A planning application has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for a change of use of the former Peerie Pantry premises to change them to a take-away food shop. The plan is to create a serving counter and waiting area in the former cafe. The application, in the name of David Barron, states the new take-away will be open seven days a week from 12 noon to 10 pm and it estimates the total number of vehicle movements at 20 cars and two lorries per day.

Special Landscape Area proposed for Bennachie

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-04-18T12:33:16+01:00

Aberdeenshire Council is proposing ten Special Landscape Areas, one of which would include the landscape around one of Aberdeenshire’s most iconic mountains – Bennachie. The aim of the Special landscape area is to conserve the landscape of these areas and, where possible, to enhance them. Details of the proposed Aberdeenshire Special Landscape areas is included in a newly published document. The Bennachie case is presented on page 20 of the document, with maps on page 61 and 62. Save Bennachie – the campaign group set up to defend Bennachie from the treat of one of the routes proposed for the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness dualling – is encouraging people to support the proposal of the Special Landscape Area as a way to protecting the iconic hill from the possible route. For people in Kintore there may be some disappointment that the proposed Bennachie Special Landscape Area excludes Bruce’s Camp (the hill above the Thainstone House Hotel) and the ridge running south to Clovenstone and Tom’s Forest. Bruce’s Camp and this ridge provide the foreground for the Mither Tap on Bennachie when viewed from the east – notably for visitors arriving in the area on the A96. Including these areas in the Bennachie Special Landscape Area might help to safeguard the view of Bennachie: • from proposals to allow housing on the fields of the eastern slope to just below the summit of Bruce’s Camp • from proposals to extend the business park up to just below the ridge line above the Thainstone Centre. ...You may wish to simply state your support for the proposed Bennachie Special Landscape Area. Or you may wish to urge the council to add in Bruce’s Camp and the ridge south to Tom’s Forest.

Still stuck in the broadband slow lane

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-04-05T14:40:55+01:00

It is now two years since Kintore was connected to the fibre network. ...There are still many households connected to the Kintore exchange that, two years after the fanfare for the arrival of superfast broadband, are still stuck in the broadband slow lane. Most of those who are still stuck in the copper wire era of broadband are on lines that are connected direct to the exchange. ‘Exchange only’ lines they are called and, in Kintore, there are quite a lot of them. Those who are on these ‘EO’ lines, including ourselves, go periodically to the ‘check whether you can get superfast broadband’ web pages and enter our telephone numbers in the vain hope that something has been done to allow us to join the 21st century. With fingers firmly crossed we type in our phone number and up comes the message that because we are on an ‘EO’ line we cannot apply for superfast broadband. ... Any follow-up requests for any indication of when we might be connected are stonewalled. Yes, we do realise that these lines may be a little more challenging, Yes, it is easy to accept OpenReach’s response that “we need to do a bit more work to bring fibre to the area”. But, you have had two years to “do a bit more work to bring fibre to the area” and we still cannot access superfast broadband due to no fault of our own. ...In any case a quick search on Google quickly reveals that OpenReach apparently resolved the ‘EO’ technology question in 2014. After all that – with the millions of pounds of our money that the Scottish Government and Aberdeenshire Council are pouring into providing superfast broadband for rural areas in North-east Scotland – it is no wonder that we feel a bit miffed to be left out in the cold. Trying to lead a 21st century lifestyle with a 20th century communications network is not easy.

Aberdeenshire Council flood update

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-04-01T17:02:08+01:00

There are no plans to issue any further Garioch Flood Bulletins but we will email information as it becomes available. ...Paul Hendy from Scottish Flood Forum will provide assistance for all Flooding and Insurance queries. This is an opportunity for residents from anywhere in Garioch who were affected by flooding to get expert advice and support regarding insurance claims, drying out properties, property repairs and any other questions related to flooding and its impacts. Paul can be contacted by phone 07747702299 (if he is unable to answer, send a text with your number and he will call you back) or email paul@scottishfloodforum.org ...Due to low attendance, the drop in sessions in Kintore and Port Elphinstone have now ceased but residents from these communities are welcome to attend the continuing sessions in Kemnay as detailed below: ...Wednesday 6th April – Kemnay Village Hall 4pm – 8pm Wednesday 13th April – Kemnay Village Hall 4pm – 8pm Wednesday 20th April – Kemnay Village Hall 4pm – 8pm Wednesday 27th April – Kemnay Village Hall 4pm – 8pm ...This group has no planned drop in sessions but if you need any advice please contact them directly by email - gariochflood2016@gmail.com or send a private message through the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Inveruriefloodsupport/ ...Please find a link below to the Garioch Area Committee Agenda of 15th March 2016 (Flood Recovery Plan is item 16). The Garioch Area Committee approved the Flood Recovery Plan for inclusion in an Aberdeenshire wide plan to be considered by Infrastructure Services Committee. All identified Aberdeenshire projects will be prioritised and an action plan drawn up in due course. ...The Garioch Flood Recovery Group has now been established and will hold its first meeting in April.

Would you like an allotment?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-04-01T11:58:23+01:00

More and more people are realising the benefits of growing their own produce. Tending an a garden is a healthy occupation that gets you out into the fresh air and gives you physical exercise without need a gym membership! And, of course, the results of your labours are fruit and vegetables that are full of nutrients. Plus, the bonus is the amount you save on your grocery bill. But, not everyone has a garden and, if they do, it may not be big enough for growing fruit and vegetables. That’s where allotments come in. A Kintore allotment enthusiast, Mark Zhang, has contacted us to ask if there are others out there who would like to see allotments in Kintore. He has found out that Aberdeenshire Council have no plans to set up allotments in Kintore, but would consider it if more than six people request the provision of allotments. If you are interested, please contact Mark Zhang on 07817 959089.

Have you tried to get a doctor's appointment

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-03-31T11:20:48+01:00

Have you tried to get a doctor’s appointment recently? If you phone up today, you will be offered an appointment on April 20. That’s almost three weeks away. By their very nature, a considerable proportion of requests for a doctor’s appointment will be potentially urgent, at least in the minds of patients. They want reassurance and, from a medical perspective, it must be beneficial to catch any problems early. Apparently you have to phone at 8.30 am to have a chance of getting an earlier date. Changed days from when we had a designated family doctor and making an appointment was just a case of calling up and choosing a suitable time. It is puzzling that there seems to be that much more pressure on doctors these days that such a service is consigned to history. Is the increasing time load on doctors the result of: ... • More consultations? • More administration and paperwork? Would embracing new technology and offering video consultations online be one way of making it easier to at least consult your doctor, at which point he, or she, could decide if they need to see you in person?

Garioch Flood Recovery plans

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-03-20T12:10:45+00:00

At Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch Area committee meeting on March 15, committee members considered the Garioch Flood Recovery Plans paper (item 16 on the agenda). The paper notes that flooding occurred on two occasions between Sunday, January 3 and Friday, January 8. On the first occasion the flooding was localised in Inverurie and Kintore and was the result of “drains and sewers being unable to cope as well as the saturated ground”. On January 7, based on SEPA predictions, rest centres were sent up, including one in Kintore at the Public Hall. ...In Inverurie and Port Elphinstone 94 houses and 15 businesses were flooded with 47 houses flooded in Kemnay and a further 12 in Premnay and Auchleven. ...The Emergency Response Phase, which lasted until January 11, was led by Police Scotland with support from the emergency services, NHS Grampian and Aberdeenshire Council and “on the ground with tremendous assistance from volunteers”. Aiming to reduce potential future flooding, the paper identifies the need to clear and maintain drains and ditches as a high priority. ... • Macallan Road: dredge out the channel, giving it more capacity or build a retaining wall/barrier behind the properties. • Kingsfield Road: repair the wall at the south, beside the bridge, and increase the height of the slope/bank, extending this right down to the bridge. • Northern Road: divert the Lochburn flow to stay behind the embankment, but that would mean taking over some of the agricultural land. • Or stop the flow, when flooding is imminent, by moveable barriers/sluice gates installed on the culverts/underpass, stopping water access in and out of the area behind the Fire Station. Potential help from Network Rail, who may be keen to avoid water flowing under the embankment and perhaps undermining the embankment?

New owner for Kintore Barber's shop

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-03-17T11:28:49+00:00

The barber’s shop in Kintore has been taken over by Laura Summers and will be opening on April 1 under the new name of Wiseguys Barber Shop. With the impending opening of The Square bar and lounge on the other side of the Square, it is good to see a new lease of life for the barber’s shop. Hopefully it may encourage others to see the potential in opening businesses in the centre of Kintore. Wiseguys Barber Shop will be holding an open day at the shop on Saturday, April 9 from 12 noon to 4 pm with a chance to meet the new team and enjoy some nibbles, fizz and beers.

Aberdeenshire Council Flood Bulletin 4

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-03-15T11:44:24+00:00

Aberdeenshire Council has issued the following bulletin with information, contacts, support and advice for those affected by the flooding in Garioch. ...The Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support Group (previously located at the Legion) and Scottish Flood Forum have set up drop in sessions as detailed below: ...Tuesday 15th March – INVERURIE COMMUNITY CENTRE from 10am – 2pm Thursday 17th March – PORT ELPHINSTONE COMMUNITY HOUSE from 1pm – 4pm Thursday 17th March – KEMNAY VILLAGE HALL 5.30pm – 8pm ...Attendance at the drop in sessions in the Inverurie Community Centre has decreased and if this continues over the coming week the frequency of these sessions will be reviewed. Any changes to the timings will be publicised through the Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support Group Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Inveruriefloodsupport/ ...This is an opportunity for residents from anywhere in Garioch who were affected by flooding to get expert advice and support regarding insurance claims, drying out properties, property repairs and any other questions related to flooding and its impacts. Paul can be contacted by phone 07747702299 (if he is unable to answer send a text with your number and he will call you back) or email paul@scottishfloodforum.org If you wish to contact the Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support Group, please email gariochflood2016@gmail.com or send a private message through the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Inveruriefloodsupport/ ...The product market is constantly evolving, with manufacturers developing new and innovative ideas and products, such as the move towards passive flood doors and automatically operating airbrick replacements which require little or no intervention. ...Any residents who have not yet applied are encouraged to do so by using the following link https://online.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/flooding-grant-scheme/. Any residents who have applied and have not had any response should contact Council Tax on 03456 081201 to ensure their application is being processed. ...Further information on the Foundation Scotland Flood Recovery Appeal can be found on their website https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/flood-recovery-appeal/apply-for- funding/ or contact the Grants Team on 0141 341 4960 or email grants@foundationscotland.org.uk ...If you want to request financial assistance from the Round Table either contact them through the Round Table Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/InverurieRT/ or by emailing inveruriert@hotmail.co.uk ...The Garioch Flood Recovery Plan has been developed and will be considered by the Garioch Area Committee at its meeting on 15th March 2016.

Forthcoming rail works

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-03-12T11:01:25+00:00

Network Rail are sending letters to residents close to the Aberdeen to Inverness rail line explaining preliminary site investigation works for the £170 million upgrade of the Aberdeen to Inverness rail line. ...“Although some of this work can be carried out during daytime hours,” Network Rail say in the letter sent to householders, “it will be necessary for some of the work to be undertaken during nightshifts when there are no trains running.” ...Work will start this Saturday in Aberdeen on the section between Kittybrewster and St Machar Road, but will then spread out to other sections of line. ...“I cannot confirm the exact date our contractors will be in the vicinity of your property, however please note that it will not have a continuous effect at any one location over this time period. ... ...“This work will take place at existing railway bridges crossing the railway line at both track and bridge level and at various other locations along the railway corridor. We will be using a variety of equipment which will include track mounted equipment, drilling rigs, hand held drills and jack hammers. “These works are vital to the running of a safe railway, and are carried out while trains are not running to reduce the risks to our staff and contractors. ... Unfortunately, this means carrying out a lot of our improvements during the night and at weekends.” “The equipment we use means some disturbance is unavoidable, but we will make every effort to minimise any unnecessary noise. ...“As the programme of works develops along the route we will be putting in place communication activities designed to keep communities fully informed of the works. I am looking to hold a series of community events throughout March 2016 and will write to you again with further details of the dates and locations.” Network Rail have organised a series of public drop in events in Dyce, Kintore and Inverurie:

New restaurant for Kintore?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-03-02T17:29:43+00:00

Kintore could be about to get a new restaurant. That is the indication from a planning application that has just been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council. The application is for Unit 2, Midmill Parade, Kintore. The remaining vacant site at Midmill Parade was previously proposed as being a new wine bar. Going by the plans ‘The Star of the East’ Restaurant would have 40 seats and the application includes the proposal to use the premises to serve the take-away market.

Aberdeenshire Council Flood Bulletin 3

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-02-26T12:27:49+00:00

Further information on the Foundation Scotland Flood Recovery Appeal can be found on their website https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/flood-recovery-appeal/apply-for-funding/ or contact the Grants Team on 0141 341 4960 or email grants@foundationscotland.org.uk ...If you want to request financial assistance from the Round Table either contact them through the Round Table Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/InverurieRT/ or by emailing inveruriert@hotmail.co.uk ...This is an opportunity for residents from anywhere in Garioch who were affected by flooding to get expert advice and support regarding insurance claims, drying out properties, property repairs and any other questions related to flooding and its impacts. ...If you wish to contact the Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support Group, please email gariochflood2016@gmail.com or send a private message through the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Inveruriefloodsupport/ ...Recent large scale flood events highlight the impact of severe flooding, including the effect on those who struggle to find affordable home insurance estimated to be about 300,000 properties across the UK. Since 2000, flood insurance has been widely available to households at high risk of flooding due to a series of voluntary agreements between the Government and members of the Association of British Insurers (ABI). These agreements did not cover the affordability of the home insurance provided, however, and so the insurance companies and the Government have been working together to develop a different way of dealing with flood insurance. ... An important part of the Flood Re scheme will be to offer help to people to increase their understanding of their level of flood risk and explaining how, where possible, they can take action to reduce that risk. ...All claims will continue to be handled by the insurance companies themselves, and insurers will continue to set the premiums they charge to their customers, taking into account the Flood Re premium and other important factors (such as the risks of fire, theft, subsidence and other costs). As a result of the Flood Re scheme, there should be greater choice of home insurance policies for customers at risk of flooding and those policies should be more affordable. ...This is due to a combination of insurers being able to pass the flood risk to Flood Re, and the policyholder now being able to shop around in a more competitive market that may have been closed to them. Flood Re will not set prices for home insurance, but will give insurers the opportunity of passing to them the flood risk element of a home insurance policy (buildings and contents) at a premium that will be capped, depending on the Council Tax band of the property. ...If you live in a commercial leasehold property and you take out contents insurance (buildings cover is usually through the landlord) then the flood risk element can be covered by Flood Re. Leasehold blocks with three residential units or less will be eligible for Flood Re providing the freeholder responsible for purchasing the buildings insurance lives in the block and the building meets the other required eligibility criteria.

Electricity grid line routing consultation

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-02-24T11:36:18+00:00

Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission plc are organising a public consultation meeting over the corridor for an upgrade to the electrical grid. SHE Transmission are considering an extension to the initially proposed route corridor, which was introduced at public consultation events held in October and November 2015. The additional area being investigated extends the northern boundary of the originally proposed route corridor, including the area between Tillyfourie, Cluny, Craigearn and Kintore Substation. This is part of the Beauly – Blackhillock and Blackhillock – Kintore Reinforcement Projects. The growth in energy generation in the north of Scotland, including from renewable energy sources, like the Caithness wind farm pictured. This has resulted in the need to reinforce the existing SHE Transmission grid system network. SHE Transmission will be holding a consultation on: Wednesday 9 March 2016 Monymusk Village Hall, Monymusk, Inverurie 14:00 - 19:30 The format will be a drop-in consultation with information on display and members of the project team available to answer questions.

Flood drop-in sessions

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-02-23T12:31:33+00:00

The following drop-in sessions have been organised for those in Garioch affected by flooding. The Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support Group will provide advice, support and signposting to different agencies, the Scottish Flood Forum who work together with key agencies and the voluntary sector will provide advice, support and guidance on all aspects of flood recovery. Tuesday 23rd Feb – INVERURIE COMMUNITY CENTRE from 10am till 2pm (Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support Group) Thursday 25th Feb – PORT ELPHINSTONE COMMUNITY HOUSE from 9am – 12 noon (Scottish Flood Forum) Thursday 25th Feb – PORT ELPHINSTONE COMMUNITY HOUSE from 1pm – 4pm (Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support Group) Thursday 25th Feb – KEMNAY VILLAGE HALL 5.30pm – 8pm (Scottish Flood Forum) Monday 29th Feb - INVERURIE COMMUNITY CENTRE from 7pm – 9pm (Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support Group) Tuesday 1st March - INVERURIE COMMUNITY CENTRE from 10am till 2pm (Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support Group) Thursday 3rd March – PORT ELPHINSTONE COMMUNITY HOUSE from 1pm – 4pm (Inverurie and Garioch Flood Support Group and Scottish Flood Forum) Thursday 3rd March – KEMNAY VILLAGE HALL 5.30pm – 8pm (Scottish Flood Forum)

Peerie Pantry to close

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-02-19T15:21:05+00:00

We got the sad news that the Peerie Pantry is to close after six years as a favourite stopping spot for locals and visitors seeking coffee, tea, home bakes and meals. In message on their Facebook page, the Peerie Pantry team say: “Thank you all for your support over the last six years. I'm afraid to say and with a heavy heart, that we handed the keys to the Peerie Pantry back to the landlord today. “Unfortunately due to the high costs involved in refurbishing the premises after the recent flooding, we are unable to continue trading. The landlord already has plans afoot, and they don't involve running it as a cafe. “We have had a great time running the Peerie Pantry and built up such a super relationship with so many people in Kintore and the surrounding area. What with the daytime cafe, private bookings, cake making and birthday parties. “It really is sad to say goodbye. Jane, Alison, Karen and Jo. X”

Looking for history of Kintore Arms

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-02-19T14:45:38+00:00

The new lessee of the pub in the Kintore Arms Inn is looking for information about the history, or any other interesting facts about the Kintore Arms. If you have any information about the Kintore Arms Inn, please email editor@kintore.org.uk and we’ll update this website and pass on the information to the new pub lessee. Any information you may have would be helpful. What is the history? When was the Kintore Arms built? What was its role over the years? Have you any photographs you would like to share?

What are your flood prevention priorities?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-02-17T12:17:51+00:00

Following the devastating flooding in Kintore last month, Aberdeenshire Council have asked Kintore and District Community Council to identify what it believes are the three highest flood prevention priorities in the town. At last night’s (Tuesday, February 16) community council meeting, members of the community council identified these as priorities: • Preventing the Torryburn Flooding onto Kingsfield Road, with further banking and wall repairs. • Preventing flooding onto Macallan Road with banking. • Preventing the Lochburn flooding onto Northern Road, perhaps by keeping the burn on the East Side of the railway line. Do you agree with these priorities? Do you have others you wish to suggest? Please send your comments to info@kintorecommunitycouncil.co.uk. You can also post a comment on this page, or comment on our Facebook Page. “Kintore and District Community Council will be canvassing views soon for our local Community Resilience Plan,” adds Brian Johnston, chairman of the community council, “so will be in touch seeking your views to then work towards a joint agency meeting to further discuss and review.”

Aberdeenshire Council Flood Bulletin 2

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-02-12T11:02:06+00:00

Individuals affected by flooding at the end of December and early January can now get up to £1,000 to help restore their homes. ...Further information on the Foundation Scotland Flood Recovery Appeal can be found on their website https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/flood-recovery-appeal/apply-for-funding/ or contact the Grants Team on 0141 341 4960 or email grants@foundationscotland.org.uk ...If you want to request financial assistance from the Round Table either contact them through the Round Table Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/InverurieRT/ or by emailing inveruriert@hotmail.co.uk ...Paul Hendy from the Scottish Flood Forum will be continuing to run an advice drop in centre on Thursday 11th February and Thursday 18th February as follows: ...This is an opportunity for residents from anywhere in Garioch who were affected by flooding to get expert advice and support regarding insurance claims, drying out properties, property repairs and any other questions related to flooding and its impacts. Paul can also be contacted by phone 07747702299 (if he is unable to answer send a text with your number and he will call you back) or email paul@scottishfloodforum.org ...Steven Donaldson of the Health and Safety Executive will also be at the above venues at the stated times on Thursday 11 February 2016 (but not Thursday 18th) offering advice to residents and businesses on how to choose, and work with, a builder. ...On Thursday 8th January 2016, the bund on Keithhall Road was breached and damaged during the extensive flooding, heavy machines were mobilised and the bund was repaired over the weekend. ...River crossings from the North Esk stretching from the south and the Cairngorms National Park, to the Ythan in Ellon and Newburgh, to the Ugie up to Peterhead are being assessed and action taken to make repairs. ...For the bigger bridges with deeper water generally including several bridges over the River Don, divers are to be brought in to assist with the inspection of bridge support foundations which are normally under water. ...Citizens Advice Scotland and the Scottish Flooding Forum are inviting anyone who has been affected by flooding to participate in a short survey. ...The Garioch Area Manager is organising meetings with the residents of areas in Garioch which were affected by flooding in order to listen to the issues and gather their priorities to include in the Aberdeenshire Strategic Flood Recovery Plan.

Thainstone Business Park extension 'breaches' LDP

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-02-04T10:01:06+00:00

This is an impression of how the view of Bennachie from beside Kintore Golf Club could look if the proposal, to extend the Thainstone Business Park up the hill beside Bruce’s Camp, is approved. But, it has emerged that part of the proposed development would appear to conflict with the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan. ...The southern section of the site, adjoining Clovenstone, is zoned as SR2 on the Local Development Plan. This designation means the land is “strategic reserve” land and should not be released for development until 2024-2030. As such it would appear that the application breaches Aberdeenshire Council’s Local Development Plan. Objections on the basis of this breach of the Local Development Plan could result in the refusal of the 17 hectares of land that are zoned as SR2. You can also post an objection to the plan online until February 11. Go to the online comments form, add your name and address and your comments. ...Even if you have already submitted a comment, you can make a new submission, possibly highlighting the potential breach of the LDP if development were approved on land zoned as strategic reserve. ...“The Don valley between Dyce and Inverurie is a picturesque area with our iconic Bennachie in the background and is highly visible from many vantage points around the area. “This beautiful landscape is at risk due to a proposal to change 50+ acres of farmland to commercial use on a very prominent hillside which is visible for many miles around, this equates to about 32 football pitches which is a considerable amount of land.” You can sign the petition on Change.org at www.change.org/p/aberdeenshire-council-protect-the-beautiful-landscape-of-the-lower-don-valley-aberdeenshire.

Aberdeenshire Council flood bulletin

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-02-02T17:32:37+00:00

Aberdeenshire Council has issued the following bulletin with information, contacts, support and advice for those affected by the flooding in Garioch. ...Further information on the Foundation Scotland Flood Recovery Appeal can be found on their website, or contact the Grants Team on 0141 341 4960 or email grants@foundationscotland.org.uk ...We have been informed by the Scottish Government that anyone affected should register in the first instance with their local Rural Payments Office. ...If you are at all suspicious try and get a name, contact number, type of vehicle and registration number and contact Aberdeenshire Council Trading Standards Division based in Inverurie on 01467 628323. ...Paul Hendy from the Scottish Flood Forum will be continuing to run an advice drop in centre in Kemnay Village Hall 9am – 12noon, Port Elphinstone Community House 1pm – 4pm and The Bothie, Kintore 5pm – 8pm for the next 4 Thursdays commencing 28th January. This is an opportunity for residents from anywhere in Garioch affected by flooding to get expert advice and support regarding insurance claims, drying out properties, property repairs and any other questions related to flooding and its impacts. Paul can be contacted by phone 07747702299 (if he is unable to answer send a text with your number and he will call you back) or email paul@scottishfloodforum.org ...type(iframe)loc(168238)';TDIframe.id = TDIframe.newTDId();document.write('');document.getElementById(TDIframe.id).src=TDIframe.url; ...Where householders have been held up waiting for the go ahead to dispose of household contents and personal belongings, they should contact the Wasteline giving details and the request will be passed to the relevant depot team to arrange collection with the householder. ...Businesses who have been affected by the flooding are advised to contact their insurance provider to deal with the clearance of flood damaged items. Businesses who receive trade waste and recycling services from Aberdeenshire Council may have charges waived for an agreed period due to the impact of flooding and should contact the trade waste team. ...We have been informed that SSE have a dedicated number assigned for customers who have had to leave their homes due to the flooding and any queries about cancellation of direct debit can also be done using this number: 0800 9121512. ...The ABI have said that people affected by floods should not need to project manage the repairs to their properties themselves, their Loss Adjuster should be managing this on their behalf, unless the customer chooses to use their own/local builders and contractors. ...BT - To let them know you have been flooded out and cannot return to your home phone 0800 800 150 - When you get the automated response you need to say 'Customer Options Team'.

Scottish Flood Forum drop-in sessions

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-25T16:33:55+00:00

The Scottish Flood Forum will be continuing drop-in sessions for flood victims in garioch running each week now until February 18. The sessions will be on Thursdays: • January 28 • February 4 • February 11 • February 18. On each of these days the Scottish Flood Forum will be at the following Garioch venues: ... • 9am – 12noon - Kemnay Village Hall, 8 Aquithie Rd, Kemnay, AB51 5SS. • 1pm - 4pm - Port Elphinstone Community House, 1 Pinewood House, Elphinstone Road, Port Elphinstone, Inverurie AB51 3UX • 5.30pm - 8pm - in Kintore Bothie, Allendale Gardens, Kintore, AB51 0UT The Scottish Flood Forum will be able to provide detailed advice and assistance for those affected by this month’s flooding. Meanwhile, you can check some of the useful information we have gathered on this page.

Feb 19: Variety show in aid of flood victims

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-21T19:16:20+00:00

Inverurie Rotary Club is organising a variety show to be held in Inverurie Town Hall on 19 February in aid of flood victims from Inverurie, Kemnay and Kintore. At 6.30pm for a 7pm start this will be a show featuring the Garioch Fiddlers, the Glee Club, a conjurer, a comedian and other acts. Tickets, priced at £10 each, went on sale yesterday and as of 5.40 today, there were only 20 left for balcony seats! At present, the sole contact for tickets is Roger Langtree on 07813 002781 and if you interested, please contact him soon. If there any still any available, tickets will be on sale at Inverurie Town Hall on 30 January and 6 February, between the hours of 10am and noon.

Flood victims urged to collect donations

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-21T17:31:54+00:00

There is an urgent need for flood victims to collect equipment that was donated for their use. This is because the 'flood response' centre is likely to be moving soon. “I was at a meeting this afternoon and one of the matters discussed is the urgent need for flood victims to call at the British Legion and collect equipment which was donated for their use,” explains Kenny Thomson of Kintore and District Community Council. “The ‘flood response’ centre and its staff is likely to be moving to the Community Centre soon and it would be better if a lot of equipment didn’t have to go with them. “The items include towels, refuse bags, rubber gloves, duct tape, bleach and other cleaning fluids, kitchen towels, folding crates and cardboard and plastic boxes with lids. “These items were kindly donated for the use by flood victims and that is who should get them, so don’t be embarrassed folks, please go along to the British Legion, Inverurie to collect them.” The ideal time to collect items is this weekend and between the hours of 11am and 5pm on Saturday and 12 noon to 4pm on Sunday. Can you please pass on the message to flood victims who may not have regular access to the internet?

Fundraisers for flood victims

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-21T12:18:44+00:00

Apologies for the short notice, but notification of these flood fundraising events have only just been passed to us today. The first is tonight (Thursday, January 21)!

Development 'will spoil views of Bennachie'

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-20T12:43:50+00:00

An application APP/2015/3793 has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for a commercial development on the hill above the existing Thainstone Business Park. The map indicates that the development would be spread across the hill below Camiestone farm, from Clovenstone right across the hill to the trees in front of Thainstone Hotel. The photograph towards the bottom of this page indicates the location in red viewed from Hill of Balbithan with Millstone Hill on Bennachie behind. Objectors argue that a new commercial development close to the ridge line in front of Bennachie will spoil its landscape setting The proposed commercial development to the west of the existing Thainstone Business Park, will take development up close to the top of the ridge that runs south from Bruce’s Camp – named after King Robert the Bruce who was believed to have sited a hill fort there. The ridge from Bruce’s Camp, above Clovenstone to Tom’s Forest are part of the landscape setting for one of the most iconic views of Bennachie – undoubtedly one of Aberdeenshire’s most celebrated hills. The Bruce’s Camp and the ridge provide an outstanding natural setting for Bennachie when viewed from the east – one of the best viewpoints to enjoy the distinctive profile of the Mither Tap. If this commercial development gets the go-ahead then the green ridge will be covered, to just below the summit, with intrusive mosaic of commercial buildings. ...Commercial development is essential if we are to develop our Aberdeenshire economy for the future, creating jobs and opportunities for everyone. But, while there are less-intrusive sites available, do we really need to spoil our iconic landscape with an elevated business park in front of such a celebrated and sensitive landscape? Despite being timed to coincide with the holiday period around Christmas and New Year, this application has already attracted a significant number of objections. ...You can sign the petition on Change.org at www.change.org/p/aberdeenshire-council-protect-the-beautiful-landscape-of-the-lower-don-valley-aberdeenshire.

Plans for Kintore angling beats

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-20T12:22:07+00:00

As many anglers will know there are changes afoot for the Kintore angling beats on the River Don. Kintore Angling Club will be sharing news of Aberdeenshire Councils plans for the beats in 2016. Details will be announced at a meeting of Kintore Angling Club on January 24 at 2pm in the Leys Hotel, Blackburn. ...Anyone interested will be made very welcome. Kintore Angling Club meeting Sunday 24th January 2pm Leys Hotel Blackburn ...Brianjohnstone54@btinternet.com

Kintore Fish Bar hopes to reopen end of month

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-20T11:48:08+00:00

Kintore Fish Bar, which was badly damaged in the floods of January 8, is hoping to reopen for business by the end of the month. Apart from property damage, the water caused considerable damage to the deep fat fryers.

Progress update on AWPR

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-18T12:29:08+00:00

Anyone who has driven around Aberdeen recently cannot fail to be impressed by the speed with which the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route is processing. The new by-pass is now due for completion in the winter of 2017. ... There will also be a number of project open days during January and early February to showcase progress on the project: • Bridge of Don - AECC, Exhibition Avenue, Bridge of Don, AB23 8BL - Monday 25 January 2016, 12noon to 1900hrs ... • Ellon - New Inn, Market Street, Ellon, AB41 9JD - Wednesday 27 January 2016, 12noon to 1900hrs • Dyce - Menzies Hotel, Farburn Terrace, Dyce, AB21 7DW - Thursday 28 January 2016, 12noon to 1900hrs • Newmacher - The Axis Centre, 9 School Road, Newmacher, AB21 0WB - Friday 29 January 2016, 12noon to 1800hrs • Stonehaven - Stonehaven Bowling Club, Recreation Ground, Stonehaven, AB39 2RD - Monday 1 February 2016, 12noon to 1900hrs • Cults - Cults Hotel, 328 North Deeside Road, Cults, AB15 9SE - Tuesday 2 Febraury 2016, 12noon to 1900hrs • Altens/Charleston - Thistle Hotel, Souterhead Road, Altens, AB12 3LF- Wednesday 3 February 2016, 12noon to 1900hrs • Peterculter - Culter Village Hall, 178 North Deeside Road, Peterculter, AB14 0UD - Thursday 4 February 2016, 12noon to 1900hrs • Balmedie - Balmedie Leaisure Centre, Elgie Road, Balmedie, AB23 8YF - Friday 5 February 2016, 12noon to 1900hrs

Kintore flooding pictures

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-16T19:00:19+00:00

While going round to check on houses that were flooded a member of the team from Kintore and District Community Council received these photographs of the flooding last week in Kingsfield Road, Kintore. Reproduced here with the kind permission of those who took the photographs.

Jan 21: Scottish Flood Forum drop-in

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-15T18:11:33+00:00

To support those who were unfortunately flooded last week, the Scottish Flood Forum will be holding a drop-in session in Kintore next Thursday (January 21). As the name suggests you can drop in to speak to the people from the SFF and get their expert advice. The Kintore session is in The Bothie in Allendale Gardens, Kintore (first left on Forest Road heading up from the Town House) between 9 am and 11.30 am. If you cannot manage at that time, the team will also be at: • Port Elphinstone Community House, 1 Pinewood House, Elphinstone Road,Port Elphinstone, Inverurie AB51 3UX from 12 noon to 4 pm. • Kemnay Village Hall, 8 Aquithie Rd, Kemnay, AB51 5SS from 5 pm to 9 pm

Look back at historical flood

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-15T12:02:13+00:00

But, I’m grateful to Abby Miller for who has found a book on Google that talks about even more horrendous floods in this part of Scotland in 1829. The book “An Account of the Great Floods of August 1829” talks about the floods that were caused by a series of spectacular thunderstorms in the region. ...“At Kintore, where the environs are flat, a number of people were taken out of their houses, at the upper windows, by means of boats. At Dyce, the roads were so flooded on both sides of the river, that it was impossible to cross by the bridge…” Elsewhere it talks about how the river Ury and Don joined up before the Bass in the cemetery in Inverury (sic) and how people at the time thought this was alluded to in Thomas-a-Rhymer’s prophet: “The Dee and Don shall run in one, ...The first part, people of the time thought, had been fulfilled by the formation of the Aberdeenshire Canal which ran from the Dee to Port Elphinstone. (It was never financially viable and the canal was sold to the railway company and filled in to make the railway line, but remnants remain at Port Elphinstone. The Port Elphinstone name itself is a reminder of the ambitions of the canal company.) ...But the tombstones that surround it were not as fortunate. “…this churchyard was completely covered, the tops of two or three of the tallest tombstones only being visible; and one of these frail memorials of the dead, was actually carried off by the force of the stream, and deposited on the haugh grounds below Kintore, a distance of four or five miles down the river!” If you want to read more you can read the e-book free at https://play.google.com/store/books/ to read on the web or in the Google play books app on your phone or tablet.

Jan 14: Scottish Flood Forum drop-in

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-13T12:27:27+00:00

The Scottish Flood Forum, who provide support for people affected by flooding, are organising a drop-in sessions TOMORROW (Thursday, January 14) in the Garioch area. The Scottish Flood works together with key agencies and the voluntary sector to provide advice, support and guidance on all aspects of flood recovery. ...The drop- in sessions will take place on Thursday 14 January: ...12pm – 5pm in Port Elphinstone Community House, 1 Pinewood House, Elphinstone Road, Port Elphinstone, AB51 3UX 6pm – 9pm in Friendship Room, Village Hall, 8 Aquithie Rd, Kemnay, AB51 5SS ...Anyone affected by flooding within Garioch is invited to come along between these times. ...Please share this information, particularly with people who may not have internet access. ...It is anticipated that these will be the first of weekly sessions. Further information regarding any future sessions will be issued in due course. You can download the Scottish Flood Forum booklet here. UPDATE: We believe these will be weekly sessions for the immediate future. We’ll endeavour to publish details of the future sessions as they are advised to us.

Helping with the clean-up

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-13T11:48:29+00:00

Helping with the after-flood clean up in the Garioch is an international organisation called Samaritan’s Purse. Samaritan’s Purse is a non-denominational Christian organisation who have, for the past 40 years, assistance and support in the aftermath of disasters. The support they can offer is very practical in that they have been involved in the clean-up after flooding, most recently the floods in Cumbria and other areas of England. Samaritan’s Purse takes its name from the story of the Good Samaritan.

Flooding: useful information

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-13T11:33:03+00:00

Over the past ten days, during the flood emergency, we have been posting useful information on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Kintore/. ...But, on this page we’ve collated some of the useful information below that may no longer be easily found on the Facebook page. Over the next few days someone from Kintore and District Community Council will be visiting premises in Kintore that have been flooded to find out about what remains to be done and what assistance may be needed. ...If you have been flooded and need someone to speak to at Aberdeenshire Council contact: ...If you need to speak to the council about disposal of furniture, or materials damaged by the flood, please speak to: ... ...Aberdeenshire Council are currently working with the Scottish Government to put in place a mechanism for distributing this fund. ...If no ID documents are available due to being lost in flooding apply direct to Royal Mail on 03457 740 740 ...If you have been flooded our of your house, contact Aberdeenshire Council about your council tax. ...Advice on cleaning up after a flood and the precautions you should take. www.nidirect.gov.uk/after-a-flood-clearing-up PDF booklet from Environment Agency ‘What to do before, during and after a flood’ https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/403213/LIT_5216.pdf ...A word from the wise at a recent flood response meeting: don’t be tempted to leave sandbags out after the immediate flooding danger has gone. The sandbag itself, or the stitching, will deteriorate and you will be left with burst sandbags and a piles of sand to clear up!

Jan 16: Fire and Rescue car wash

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-12T13:01:07+00:00

Local firefighters from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are organising a car wash on Saturday, January 16 from 10am to 3pm at the fire station in Inverurie. Donations raised will go towards the Garioch Flood Support.

Financial help for Flooded Communities

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-09T15:08:07+00:00

New funding of over £12 million will be made available to help areas affected by severe weather across Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed today. ...The funding will be used by Local Authorities to provide every household, business premises or charity directly affected by flood water with a grant of £1,500. Local Authorities which have suffered the most damage as a result of the flooding have been allocated a share of the fund, however, people in any part of Scotland who have suffered flood damage as a result of the severe weather can apply for a grant, with Scottish Government meeting the cost. In addition to flood relief support, businesses whose ability to trade has been severely affected by flooding will be able to apply for an additional grant of £3,000 funded by the Scottish Government and administered by their Local Authority. Extra capital funding of up to £5 million will also be made available to Local Authorities to replace infrastructure severely damaged by flood waters – including support for the reinstatement of the A93 between Ballater and Braemar. An Agricultural Floodbank Restoration Grant Scheme of up to £1 million will also be made available to the farming community to seek financial support to restore damaged floodbanks and discussions will continue next week with the industry as to how government can support them through severe weather. The First Minister travelled to Inverurie today to meet with people affected by floods, local business ownerswho offered support in the community and emergency responders. ...“The Scottish Government is committed to providing the support needed to help individuals, business and communities to recover from the damage caused by this unprecedented severe weather with additional support of more than £12 million. “With this new funding, every household and business premises that has seen flood water damage will be able to claim a grant of £1,500 from their Local Authority. ...“We know that the weather has also impacted on business – that is why any business who has had their ability to trade impacted by the flooding will also be able to claim a £3,000 grant. ...I have met with some local business owners who have made a real difference by offering vital support and once again I am amazed by the determination and dedication of all of our emergency services who are working around the clock to save homes and livelihoods. “We do not yet have confirmation of consequentials coming from UK Government flood funds – however, now that the picture of those who need support is clearer, the Scottish Government is acting now to make sure that the people who need help get it.”

The flood

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2016-01-09T10:22:55+00:00

As we were recovering from any excesses on Hogmanay or New Year’s Day, our feeling of bonhomie was interrupted by a looming crisis. ...In any crisis, good communications are vital and so we turned our minds to how we were going to handle this at Kintore.org.uk. Our decision was that we would direct people from this website to our Facebook page, with a prominent splash on the front page of this website providing redirecting links. The reasons for this decision was that Facebook can be quickly updated by a number of people using computers, or mobile devices. ...Since we already had more than 2,000 followers for the Kintore Facebook page it was clear that most people in Kintore were either members of Facebook, or would know someone that was. That potential of the interactivity was perhaps best seen at about 2am on Friday morning when we were able to text chat with people as they faced the floodwater, using their mobile phones. ...But the blue skies yesterday and this morning make it an appropriate time to reflect on all the people who worked so hard over the last few days to help keep us safe. ...Yes, there has been huge inconvenience on the roads (with traffic queues as long as 10 to 12 miles reported), rail and even at Aberdeen International Airport. ...Householders and businesses whose premises have been affected will qualify for a £1,500 grant and businesses may be able to get another £3,000 to help keep their finances out of the red. ...We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the emergency services – the police, the fire and rescue services, the coastguard, the council workers who have worked tirelessly over the past few days. And we must not forget the selfless members of our own community who have provided support and comfort for those who needed it. ...It has been amazing to see the offers of help over the past days, from members of our community and indeed from businesses who have provided support, donated goods or services or provided free emergency accommodation. ...

What would you like to see in the Town House

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-12-12T13:47:14+00:00

In his Kintore and District Community Council update, Brian Johnstone, the chairman, invited ideas or suggestions for future use of the Town House. The intention is to bring the Town House back into use for the benefit of the community. Benefit to the community could be providing something that the community needs. Or, it could be something that brings more people into Kintore, to benefit local businesses. Whatever is done with the Town House has to be financially viable. There is a cost to maintaining facilities, so there has to be an income to support the maintenance and upkeep of the Town House. Various ideas have been suggested to date: • an event venue • a craft centre ...It could of course be a combination of more than one use as there are two floors and the possibility of separate areas on each floor. What do you think? Email your thoughts and suggestions to info@kintorecommunitycouncil.co.uk.

Community Council news December 2015

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-12-11T13:51:49+00:00

A very welcome addition to Kintore shopping facilities, we look forward to the opening of the dentist and hairdressers and as we write this article the application for the Cafe / Wine bar is still undecided, fingers crossed this will be approved. The Kintore Arms Inn has advertised to lease out the bar and restaurant separately or combined so hopefully in a few months we will see it open again. Regarding the location of the 0.6 Hectare site for the proposed Sport & Community Hall, the Community Council attended a meeting with council officers and the NHS it was confirmed that NHS have plans for new facilities in the neighbourhood centre area, but as yet the timetable and budget are yet to be finalised. ...We still await meetings with the Council’s Landscape services to discuss the originally proposed Cricket facilities and other sports facilities that potentially could be provided in the Town Park development. The council Area Committee have agreed to fund a feasibility study by a historic buildings architect to determine what possible work needs and could be done to make the Town House fully usable and accessible. A working group meeting is to be arranged to discuss ideas and aspirations for the use of the town house. ...The community council away an update on our application for a grant for the feasibility study on the prospects for Community Renewable Energy projects. ...They will involve actions by the Kintore Community Council, Aberdeenshire Council, outside agencies like NHS and BT, private and commercial developers, and importantly the Kintore local community to get behind the appropriate projects. Some of the tasks are current and ongoing, others potentially achievable short term and other may take some time, but we will be making plans to complete the tasks within the timetable set out in the plan which has more detail and is available at http://gariochpartnership.org.uk/wp- content/uploads/2015/10/GariochPartners hip_KintoreCAP_LowRes.pdf Following a number of complaints regarding the condition of the primary school playing fields, the Community Council have been in touch with the council who are taking action to address the toilets situation and general cleanliness to allow usage by other community groups. The Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) is now installed on the First Photographic building in the square and we have just purchased the additional “infant key” to be used on a small child or baby. There is a video link and other information on the use of the defibrillator and basic CPR information on the Kintore.org website.

Christmas card delivery in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-12-03T11:45:32+00:00

Between now and December 16, you can have your Christmas cards delivered in Kintore for just 25p per card with all the money going to support Kintore School Parent Council. For the 25p donation per card they will deliver your Christmas cards within the village, walking distance only. Just make sure that envelopes are addressed clearly and are placed in a bag along with the correct fee. You can find the special yellow post boxes around the village. Look for them in the Co-Op, Kintore Pharmacy, Church Entrance, School Foyer and Sainsbury’s Local.

Dec 5: Kintore Christmas Lights switch-on

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-11-22T14:48:07+00:00

The Kintore Christmas lights will be switched on on Saturday, December 5 at 4.30 pm in The Square in front of the Town House. Santa and his elves will be there, as will be our very own Kintore Pipe Band and Christmas music. There will also be drinks, burgers and stalls. Come along and celebrate the start of the Christmas festivities. Thanks to the Kintore Fundraising Team who put in a lot of hard work each year to raise the money for the lights.

Kintore Community Action Plan published

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-11-20T15:26:10+00:00

In the spring there were a series of public consultations aimed at producing a Community Action Plan for Kintore. The Kintore Community Action Plan has now been published and you can download a copy (PDF) or pick up a print copy from: ...Reading the report, it is clear that most residents find Kintore to have a good community spirit with a friendly atmosphere. But, common desires were more and better leisure facilities, improved transport links, more shops and a full-size supermarket, a filling station and the urgent need for the second school. The action pages of the plan highlight the need for: ... ⁃ improved school and community facilities ... ⁃ improvement of bus services and routes ... ⁃ better access to GP and other health services ... ⁃ a local family friendly pub, hotel, or restaurant

Nov 30: Save our angling

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-11-20T14:43:54+00:00

In response to concerns about the future of angling, a meeting has been arranged for Monday, November 30 in the Leys Hotel, Blackburn. The meeting is at 7pm and all interested are invited to attend. For further information call 01467 632538.

Defibrillator use extended

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-11-19T15:11:44+00:00

The PAD defibrillator, available 24-hours for emergency uses on the front of First Photographic in The Square, is now equipped for use on young children. Kintore and District Community Council has purchased what is called an “infant key” which, when inserted into the PAD, will make the defibrillator safe for use with young children. Have you watched the video on the use of the PAD? If not, please take a few minutes right now to take a look. (Note: If you are using an Apple Mac with Safari, there appears to be an issue, please use another browser like Google Chrome.) You should also familiarise yourself with the basics of CPR. With the PAD defibrillator and a knowledge of these basics, you could save a life. The PAD talks you carefully through each step and it carries out the diagnosis and will only deliver a shock if it is medically needed. So please remember. In a cardiac emergency get the defibrillator immediately.

Abbatoir plan for Thainstone

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-11-19T14:31:28+00:00

An abattoir and meat production facility is being proposed for land at the Thainstone Centre. Aberdeenshire Council have received a Proposal of Applications Notice (POAN) for the plan. There are no further detail available at the moment, but there will be more information if the POAN is indeed followed up with an application.

Nov 6: Kintore Fireworks Display

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-10-22T11:41:42+01:00

Following the great success of the 2014 Kintore Fireworks Display, this year’s display will take place on Friday, November 6, 2015. Starting at 6 pm at the Kintore School playing field, the evening will include a display by Pyromanci, bonfire and fireworks display by Fireworx Scotland. There will be a barbecue with burgers, crisps and drinks available. The event will start with the display by Pyromanci, followed at around 7pm by the bonfire and then the fireworks about 7.30pm. Please remember to take a torch and some cash for donations, burgers and refreshments. This is the second year that Kintore and District Community Council has run our revived local fireworks display, so please come along and support this community initiative.

Kintore Arms Inn back on market

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-10-16T12:35:47+01:00

The Kintore Arms Inn appears to be back on the market. A story in last night’s Evening Express says that the 1855 inn is being marketed by commercial estate agent Christie and Co. Although the headlines make it sound like the owner is looking for a buyer, the website talks of a lease. As anyone who has passed the historic inn will see, work is progressing on the plans by current owner Cater Corporation, to create a restaurant and informal dining area in the main part of the inn, with a separate bar.

Howieslap football pitches

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-10-16T12:33:23+01:00

We have received the following comment about the Howieslap football pitch from Darren Green. “I am writing to you to express my concerns for the deterioration and poor upkeep of the Howieslap football pitch. “I am aware the areas grass is tended to. I regularly use the pitch to play football once or twice a week the to keep fit. I have noticed the nets certainly are in need of replacements and furthermore there is a large divert in front of the goal I make use of making that goal area difficult to play in. “I would like to know if something can be done to improve the pitch and nets in the goals. I believe improvements would encourage more people to use the facilities.”

New hair salon opening in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-10-15T15:22:05+01:00

Rebecca Carr will be advertising shortly to fill various roles in the new saloon: Head of house (reception), styling assistants, technical assistants, colour specialists, hair stylists and design specialists. ...Very quickly i progressed through their ranks moving onto higher levels, it was noticed that i was comfortable to offer advise or show people how specific 'cuts' had to be. So i began training the stylists which was ideal as i loved learning myself and constantly looked to push fresh ideas or new techniques. ...I have worked at the highest level i can. i have trained people, been involved in the management side, have been to huge events such as London fashion week and numerous Catwalk shows. ... This allowed me to see where i would improve different aspects, where i would identify from my own point of view what the customer desires when he or she gets their hair cut. I now want to Implement all that I have learned and achieved over the last 15 or so years but do so under my own name. ...This was Key when i initially decided to go alone, the thing about Kintore is it is very relaxed with a very friendly attitude. Kintore is also under constant development this can be seen in the fact my own salon is brand new purpose built a sign that Kintore is very much a village on a constant rise. ...This we be in part to the brands of hair care products used we will have the Ultimate hair care range from Industry leaders KERASTASE this will be a very exclusive product something we know our clients are looking for. Award winning Label M is the official hair product of London Fashion Week we have this fashion Inspired Range that is at the cutting edge of the Industry it benefits my staff also with opportunities for further education in London. We will be working with the No1 colour range in L'Oreal Professional this is very exciting for the salon as this not only keeps us fresh with new formula's that will continuously develop it allows us to offer an unparalleled level of Colour consultation. But the icing on the cake for the customer is the free parking at the door No more City centre circling for 10 minutes looking for a parking space then rushing to your appointment in the rain all flustered, the relaxation of Rebecca Carr Hair Salon begins when you park your car.

Defibrillator in place

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-10-10T13:43:45+01:00

Those of you who have been in The Square, Kintore may have seen that our Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) is now in place on the front of the building occupied by First Photographic. Kintore’s PAD is has real potential to save lives in our community. To do so it has to be easily accessible and in working order 24 hours a day. So it is important that everyone in Kintore recognises how critical this equipment is and that we all work together to ensure that, when it is needed, it is in good working order. In an emergency you have only around three minutes to restore breathing and circulation in someone whose heart and breathing has stopped, so basic CPR training and use of the PAD will hopefully help preserve the life on anyone unfortunate to need the help in Kintore and anywhere else you may be. It is heartening to hear from the British Heart Foundation that instances of vandalism, for PAD equipment, are remarkably low. Let’s make sure that Kintore’s PAD is safeguarded. Please make sure that everyone in your household knows of the PAD and how important it is that it is that it is maintained in good working order at all times. Please read more about the importance of PADs on the British Heart Foundation website. Our thanks to both the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service for the Kintore PAD and their help in organising the training, also First Photographic and their building owner Alex McLeod for allowing Kintore Community Council to install the PAD on the building in The Square, making it central and easily accessible.

Really? You think the countryside is your rubbish bin?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-10-10T12:34:42+01:00

So you buy yourself a coffee in a disposable cup. You drive up past Kintore Golf Club on the Balbithan Road this morning and…. When you finish your coffee. You slide down the window and fling the empty coffee cup out on the road. What sort of person treats the countryside as their own personal rubbish bin to save themselves the trouble of taking the coffee cup/food wrapper/drinks bottle home and putting it in their own bin. Judging by the rubbish on the roadside the answer to that is sadly that many people clearly do. Clearly they hope there will be nobody around to report them for prosecution and a fixed penalty of £80. For those who get caught it could be an expensive cup of coffee!

Vandalism at Gauchhill Wood

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-09-23T06:09:35+01:00

We’re disappointed to hear of a spate of vandalism aimed at bird boxes and bat boxes that had been destroyed in Gauchhill Woods. What makes this particularly shocking is that these boxes were made by children at Kintore Primary School. “I was contacted by a regular user of Gauchhill Woods Kintore to say that bird and bat boxes that were on trees in Gauchhill Wood had been recently vandalised by being removed from the trees and many of them ripped apart and left strewn across the woodland,” explains Alison Sutherland the Garioch Ranger. “As a Countryside Ranger I am regularly asked by Community Groups in Kintore and the local primary school to speak to children and help them learn about the importance of biodiversity, woodland management, how to care for the wildlife and how to be responsible in the outdoors. “This is how these bird/bat boxes came to be in Gauchhill Wood,” Alison continues. “I know that the boys and girls who made these boxes were very proud of them and would regularly visit the site to look at the boxes they had put up and they often asked me if birds had nested in them.” It would be a shame if the local school and community groups were no longer able to do their bit for the biodiversity of Gauchhill Wood, due the actions of a small minority of mindless people.

Sept 14: Ancient Romans raikin aroon Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-09-11T20:59:13+01:00

Kintore author Nancy Jardine is giving a talk at the Kintore Library, on Monday, September 14, entitled “Ancient Romans raikin aroon Kintore”. There is no charge for the event and tickets can be reserved from Kintore Library. The main aspect of Nancy’s talk will be Ancient Roman activity in Kintore and in Scotland in general, with a brief mention of how she used the research in her Celtic Fervour Novels, and in The Taexali Game, (Book 1 of her Rubidium Time Travel Series of Adventures for Middle Grade/ YA readers) which is set in Kintore.

Kintore butcher is North Champion

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-09-05T13:19:32+01:00

Kintore butcher J & G Dossett has been declared the North of Scotland champion for Traditional Steak Pies. Speaking as a fan of Dossett’s steak pies, I’m delighted to offer our congratulations!

Sept 15: Community Council AGM

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-09-03T14:35:01+01:00

The Annual General Meeting of Kintore and District Community Council takes place on Tuesday, September 15 at 7pm in Kintore School. If you are interested in hearing more about the work of the community council, or have a point to make, put that date in your diary. Perhaps you would like to play a part in your community as a community councillor. If so, this is your opportunity. You can read more about the recent work of the community council in the recent Community Council News in this news section of the website. So, make a date for September 15 at 7pm, and come along to support our community!

B944 in Kintore to close for five days

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-09-03T10:18:32+01:00

The B944 Kemnay road will be closed between the roundabout with the B987 and B977 and the Business Park junction for five days from September 28. This is for water main works. The diversion will be by the B977 Gauchhill Road to the former Torryburn Hotel and back to Midmill.

Wine bar and cafe planned for Midmill

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-09-01T12:46:54+01:00

An application has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for a change of use for one of the units at the new retail development at Midmill, Kintore. The application is for a change of use from a food take away to a café-wine bar. The application is for Unit 4 in the new Midmill Parade retail complex which will include the new Sainsbury Local convenience store. The plans for the 93-square-metre unit have been submitted by Ken Mathieson Architectural Design on behalf of Martin Angus. The plans show a cafe with setting for around 38 customers, with a bar server, kitchen and other facilities. Unit four is one of five units in the new development, with the Sainsbury store due to open in around seven to nine weeks time.

Changes in The Square

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-08-31T10:47:51+01:00

Good to see improvements taking place in The Square, which will hopefully restore some of its prestige as the centre of our town. Work has started on renovating the fountain in front of the Town House. Kintore and District Community Council have been working hard with Aberdeenshire Council. ..."The fountain occupies a prominent position in The Square in Kintore and forms part of the setting for the nearby historic buildings,” explains East Garioch councillor Martin Ford. “Both in Aberdeenshire Council and at the community council, discussions have been on-going for some time about bringing the fountain back into use. "There are issues about how to repair the damaged top of the fountain in a way that makes it less susceptible to damage in the future, has an acceptable appearance and still allows the fountain to work. Also, if the fountain does operate, there will be some on-going running costs relating to keeping the water clean and safe. "In principle, though, the view expressed at the community council and elsewhere is that the fountain should be put back into operation. The three local Aberdeenshire councillors have all voiced their support for getting the fountain repaired." Meanwhile, work to re-open the Kintore Arms as a restaurant, cafe and bar, has started as you can see in the photo below. The Square, dominated by our 18th century Town House with its prominent stairs to the council chamber, is Kintore’s jewel in the crown. With plans to improve the setting of the Town House and plans to make better use of the building for the community and visitors, these are exciting times for Kintore.

Sainsbury's recruitment for new store

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-08-27T14:33:42+01:00

Sainsbury’s, who are opening a Sainsbury’s Local store in Kintore between six and nine weeks from now, are starting their recruitment. “We are looking forward to opening a new store in one of the fastest growing north east towns,” says Sankar Kandasamy, the Store Manager, “ and we are recruiting for various positions in the store.” You can apply for jobs online at the sainsburys.jobs website.

Sept 5: Crash live

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-08-27T10:22:28+01:00

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is staging a Crash Live event as part of its commitment to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads in Aberdeenshire. ...The Crash Live event in partnership with Tesco is taking place at Tesco Car Park, Inverurie on Saturday, September 5 and runs between 10am and 1pm. ...Tesco is working in conjunction with the Scottish fire and rescue to reduce road accidents, helping to make the local community a safer place to work and live. Not only will there be the mini crash live event but other safety activity events within the store. ...The aim of Crash Live is to raise awareness locally and enhance road safety across Aberdeenshire, an area which has witnessed its share of serious and fatal road incidents. ...Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will also take the opportunity to promote fire safety within the home with the offer of booking a free home fire safety visit. ...Crash Live is aimed at all ages and will involve inputs from SFRS (firefighters will be speaking about the difficult and often traumatic work they do at the scene of road traffic collisions) and there will be ‘live’ simulation of the aftermath of a serious road traffic collision. The incident will focus on the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s response to such an incident and focus on all aspects. ...SFRS Station Manager Chay Ewing said: “The purpose of this event is to highlight the consequences of road traffic collisions and how they affect families of those involved as well as the businesses that employ them. ...“Our aim is to highlight to key local employers the role that they can perform in changing the attitudes of the road users in Aberdeenshire and help reduce the numbers of people who are killed or seriously injured on our roads. ...“Such incidents can result in a loss in productivity through staff shortfalls due to sickness but also be costly to employers as well as employees.” ...11:30 - HFSV, appliance show and tell, Recruitment, community safety, events for kids

Community Council News

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-08-20T15:05:02+01:00

Building work is progressing well at the Sainsbury’s site at Midmill, as well as the small Sainsburys supermarket, the plans are for a Dentist and a Hairdresser, but sadly we are advised that the Chinese Take-Away will not be returning, therefore the fourth unit remains to be signed up contractually. In progressing the location of the 0.6He site for the proposed Sport & Community Hall, the Community Council awaits meetings with the Council Planning and Roads department and the NHS to discuss the space available and their allocations for a modified roundabout and NHS future provisions. ...We are keen to have the S&C Hall as close to the community as possible so are keen to have these discussions at the earliest opportunity before plans are set in stone and cannot be changed. ...There has also been requested tennis courts and a skatepark, but we will have to see what space there is and how these additional facilities can be funded. ...Also following the recent delays caused by the temporary traffic lights at the staggered junction, we have written to the planning department to questioned the suitability of traffic lights at this junction given the serious queuing back on to the A96 at tea-time. Following the approval on 18th May of the latest plans for the Kintore Arms Inn, Including retention of the lettable rooms, we notice that there is some internal modification going ahead. ...The Council are looking for funds towards a feasibility study by Malcolm Fraser (an historic building architect and advisor) to determine what is possible in terms of refurbishment to enable maximum use of all of the floors and rooms, to satisfy accessibility requirements. There have been discussions about the fountain requiring the water treatment and testing for legionnaire’s disease, the community council have been in touch with a water treatment company to determine the risks and the costs associated with the treatment and testing. ...Now we have two interested landowners, our proposed Community Renewable Energy projects is now proceeding to the tender stage for consultants to perform a feasibility study to determine the potential of the proposed sites for wind turbines. ...Parents are asked to advise their children of the risks of any fires set in woodland, both Hall Forest and the woods on Tuach Hill which seem to be popular meeting places for some of the older children. ...We met with the council manager at the pavilion and after our joint inspection of the facilities, he assured us that the toilet blockage will be cleared and steps will be taken to ensure the pavilion remains in a clean and useable condition for all members of the community. ...The Community Council will be attending the Sunflower Festival in Kintore Church on Sat 5th and Sun 6th September, there will be many activities for all ages and all are encouraged to come along. ...We briefly discussed the plans and location of the railway station at the North End of the town and discussed the work to be done in our area. Unfortunately in order to maintain a rail service, this will again mean overnight work in stages from Inverurie to Aberdeen and following past complaints will advise more of the residents of the nature and timing of the work.

Public access defibrillator training

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-08-20T09:15:22+01:00

As we now have a Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) to be installed on the First Photographic building in the square, KDCC have arranged a PAD and basic emergency first aid training course. This will held in the Bothie (in Allendale Gardens, first left on Forest Road, heading up from the Town House) on Saturday, August 29. at 10.00am until 12 noon. There are still a few places left and anyone interested can attend for free. If there is sufficient interest we may be able to arrange an afternoon session as well, but in the first instance please confirm your interest and ability to attend the morning session. For information the PAD (similar to the one above) was provided to the Kintore Community following the request of the Community Council. It is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered to us along with the training by NHS Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service. We are very grateful to both the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service for the PAD and their help in organising the training, also First Photographic and their building owner Alex McLeod for allowing us to install the unit on the building in the square, making it central and easily accessible. In an emergency you have only around 3 minutes to restore breathing and circulation in someone whose heart and breathing has stopped, so basic CPR training and use of the PAD will hopefully help preserve the life on anyone unfortunate to need the help in Kintore and anywhere else you may be. To book places on the course, please email info@kintorecommunitycouncil.co.uk. Please reply by Monday 24th August.

Name confusion in an emergency control room would be no joke

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-08-17T14:51:58+01:00

Many of us have laughed at the Flying Pigs and their sketches about the confusing place names in Aberdeenshire. ...Those in the know are aware that Duguid, Garioch and Finzean are definitely not pronounced as they are spelt. ...I also remember an Aberdeenshire magazine editor telling how she and her business partner went to the Bank of Scotland in Inverurie for a business meeting, only to find that the call centre had booked their meeting in Inveraray! ...There are many of us who believe that local knowledge is vital in terms of responding to an emergency. ... if the emergency control operators know the area, know how flustered people in an emergency will pronounce place names and know roughly how to get from Strachan to Finzean. For us, the suggestion that Scottish Police will close the emergency call centre in Aberdeen, is more than a little concerning. With the best will in the world, people in Dundee, can’t know the lie of the land in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire as someone living and working in the area. That’s why it is important that – if you share these concerns – you take the time to respond to the questionnaire. ...So if you care about the effectiveness of emergency response to your 999 call, now is the time to act – not when you need the call centre to know how to get emergency services to you. You should enter your comments in the second last page of the questionnaire, when it invites you to “Please add any further information or comments about police call handling in Scotland”. ...This is where I suggest you voice concerns about the importance of local knowledge in handing emergency calls. With the best of intentions, people outside the local area will not have the same intimate knowledge of place names and locations.

Aberdeen's finest casinos

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-08-04T15:39:09+01:00

Aberdeen is widely considered one of the UK’s finest cities, featuring an array of cultural and historical sights to see, a superbly varied nightlife, museums and galleries to delight the eyes and mind. For example, those interested in military history will want to explore the Gordon Highlanders Museum, which is dedicated to that regiment – and has friendly, knowledgeable staff to explain the exhibits. On the other hand, Duthie Park is more likely to appeal to wildlife lovers, while there is also a thriving casino industry. ...Part of the popular chain, the Grosvenor G Casino can be found at 5 Exchequer Row. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, just like an online casino, and is still considered one of the city’s big gaming outlets. You will find table games of 3-Card Poker, Blackjack and Roulette in the middle of the gaming floor and slot machines around the edges – with 20 of the latter available and 22 table and poker games (12 poker ones). Themed machines include the likes of Lucky Lady’s Charm and Book of Ra, while the restaurant is another big plus point of this casino, as the steak dinners are superb. ...Many consider this one of the best casino in the city – and it is certainly one of the most popular – with 20 slot machines and 11 table and poker games. You can find Blackjack (3 tables), American Roulette (8 tables) and Casino Stud Poker (2 tables), as well as one machine providing Electronic Roulette. While not as sizeable as the Grosvenor G, it is definitely one of the places gaming fanatics should be sure to pay a visit to. ...The building is a converted church and retains features like the stained glass windows and organ – making for a unique atmosphere. It’s the newest addition to the gaming scene in Aberdeen, and is smaller but more exclusive. If you are a player of mobile casino games then you will love the 3-Card Poker tables, 7 Blackjack tables and 5 Roulette games. ...Although Aberdeen is noted for the culture and history it has on offer, the nightlife and gaming in the city is not to be sniffed at either.

New retail development planned for School Road

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-08-04T11:29:04+01:00

An application has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for a change of use of business premises at the junction of School Road and Tuach Road in Kintore to create a retail unit. The premises, known as the Forties Business Centre and formerly occupied by Safelift, are at 32 School Road, Kintore. Previous applications for the site were were submitted in 2007 and 2008. The 2007 application was for demolition of the existing premises and the erection of retail units. The 2007 application was withdrawn and a revised application submitted the following year for demolition and erection of a mixed use development of retail with short-stay serviced apartments. This second application was refused. The new application for a client in Aberdeen, is for a 24 sq m retail unit with store, office and kitchen. Three parking spaces are planned on the site.

Sept 5-6: Kintore Sunflower Festival

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-07-20T11:44:11+01:00

The Kintore Sunflower Festival is on Saturday and Sunday, September 5 and 6 in Kintore Church Hall. On Saturday, September 5 from 2 to 4.30pm there will be sunflower competitions, quizzes, community group showcases, sideshows, face painting, music, sunflower crafts to make and even sunflower refreshments! On Sunday, September 6 from 10am to 2pm the activities start with the Sunflower Festival morning service – ‘Food for Thought’. This will be flooded by a Sunflower Treasure Hunt, walk and barbecue. • There will be competitions for all ages: • Ice three cupcakes to look like sunflowers. • Make a Sunflower using recycled materials. • Miniature garden in a seed tray. • Entries should be at the Church Hall by 2pm on Saturday, September 5. There will be some small prizes!

Football and cooking for the over 60s

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-07-17T11:44:41+01:00

Walking Football and ‘Learn to Cook’ sessions for the over 60s. Every Friday from August 21 to October 9 from 12 noon to 2pm at the Garioch Community Kitchen, Wyness Hall, Jackson Street, Inverurie AB51 3QB. To book please call the kitchen on 07729 297892 or email gariochcommunitykitchen@hotmail.co.uk

Temporary traffic lights causing hold-ups

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-07-01T10:56:08+01:00

The temporary traffic lights at the Midmill Business Park and Kemnay junctions in Kintore are causing considerable problems, particularly at rush hours. At peak times after 5pm, the tailback for the traffic lights is backing up all the way back to the A96 – where standing traffic queuing on the dual carriageway and roundabout is an obvious safety hazard. One Kintore resident contacted us to question if the lights are set up to take traffic flow into account as the traffic from the A96 is held up and backing up onto the main road, while there is no apparent traffic coming out of the town. Inevitably this has led to questions about the proposed permanent traffic lights to control the business park and Kemnay road junctions. Is this the right solution, rather than the realigned roundabout that had been considered?

June 21: Get on your bike for prostate cancer

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-06-10T13:47:28+01:00

The Rotary Club of Kintore, along with all rotary clubs the UK are involved in a huge fundraising effort to fight prostate cancer. The local event in our area is Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21, based in the Kellands Park, Inverurie. Kenny Thomson of Kintore Rotary says: “By coincidence, the date chosen for this national 'bike ride' event just happens to also be the date of the Great Inverurie Bike Ride, so another definite link there which will be to the fundraising event’s advantage”. So the message is ‘ Get on your bike for prostate cancer’ on Sunday, June 21 and head to Kellands Park, Inverurie for 11.30 am. ...We invite you to don your Lycra and get on your bike for prostate cancer or better still, make it a team effort involving family, friends or work colleagues. Rotary Ride is a national initiative taking place on Father’s Day (21st June) in which Rotary clubs across Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) will be hosting a range of cycle events for all ages and abilities. RIBI is inviting members of the public, just like you, to join one of your local Rotary clubs at their event and get pedalling to raise money for prostate cancer, a disease which affects so many families across the UK and Ireland (see ride.rotarygbi.org) ...The Rotary Clubs of Inverurie, Kintore and Oldmeldrum have teamed up with Aberdeenshire Council to provide a day of cycling fun for all the family at Kellands Park, Inverurie: • Static Cycling - a local Rotarian will ride Inverurie’s leg of the Land’s End to John O Groats (LEJOG) route. ... RIBI is hoping that all the Rotary Clubs in the UK will cover the full distance of LEJOG in 24hours. ...The Great Inverurie Bike Ride (GIBR) takes place on the same day, so why not ride the GIBR to raise money for Prostate Scotland. You can purchase commemorative cycling tops and T-shirts and obtain sponsor forms directly from Prostate Scotland (www.prostatescotland.org.uk).

June 14: Taste of Scotland Tea Party

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-06-10T11:50:40+01:00

On Sunday, June 14 there is a Taste of Scotland Afternoon at the Peerie Pantry, 12 Northern Road, Kintore. On from 12 noon to 4pm the tea party is being run in association with Feast North East. The regular menu will also be available as well as the chance to try out some of Scotland's finest pieces! To book, please call 01467 631158. Tickets cost £15. The organisers say feel free to bring a bottle.

What happens after school construction delayed?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-06-08T16:14:43+01:00

The new Kintore primary school at Midmill had been scheduled to open in August 2016, in time to take pupils for the 2016-17 school year. But, with the delay in construction work, due to difficulties in Aberdeenshire Council acquiring the site, completion will not be in time for the new school year. "Unfortunately, we have to now accept that the difficulties in acquiring the site for the new school mean it will not be ready for August 2016,” says East Garioch councillor Martin Ford. “So the crucial thing is to put plans in place for an opening, instead, part way through the school year. "Bringing the new school into use in October 2016 or, more likely, January 2017 will require careful planning. I know Council officers in the education service are working on how a later opening can be managed. I believe it is essential that the Council shares its thinking with all stakeholders as soon as possible." Councillor Ford has written to Maria Walker, Director of Education at Aberdeenshire Council asking what the council plans to do to advise parents and staff at the current Kintore Primary School.

Pre-registrations now open for new dentist

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-06-03T18:13:02+01:00

Kintore Dental Practice will be opening in December this year taking NHS dental patients. But, although the opening is some way off, you can pre-register now to ensure you get on their list. The two surgery dental practice will be next to the new Sainsbury’s Local mini-supermarket that is being built at Midmill, Kintore.

Community council news

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-06-03T18:04:13+01:00

There was great disappointment that Kintore was not selected for an Academy, the Council selecting Inverurie for a new Academy with a provision for possible future demand, by requisitioning the land at Kintore. ...A 0.6 He site has been agreed to be provided and is proposed at the South end of the East Kintore development close to the Midmill industrial area, as the original hope of it being included in the neighbourhood area adjacent to School Road has been rejected. The reasons given were a lack of space in the area, limited by flood risk and roundabout requirements, to allow for future (as yet defined) NHS facilities along with the other proposed mini supermarket and other commercial buildings. The Community Council suggested that this is too far from the community and has requested a meeting with the Council and NHS to discuss what the requirements are and see if a compromise could be reached, allowing it to be sited in this much more accessible area. ...Cala Homes have now submitted their plans for the Town Park corner site adjacent to the B994 and the B987 (opposite Sandy Reid) for 150 houses/ Flats scheduled for building work to commence Spring- Summer 2016. ...Following the initial rejection by the Council Planning, the Kintore Arms Inn outline application for the building modifications now includes for the Hotel provision to remain and includes for the Bar and restaurant to be separate areas. ...There is no change to the Town House refurbishment and we just await it to start and still await notice of the next date to discuss this progress and consider the opportunities for the use of the building. This next meeting is scheduled to take place in the Town House and we recommend any interested members of the Community to attend and get involved in these discussions. ... ...The meetings held on March 7th and 21st at the Village Hall organised the Garioch Partnership was well attended with a lot of ideas, suggestions and aspirations to develop Kintore and we will advise these results when available. The Community Council will be holding the Kintore Best Garden Competition again and will be looking forward to the excellent displays again this year, Good Luck to all interested, further details of the judging dates will be published.

New traffic light junction at Midmill

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-05-26T16:23:06+01:00

More details have emerged of the housing development at Midmill that will include the new Town Park. The new application includes more details of the houses and the sports pavilion. The new application also includes details of the proposed junction for the B994 Kemnay Road. This junction has been the scene of a number of accidents since the nearby roundabout was created for access to the business park. The junction design submitted with this planning application envisages removal of the roundabout and installation of traffic lights for both the business park junction and the B994 Kemnay road junction.

Aug 23: T in the Marypark Festival

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-05-20T11:51:32+01:00

The ’T in the Marypark’ Festival will take place in Hall Forest on Sunday, August 23, 2015. This time the Charity chosen is Parkinsons UK, and all monies will be donated to this. Venue – Marypark, Hall Forest, Kintore Time 12 noon til 5pm ...J B and the Classics ...The Jade Edgar Band Graham Barclays Blues Band ... ...Tickets can be purchased at the Gate. Price £4 per adult. £2 per child 11 and under. ...There will be Family Entertainments: ...More details will be up soon on Chalmers Mackay Website www.chalmersmackay.co.uk T In the Marypark is sponsored by Chalmers Mackay Music School and Moar Furniture Stores, and is a Charity Event.

May 20: Kintore Festival Fun Run

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-05-18T09:20:33+01:00

An innovation for this year’s Kintore Summer Festival is the Kintore Festival 5K Fun Run which takes place on Wednesday, May 20 in the lead up to the festival weekend. The Kintore Festival 5K Fun Run sets off from Kintore Primary School at 6.30pm. The fun comes, not just from the taking part, but there will also be prizes for the best fancy dress. So come along and cheer for your favourites! You can pick up a registration form at J & G Dossett the Butcher in The Square, Kintore. Or, just turn up at the school and register then. The cost for registration is just £2. So, run along to Kintore Primary School on Wednesday night at 6.30 pm.

Alex Salmond elected as our MP

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-05-08T10:27:55+01:00

As part of a landslide of SNP gains in the 2015 General Election, Alex Salmond was elected as the MP representing the Gordon constituency (which includes Kintore). Alex Salmond takes over the seat from Sir Malcolm Bruce, who had represented Gordon in the UK Parliament since the 1983 General Election. Sir Malcolm announced his retirement and did not stand at this election, the Liberal Democrat candidate being Christine Jardine. Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014, previously served as the MP for Banff and Buchan from 1987 to 2010. He is currently MSP for Aberdeenshire East in the Scottish Parliament. Alex Salmond won the seat with 27,717 votes – 48% of the votes cast, representing a majority of 8,687.

A96 dualling consultation

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-05-05T12:37:51+01:00

A series of consultation events is taking place into the Scottish Government’s plan to complete the dualling of the A96 trunk road from Aberdeen to Inverness by 2030. Of course, the section of the A96 from Aberdeen to the Port Elphinstone roundabout at Inverurie is already dual carriageway, but from there onwards, the road is mainly single carriageway. A big issue will be how the new dual carriageway passes Inverurie as the current A96 by-pass now buildings so close to the carriageway that it seems probable that a new by-pass route will have to be found. You can find out more about the plans to dual the entire 104-mile route at a public exhibition in the Leys Hotel, Blackburn on Wednesday, May 20 and the Kintore Arms Hotel in Inverurie on May 21. The exhibitions are open from 12 noon to 7pm. The first £30 million contract for the section from Inverness to Nairn was recently awarded.

Date of new Kintore school opening 'in the balance'

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-04-25T13:28:45+01:00

Whether Aberdeenshire Council will be able to open the planned second Kintore primary school in August 2016 now depends on the current owners of the site and the weather. Despite the Scottish Government announcing its decision in favour of compulsory purchase of the school site, having the new school finished and open in under 16 months from now may or may not be possible. "It's touch and go whether the Council can get the building finished in time," said Councillor Ford. ...It's clearly very important that the pressure on space at the current school is reduced by getting the new school open as soon as possible. "From making a start on site to having a new primary school ready to open generally needs about 15 months. So the Council would want construction to be starting any time now to be fully confident that the second Kintore school will be ready for use in August 2016. Any delay in starting work beyond early May brings major risk of not being ready in time, for instance if there is a very wet autumn or significant snow next winter." Following the public local inquiry last week, the quick decision by the Scottish Government to confirm the compulsory purchase order (CPO) to acquire the site needed for the new school is certainly a boost for Aberdeenshire Council's chances of achieving the planned opening date. "Now we have the decision in favour of the CPO, compulsorily purchasing the land and getting the school finished for August 2016 could just be possible if the weather is co-operative,” Councillor Ford added. ... If there is a dry autumn and a mild winter, completion for August 2016 might be managed, but the odds aren't great – realistically, less than 50:50. "A much better scenario, from the point of view of the existing school, its pupils and the Council, is that the landowners now agree to sell the site to the Council. Sale by agreement could be completed very quickly, allowing more time for the building work and greatly reducing the risk of not having the new school finished on time. "Purchase of the site by agreement as soon as possible is by far the best chance the Council has of being able to deliver this badly needed new school for August 2016. "Given that the landowners all withdrew their objections to the CPO, and with the CPO confirmed, the landowners presumably now all accept the Council will be acquiring the site.

May 23: Kintore Summer Festival programme

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-04-22T12:00:30+01:00

This is a sneak preview of the programme for the Kintore Summer Festival, which takes place on Saturday, May 23 at the Kintore School Playing fields. The day begins with Kintore Pipe Band at 11 am, with a series of events running through to late afternoon.

150 houses and town park plan for Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-04-18T10:42:01+01:00

Cala Homes North has submitted plans for 150 homes a town park and sports facilities at Midmill, Kintore. The development, which is planned to include three four and five-bedroom homes and 15 affordable homes, is being proposed for a site at Woodside Croft, in the Midmill area of Kintore. Click on the plan above to open a 1.2MB pdf of the plan In the centre of the development a sports pavilion and playing facilities are proposed. Subject to a successful planning application the developer says they would plan to start work on the site in spring 2016. For Kintore and District Community Council, chairman Brian Johnstone, welcomed the fact that the plans had now moved forward. In particular he said the sports field and pavilion were welcome and he looked forward to possibility of providing football, cricket and perhaps tennis facilities on the site. “There is an aspiration that we’d like to build a skatepark,” he added, “but we would need to get money to do that. “We need to improve the facilities for the community in Kintore and we have to do things on the back of developments like this,” Mr Johnstone added. Kintore and District Community Council would welcome comments on the development prior to discussing the detail and the layout. Contact info@kintorecommunitycouncil.co.uk. At the time of writing this planning application was not yet open for comments on the Aberdeenshire Council planning listings.

2016 Local Development Plan

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-04-15T11:36:37+01:00

The proposed Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan has now been published and is now open for representations, with this period ending on May 8, 2015. Many of us will recall the battle that we had over the Main Issues Report and its stand against the Gateway Kintore development, which had gained unprecedented local support. This support had been demonstrated with more than 1,000 names on a supporting petition and 340 official representations to the council over its exclusion. There has also been general concern about lack of facilities in Kintore and what some see as a deliberate policy to keep our town dependent on Inverurie for facilities like shops, filling stations, restaurants and entertainment. The Local Development Plan will guide development in Aberdeenshire from 2016, so it is important that we are all comfortable with it. We can make representations between now and May 8. You will find details of how to make your views known on the Aberdeenshire Council Local Development Plan page, in addition you can raise your concerns with Kintore and District Community Council. These particular sections will be of interest to people in Kintore. Click on the appropriate link on the Aberdeenshire Council Local Development Plan page (as large files they will take time to load on a slow broadband connection): • Shaping Garioch: Page 19 in Local Development Plan 2016 - Proposed Plan Part 1. • Appendix 8: Page 52 Kintore - this page details protected sites and future development sites for Kintore including the Gateway Kintore site (OP5) that many of us fought to have included in the local plan.

April 25: Rotary Club Information Day

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-04-15T10:46:28+01:00

The Rotary Clubs of Kintore and Inverurie are organising an information day on Saturday 25 April from 10am till 1pm in the car park opposite Inverurie Town Hall. This is an opportunity for members of the public to speak with Rotarians, find out about Rotary membership, the Rotary Shelterbox emergency tent and equipment, visit the Rotary Life Education Centre with the ever popular Harold the Giraffe. There will also be various displays which showcase the work of Rotarians within your community. As a result of the above displays, the car park will be closed to the public from 6am until 2.30pm on the day of the event.

Date change for this month's meeting

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-04-10T11:06:08+01:00

The date of this month’s (April 2015) Kintore and District Community Council meeting has been changed to Wednesday, April 15 at 7pm in the Kintore Primary School. The community council meetings are normally held on the third Tuesday of the month, but this month’s meeting has been changed to accommodate a presentation from the developers and their agents on their proposals for community facilities from the East Kintore development. As always interested members of the public are welcome to attend Kintore and District Community Council meetings at the Kintore Primary School.

Land sought for community council project

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-04-07T14:50:22+01:00

Kintore and District Community Council are to begin a study to identify opportunities to establish a renewable energy project in Kintore area. The intention is that any project established would deliver regular renewable energy income to benefit the community in and around the Kintore area. “We are seeking landowners who are interested in a commercial arrangement to provide land for a renewable energy project,” explains Kintore and District Community Council chairman Brian Johnstone. “Options to be considered will include Solar, Hydro and Wind sources to generate power to be fed into the grid under the Governments’ Feed-In Tariffs scheme.” The project is being assisted by Community Energy Scotland under the CARES scheme. Anyone interested in becoming involved in the project by providing land should contact Kintore and District Community Council on info@kintorecommunitycouncil.co.uk or contact Brian Johnstone on 07824 834193 for further information.

Life-saving machine for Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-04-03T11:49:36+01:00

Kintore is to get a life-saving emergency Public Access Defibrillator (PAD), thanks to the efforts of Kintore and District Community Council. Defibrillators of this type (pictured above is the PAD located in the main street of the village of Plockton) have already saved hundreds of lives in communities where they are available for immediate response. ...In the event of a cardiac arrest, there are between three and five minutes in which to restart the heart. The chance of survival decreases by 7% for each minute in the first three minutes and 10% for each minute thereafter. ...The community council has secured a defibrillator for the community through an initiative of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Ambulance Service. “I think it should be somewhere around The Square,” says Kintore and District Community Council Chairman Brian Johnstone, “in clear sight of all passers by so they know it is there, is easilly accessible and being in an open position would hopefully deter it from being vandalised.” Now we are looking for your suggestions of exactly where the defibrillator should be mounted on a wall. Please send your suggestions to info@kintorecommunitycouncil.co.uk, or go the Kintore.org.uk Facebook Page and post your suggestion as a comment on the post about the defibrillator. ...The equipment automatically prompts and guides the user through the set-up and automatically diagnoses the patient, only delivering a shock if it is required. ...We look forward to your support in identifying the best location for the PAD, finding out more about its operation and your vigilance in ensuring that it remains in serviceable condition 24 hours a day, 365 days of every year. We may also want to fundraise for additional PADs in Kintore, given that they need to be where they can reach cardiac victims in three to five minutes. ...By familiarising yourself with the location and taking time to learn about the PADs we can potentially save lives.

Inquiry into land for school

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-04-03T11:03:23+01:00

A public inquiry into land acquisition for schools, including the new Kintore Primary School, will take place on Wednesday, April 15 in the Garioch Community Centre, Inverurie, starting at 10am. You can find out more about the Kintore issues at the Planning Appeals On-line website. Enter CPO-110-1 in the “Search by case reference” box on the right of the page. This will bring up the page showing the compulsory purchase order for the new Kintore primary school. Clicking on the Case Reference brings up details of the case and links to all the documents, including the objections to the compulsory purchase of the land. Those who have an interest in the issues surrounding the provision of a second primary school for Kintore will undoubtedly find it interesting to see what has being happening out of the public eye. You may also wish to attend the public inquiry at the Garioch Community Centre on Wednesday, April 15 from 10am to hear the proceedings for yourself. You can read more about the issue in this week’s Inverurie Advertiser on page three, under the heading “Second public inquiry”. Thanks to David Porter of the Inverurie Advertiser for bringing this to our attention.

April 9: Climbing Wall and Body Zorbs in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-04-02T14:22:43+01:00

The Aberdeenshire Council Mobile Climbing Wall and Body Zorbs will be in Kintore over the holidays. These are drop in sessions so you can simply turn up and pay for a go. Children remain the responsibility of their adult carers whilst at these activities. The Climbing Wall is suitable for all ages from 3yrs to adults and the Body Zorbs are suitable for approx 5yrs to 12yrs (depending on size and weight) In the event of bad weather the Wall will not operate and the Zorbs will be indoor. Kintore date: Kintore school Thursday (April 9, 2015) 12noon to 3pm. You can phone either the venue or Leisurelend 01467 625088 on the day to check what is operating. The cost is £2 per go on each of the Wall or Zorbs. Each go lasts about 10 minutes. This may vary slightly depending on how busy the session is. Active Aberdeenshire members are free and should arrange to collect their vouchers from their local sports centre or pool in advance and present them on the day. Call Leisurelend on 01467 625088 or email leisurelend@aberdeenshire.gov.uk with any queries. They can also dates and times for other venues.

April 4: Crash Live Event in Inverurie

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-04-01T14:02:14+01:00

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is staging a Crash Live event as part of its commitment to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on roads in Aberdeenshire. The multi-agency Crash Live event is taking place at Garioch Community Centre this Saturday (4 April 2015) and runs between 2pm and 4pm. The aim of Crash Live is to raise awareness locally and enhance road safety across Aberdeenshire, an area which has witnessed its share of serious and fatal road incidents. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the event. Crash Live is aimed at all ages and will involve inputs from SFRS (firefighters will be speaking about the difficult and often traumatic work they do at the scene of road traffic collisions, Police Scotland and there will be ‘live’ simulation of the aftermath of a serious road traffic collision. The incident will focus on the emergency services response to such an incident and focus on all aspects, from initial attendance, collision investigation to the harrowing role the Police have of informing the victims' relatives. SFRS Station Manager Chay Ewing said: “The purpose of this event is to highlight the consequences of road traffic collisions and how they affect families of those involved as well as the businesses that employ them. “Our aim is to highlight to key local employers the role that they can perform in changing the attitudes of the road users in Aberdeenshire and help reduce the numbers of people who are killed or seriously injured on our roads. “Such incidents can result in a loss in productivity through staff shortfalls due to sickness but also be costly to employers as well as employees.”

Revised application for Kintore Arms Inn

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-03-12T16:25:54+00:00

A revised planning application has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for the Kintore Arms Inn. ...But the big news is that the owner now intends to retain the bar. The plans suggest that the bar would be run as a separate business closed off from the rest of the building and accessed by the existing door in the lane, beside J&G Dossetts butcher’s shop. In the letter with the application, the owner’s architect, Neil Rothnie, says that “the bar is retained as it is with minor internal alterations to provide toilets specifically to this part”. In addition to the toilets, the revised plans show the bar as having its own kitchen, suggesting the owner expects the operator will want to serve bar meals. The main part of the building, accessed through the main door, would offer two styles of dining. On the left inside the main door (the former dining room) would be a restaurant offering more formal dining. On the right inside of the entrance hall the application envisages less formal cafe-style service in what was the lounge bar. The kitchen for both the dining room and the cafe-style dining areas would be in the basement. The architect goes on to state that the “lettable rooms to the first and second floors above will remain as such… they will be managed by the client via the proposed restaurant part”. Turning to the sensitive issue of the listed building features, the architect says: “there are no proposals to the exterior of the building and there are limited residual listed features to the interior of the building”. “It is intended to submit a future planning application to erect traditional-style railings to the front of the building,” he adds, “to define the client’s ownership and to establish an external seating area.”

Helicopter noise

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-03-04T15:05:31+00:00

Living in Kintore we don’t need reminding that we are are only about six miles from the world’s busiest commercial heliport at Aberdeen International Airport. Helicopters are a key link for the offshore oil and gas industry transporting people and supplies to and from offshore installations. The job they do is vital, but they can be noisy. If you find a situation where you feel the noise from helicopters is excessive, or causing a nuisance, what can you do about it? Aberdeen International Airport has a dedicated phone line for noise complaints and it is the number to use for both helicopter and ‘fixed-wing’ aircraft noise. The team answering the call will take the details of the caller and the issue that the call relates to, this in turn gets passed to the team that responds directly to the complainant. This team will then talk to NATS who will provide the details of the helicopter operation in question. The number to call is 01224 348420. You can also read the questions and answers on noise at www.aberdeenairport.com/about-us/community-matters/noise/

June 5: Rotary charity golf tournament

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-02-26T11:46:35+00:00

The Rotary Club of Kintore is organising their Annual Golf Tournament in aid of local groups and causes on Friday, June 5, 2015. Cost is £220 per team of 4, which includes the golf and all food. For information contact Kenny Thomson kennythomson241@btinternet.com or Brian Shanks brianshanks8033@btinternet.com.

Open inn as soon as possible urges councillor

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-02-25T15:52:45+00:00

Following yesterday’s refusal of planning permission to divide the historic Kintore Arms Inn into two Class 3 food and drink units, East Garioch councillor Martin Ford has urged the owners not to delay and open the premises as soon as possible. The Garioch Area Committee of Aberdeenshire Council went with planners recommendations and voted to refuse the planning application and listed building consent for the Kintore Arms Inn. ...After the refusal, Cllr Ford said Kintore needs an inn and is certainly large enough to support one, or more than one. ... “But the proposed subdivision certainly calls into question how the upstairs hotel rooms would operate subsequently, potentially compromising the overall use of the building as a tourist facility. As such the application for subdivision and change of use is clearly contrary to policy,” Cllr Ford continued. ...Commenting on the assertion of the applicant’s agent that a refusal might lead to a protracted closure of the Kintore Arms Inn, Cllr Ford responded: ...It is not in the interests of the owner or the wider community for the building to stay shut. ...“This doesn't mean there can't be changes, and clearly the owner is perfectly entitled to make planning applications as he wishes. ...The B-listed Kintore Arms Inn is in a prominent location in The Square in Kintore's town centre, close to the magnificent 18th century Town House. ...This has left the 4,500 residents of Kintore without a local pub or hotel, whereas a few years ago there were two in the town.

Is Kintore broadband network adequate?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-02-24T09:23:26+00:00

Unfortunately there is one utility that we rely on more and more in our modern world that, at least in Kintore, seems to be getting less reliable as the months go by – at least that’s how it seems from our recent broadband survey and the flurry of comments on recent broadband issues on the Kintore.org.uk Facebook page. ...When it did, it revealed that we were getting a few kilobytes of download data intermittently, but upload was zero and latency was very high. ...My wife pointed out that this was a wet Saturday evening near the end of February, but about a week before most people get paid (having worked in retail she knows how pay day affects people’s buying patterns). It was very likely, therefore, that many people had opted not to go out in the rain and were downloading films, playing online games or just chatting with friends on social media. ...Around 9 am businesses are cranking up online and, just like a wet Saturday evening in, that would seem like a time when the network would be under stress. ...But the reason they are peak times is that they are the times when we all want/need to be online. We pay our internet providers for a reliable service at all times – I’m not aware of any off-peak internet plans like off-peak electricity. ...“Every ISP must have trustworthy systems to find the cause of a speed problem; and take steps to fix any issue that is down to them.” It doesn’t say what the time limit is for fixing those issues, but I am willing to bet it should be less than eight months. ...That is clearly not our experience nor the experience of a significant number of other wired and fibre broadband subscribers in Kintore. • If you are having problems with your broadband please email to Cllr Hood cllr.f.hood@aberdeenshire.gov.uk copying in Cllr Nan Cullinane Cllr.N.Cullinane@aberdeenshire.gov.uk, Cllr Martin Ford cllr.m.ford@aberdeenshire.gov.uk and alison.mcinnes.msp@scottish.parliament.uk. Give your name, the telephone number of your broadband, the name of your broadband supplier is (e.g. BT, Sky, etc), a description of the issues you are having (e.g. ‘our connection fails while watching BBC iPlayer’ or ‘our connection speed is regularly below 2MB’).

Green Dog Walkers

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-02-23T15:57:47+00:00

No, this is not a piece about Martians walking their pooches around Kintore. Green Dog Walkers is an initiative to tackle the mess that dogs can leave. Dog mess is a very emotive issue in every community. This website and our Facebook page both tend to light up whenever the subject is raised. To find out more about Green Dog Walkers and how to become a Green Dog Walker, go to this page on the Aberdeenshire Council website.

Kintore: how do you see its future?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-02-20T16:29:13+00:00

What do you want to see in the Kintore of the future? Well, you have an opportunity to influence future planning and talk about what it would take to make Kintore a better place in which to live, to work and to enjoy yourself. Action Kintore and Kintore and District Community Council are organising two consultation events in March and they want to hear from you. The first of these is on Saturday, March 7 and will take the form of a “drop-in” session in the Village Hall between 10am and 2pm. All members of the community are welcome to come along and give their views on a Community Action Plan for Kintore. Refreshments will be available and children are welcome. Two weeks later, on Saturday 21st March another “prioritisation” event will be held to look at the points raised by the community and to agree what actions need to be taken to address these. Again all are welcome. You can choose when to attend, either between 10.30 and 12 or between 12.30 and 2. Community members will be joined at these sessions by representatives of Aberdeenshire Council, Police Scotland, NHS Grampian and other community planning partners who will advise and support what is proposed in the plan. If you need any more information please contact Anne Simpson, by email anne@gariochpartnership.org.uk or by phone on 07845701994.

Kintore station layout

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-02-20T16:16:20+00:00

This is the current concept design drawing for the Kintore rail station which is expected to open in 2019. The proposed site is close to the Kintore north flyover on the A96, which you can see at the left on the drawing (click on the drawing for a larger pdf of the plan). Commenting at the time he received the plan, Councillor Martin Ford said: “I note the confirmation that it is expected double track will be required throughout between Aberdeen and Inverurie, with the possible exception of Hutcheon Street tunnel in Aberdeen. When work was done a few years ago to increase clearances to allow larger containers to travel by train to the North-east, the track in Hutcheon Street tunnel was moved to the middle of the tunnel to give more headroom. Given the commitment to maintaining the larger gauge clearance, double track in the tunnel may be impractical. ...s=603457&v=6770&q=297511&r=16571"> "I realise, of course, that much further discussion and negotiation will have to take place between the various interested parties, including the new ScotRail franchise-holder, Abellio, and others in the rail industry. I note too the steps being taken to secure the site. "Although Aberdeenshire Council is not in any way responsible for running rail services, the Council in partnership with NESTRANS will have a key role in the delivery of the new Kintore station. I shall continue to press for the new station to be built as soon as it can be, once the required alterations to the track itself allow."

Getting left behind in the digital age?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-02-17T11:40:13+00:00

These days, so much of what we do can be done more efficiently online. But are are computers and the internet still a closed book for you or someone you know? If so, then this may be an opportunity to get online. Footprints Connect is a social enterprise based In Aberdeen whose aim is to encourage over-55s to get online. They have just recently begun to work in Aberdeenshire and been awarded support from local funders to run free sessions in the local area on March 18 and 25. Footprints Connect also plan to run some Drop-In sessions in April and these will also be free. All will be held at Computers and Integration in Inverurie. The March sessions will run from 11.00 - 1.00 but Footprints Connect encourage people to come a little before to get settled in etc. Please also note that these first sessions will have a capacity of 10 people (in the 55+ age groups) However, they can always take a waiting list and let people know about the Drop-In sessions in April too so they can come along to them. Contact Footprints Direct via the website or phone 07771 296612.

Red squirrels on your doorstep

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-01-27T16:34:46+00:00

Kintore resident Mike McSwayde looks at an issue close to his heart – the survival of red squirrels in Kintore and the threat he believes to be posed by cats. We have an amazing variety of wildlife on our doorstep, which is being placed under increasing pressure, none more so than our lovely red squirrel. In the woods next to Cedar Wood live a small family of red squirrels that can often be seen feeding in the back gardens bordering the woods. Only 120,000 red squirrels remain in Scotland, around 75% of the total UK population. ...It is sad to note that neighbourhood cats owned by Birch Wood residents have been seen attacking and consequently killing red squirrels by a number of neighbours. On two separate occasions the RSPCA has had to be called out to attend to red squirrels attacked by Cedar Wood residents cats, sadly the two injured red squirrels sustained serious injuries and were humanely put to sleep. The red squirrel needs our help if it is to survive! ... • It is a sad fact that some domestic cats do catch and kill red squirrels, particularly in March/April & July/August when the squirrels are breeding. Hence, if you own a cat and have red squirrels in your area, please help to keep them safe by: ... • Making sure that your cat is fed well and regularly, a hungry cat is a threat to wildlife. • If you feed red squirrels, making sure that the feeder is out of reach of cats. • Bringing your cat indoors at night so that that he/she will not be hunting when squirrels are active at first light.

How is your broadband?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-01-21T09:57:29+00:00

How is your broadband performing? If you are having continuing connection or speed problems, Kintore’s councillors want to hear from you. Councillor Hood has taken up the matter of recently reported broadband issues in Kintore with the Infrastructure Services department of Aberdeenshire Council and needs to provide evidence of the problems that people in Kintore are having with broadband. So, if you are finding that your broadband is cutting off in the middle of videos, BBC iPlayer or games, or if your broadband is so slow that it makes viewing web pages a real pain, then it is important that you take just a couple of minutes to send an email to Kintore councillors. Address your email to Cllr Hood cllr.f.hood@aberdeenshire.gov.uk. If possible, please copy in our other two Kintore councillors to your email Cllr Nan Cullinane Cllr.N.Cullinane@aberdeenshire.gov.uk and Cllr Martin Ford cllr.m.ford@aberdeenshire.gov.uk. The information they need is: 1 Your name 2 The telephone number of your broadband. 3 The name of your broadband supplier is (e.g. BT, Sky, etc) 4 A description of the issues you are having (e.g. ‘our connection fails while watching BBC iPlayer’ or ‘our connection speed is regularly below 2MB') Hopefully this new approach to Infrastructure Services, along various approaches of the community council, our campaign on kintore.org.uk and support MSPs like Alison McInnes may move this issue forward.

Feb 23: Kintore Public Hall AGM

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-01-15T15:16:34+00:00

The Kintore Public Hall AGM takes place on Monday, February 23 at 8 pm in the ante-room at the hall.

Feb 28: An audience with Annie Moon

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-01-15T12:32:29+00:00

Kintore 0-3 Group are organising an Audience with Annie Moon on Saturday 28th February. 7.30pm start Kintore Public Hall. £15 per ticket (Prosecco and Cake included). Tickets are available from John Dossett Butcher, Moar for your Home, or Jennifer Fraser on 07834692734.

Photographs of Kintore from the air

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-01-13T18:49:35+00:00

Drones and quadcopters are opening up all sorts of opportunities for interesting photographs and video that would be impossible before. Neil Mowbray has sent in these great photographs that he took from his quadcopter over Kintore today. Kintore from the air Photos ©Neil Mowbray 2015. Reproduced courtesy of the copyright holder.

Update on the Kintore Arms Inn

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-01-09T13:01:25+00:00

Two members of Kintore and District Community Council met with the new owner of the Kintore Arms Inn who recently submitted a planning application for the Kintore Arms Inn. He has told them that it is not his intention to establish a Chinese restaurant or takeaway as this would compromise his Chop Chop business in Port Elphinstone. He also advised that his plan was to split the building into two parts, the main part to be a bar/restaurant which he plans to lease out. The other part may be used for offices, but that has yet to be decided. The community council members say the new owner listened to their concerns about the lack of bar and restaurant facilities in Kintore. He confirmed that his plans at this stage were to provide a kitchen, bar and dining areas in the larger part and would provide more detail in due course. The community council say they will be commenting that any plans to develop the Kintore Arms Inn needs to retain bar and restaurant facilities and that they will of course review and comment on the detailed plans in due course.

Aberdeenshire Citizens' Panel newsletter

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2015-01-09T11:41:21+00:00

We have just received the latest edition of Viewpoint, the Aberdeenshire Citizens’ Panel newsletter. It’s dated November but much is still of relevance. Community Safety is the main message. Download the newsletter

Garioch Partnership newsletter

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-12-18T10:01:39+00:00

The December issue of the Garioch Partnership’s newsletter has been published and can be downloaded in pdf format.

Kintore Arms refurbishment plans

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-12-15T11:32:24+00:00

A planning application has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for the conversion of the Kintore Arms Inn to split the existing building into two units selling food and drink. The plans show Unit A occupying the north section of the existing building, including what was the bar. Unit B incorporates the rooms on either side of the inn’s front steps with the internal accesses to Unit A being blocked off. The planning application is for Class 3 Food and Drink. This is defined as “Restaurant, cafe, snack bar (use for sale of food or drink on the premises)”. The plans have been submitted in the name of Cater Corporation Ltd of Springbank Terrace, Aberdeen, but a search of the web comes up with its registered office being 13 Elphinstone Road, Port Elphinstone – the same address as Chop Chop Express. In the current application, no external alterations are proposed to the building, which dates back to the early 19th century and forms part of The Square, in the centre of Kintore. The application says that the rooms to let on the upper floors will remain. Comments about the application can be submitted online.

Council seeking feedback on Kintore play parks

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-12-15T09:17:16+00:00

Aberdeenshire Council Landscape Services department are looking for feedback from the people of Kintore about the play parks in the town. Kintore and District Community Council chairman Brian Johnstone has asked people to use the Disqus comment system on this page or add a comment on the Facebook page and this feedback will be relayed to Aberdeenshire Council.

Former Inverurie Paper Mill site exhibition

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-12-13T09:52:26+00:00

A public exhibition of the proposals to redevelop part of the former Inverurie paper mill site at Porth Elphinstone will now be held on Tuesday, December 16 in the Acorn Centre, West High Street, Inverurie. The exhibition will be open from 12 noon to 8pm. The proposed development at Kirkwood Commercial Park is for an integrated workshop and test facility for the overhaul of gas turbine with associated offices and car parking.

Council "frustrated" at inquiry into new Kintore school

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-12-10T18:51:43+00:00

Aberdeenshire Council has expressed disappointment that as a result of the various objections lodged by landowners, the Scottish Government is seeking to hold a Public Local Inquiry (PLI) into the council’s proposed compulsory purchase of a site for the new Kintore Primary school. Significant population growth in the town means that the existing Kintore Primary School is struggling to cope with the number of children needing places. Aberdeenshire Council says, in trying to push the building of the new school, it has vigorously responded to all objections, and where appropriate, agreed to the various demands made by landowners. ...“Aberdeenshire Council is ready to start construction on the school,” says Garioch Area Manager Doug Milne, “and it is deeply frustrating that we have been unable to obtain the land. ...“We have always been open to acquire the land voluntarily from the landowners and shall continue to pursue this course of action. We are urgently seeking a meeting with them to resolve this and avoid unnecessary delays to construction of this much needed school.” "The decision … does jeopardise the acquisition of the site by the Council in time for building work to start next spring, which it must if the school is to be ready to open in August 2016,” Councillor Martin Ford points out. ...I understand three of the landowners have actually agreed a compensation package with the Council for the transfer of their land – but they have also persisted with their formal objections to the compulsory purchase order. ..."The four landowners who have lodged formal objections to the compulsory purchase order could withdraw their objections and agree to the Council purchasing the land. ... There is no doubt that all the objectors will be very well aware of the urgent need for a new school to serve the local community. “Three of the landowners even stand to directly benefit from the new school being built, as it is a precondition of house building on the wider Kintore East development site. ...Abrerdeenshire Council says it will not be in a position to confirm the start date for construction of the school until such times as these matters are resolved.

REVISED DATE: B977 Fintray road closed for five days

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-12-05T11:15:31+00:00

The B977 Kintore to Hatton of Fintray road will be closed at the level crossing at Boat of Kintore for five days from Monday, January 12, 2015. PLEASE NOTE THE REVISED DATE The alternative route is by the B979 Hatton of Fintray to Blackburn, using the A96. The closure is required in the interests of public safety during works being carried out by Network Rail.

Kintore School Christmas Post service

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-12-01T11:20:46+00:00

Kintore School Parent Council are running their annual Christmas Post Service at 25p per card for addresses within walking distance of the centre of Kintore. The Last Day For Posting Monday 15th December at 12 noon. Yellow post boxes can be found In Co-Op, Chemist, Butchers and foyer of school. 25p per card, please place money in a bag along with cards. Please ensure cards are addressed correctly and note that we only deliver to ares within walking distance of village centre.

Kintore Konnect published

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-12-01T09:18:05+00:00

The December edition of Kintore Konnect is out now and you can download it from this website. Inside this issue you can read a Christmas message from our minister Neil Meyer, news from Kintore and District Community Council, The Bothie and Cllr Martin Ford.

Welcome for Gateway Kintore inclusion

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-27T15:11:02+00:00

Kintore and District Community Council has welcomed today’s decision of the Infrastructure Services Committee of Aberdeenshire Council to include the Gateway Kintore development in the new Local Development plan. ...“I am delighted that the Infrastructure Services Committee have agreed that the Gateway Kintore site be included in the new Local Development Plan. Kintore has been one of the most-rapidly growing towns in Scotland in recent years and we are now looking at a further 600 houses in the Kintore East development. ...“This morning I made a representation to the Infrastructure Services Committee, on behalf of the community council, highlighting the reasons why Gateway Kintore should be included to give the town the opportunity to have the facilities it so badly lacks and needs. “Today’s decision gives the developer the opportunity proceed with his plans to seek operators for hotel, supermarket and other commercial partners. ... ...“This is a tremendous boost for our plans to deliver a development that will meet many of the needs of Kintore and other communities in the area. I would like to thank the Garioch area councillors and the Infrastructure Services Committee for this decision. “I would also like to thank Kintore and District Community Council for all their help and support. The community council have been involved from the outset when we looked at the sort of facilities that the expanding town of Kintore needs and planned how the Gateway Kintore site could provide them. “I am grateful for the unprecedented support from the public with more than 1,000 people from Kintore and other local communities putting their names to the petition in support of Gateway Kintore and the 340 who wrote to Aberdeenshire Council demanding that it be included in the local development plan. ...The Gateway Kintore plans are for a 31-acre site adjacent to the Broomhill Roundabout on the A96 at Kintore. The master plan, prepared by architects Halliday Fraser Munro, includes a supermarket, filling station, 100-bedroom hotel, restaurants, nursery, community facilities, play barn and business premises.

Dec 6: Kintore Christmas Lights Switch-On

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-25T15:56:04+00:00

The Kintore Christmas lights will be switched on on Saturday, December 6 at 4.30 pm in The Square in front of the Town House. Santa and his elves will be there, as will be our very own Kintore Pipe Band and Christmas music. There will also be drinks, burgers and stalls. Come along and celebrate the start of the Christmas festivities. Thanks to the Kintore Fundraising Team who put in a lot of hard work each year to raise the money for the lights.

What to do about broadband interruptions

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-22T13:35:33+00:00

It is quite obvious from the recent survey on broadband in Kintore and the comments received at kintore.org.uk and on our Facebook page, that a substantial number of people are having problems with broadband disconnecting intermittently. ...The first is when the connection to the exchange is lost and, on BT hubs, it will show a red, rather than blue, light. ...This is where you are still connected to the exchange, but no data is transferring either in download, or upload, or both. With a throughput failure, the light on BT hubs will remain blue but websites don’t load, email won’t work, videos, films and games stop working and so on. Throughput failure seems to be the type of disconnection problem that broadband users in Kintore are suffering, with almost two thirds (66%) of the respondents in our survey saying they suffer intermittent disconnections. ...If you are not getting a consistent service, or not getting the speeds promised, your provider may be breaching the contract you have with them. ... 2 Also keep a note and a copy of all your dealings with your broadband provider, complete with dates and times and as much information about who you spoke to and what was said. 3 Try to take a speed check (sites such as speediest.net or speedtest.btwholesale.com) during the interruption. ... 4 Contact your service provider with your complaint and send them a copy of your log. ... 6 If you don’t get a satisfactory response escalate your issue by making a formal complaint to the company. 7 After eight weeks if you are still not satisfied you can seek an alternative dispute resolution scheme. Your provider will be a member of CISAS www.cisas.org.uk or the Ombudsman (Ombudsman Services Communications).

Kintore United looking for players

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-21T17:26:37+00:00

Kintore United F.C 2005 age group are currently looking for players to add to our existing squad. Kintore United’s aim is to promote youth football to the children of Kintore and all surrounding areas. If your child enjoys playing football, willing to learn the game, and was born in 2005, Kintore United would like to hear from you. For further information please contact Steve Duncalf on steveduncalf@btinternet.com or come along to one of the training sessions. They are currently training each Friday on the school Astroturf between 18:00 and 19:30.

Are you having trouble with broadband disconnections?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-18T16:32:58+00:00

We’ve been contacted by an Aberdeenshire Council official who is speaking to BT about disconnection issues. He is looking for phone numbers that are affected. If you suffer from broadband disconnections can you please email editor@kintore.org.uk, as a matter of some urgency, with: 1 Your name 2 Your telephone number 3 Whether you are on fibre or conventional wired broadband 4 And a wee description of the problems you are having with broadband. UPDATE: Aberdeenshire Council Infrastructure Services tell me that a "defective piece of kit" in Kintore has been changed. They would welcome feedback as to whether things have improved. Again, it would be important to have the phone number that your broadband is connected and you probably don't want to put that in a reply on Facebook – so could you email editor@kintore.org.uk again and tell me: ...Whether you are on the new fibre (e.g. BT Infinity) or the conventional wired broadband. ...Have you noticed any improvement (e.g. less disconnections).

May 23: Kintore Summer Festival 2015

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-17T10:24:29+00:00

'The Kintore Summer Festival will take place on Saturday 23rd May 2015 and due to the success of our new location last year we will be holding this festival at the school playing fields and school again. We have lost some committee members from last year and really need help from the local community and people to come forward and volunteer to either join the committee and/or provide help and assistance on the day. If you are interested then please contact Colin Anthony on 07867 229766 or by email on kintoresummerfestival@yahoo.co.uk your support is welcomed and greatly needed.'

Nov 20: PlayTalkRead bus visits Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-13T13:53:57+00:00

Bessie the PlayTalkRead bus is coming to Kintore on Thursday November 20 between 10am and 1pm and 2pm and 4pm. Join in the fun and bring your little ones along for free songs, stories and play sessions. Playing talking and reading with your young children can make them happier and healthier now and in the future.

Variation to planning for more 'mini supermarket' deliveries

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-11T16:00:47+00:00

A variation to planning for the proposed mini-supermarket on School Road, Kintore has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council to allow for additional deliveries. The supermarket site is adjacent to Crossragel House and adjoins the proposed roundabout and access road for the Kintore East development. The application is for the alteration of planning condition 4 to allow additional deliveries. The proposal is to allow deliveries on public and bank holidays but restrict them to between 9am and 4pm.

Kintore East report for Nov 11 council meeting

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-10T10:22:53+00:00

Aberdeenshire Council planners are recommending Aberdeenshire Councillors grant the application for planning permission in principle for 600 houses, a neighbourhood centre and infrastructure for Kintore East. The report will go in front of Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch Area Committee at their meeting on Tuesday, November 11 in Gordon House, Inverurie starting at 10.15 am. The agenda for the meeting is now online, with the Kintore East proposal and its reports as item 8B. The Kintore East site is approximately 84 hectares around Tuach Hill to the south east of the existing town of Kintore. ...In addition to the 600 houses, the masterplan identified a neighbourhood centre for retail, commercial and community services. As examples the report suggests a medical centre, community centre, care home and nursery. The main road access would be from School Road and through Midmill Business Park. Eight representations objecting to the proposal have raised the following issues, development on the flood plain, access to neighbouring properties, loss of amenity, impact on wildlife and biodiversity, traffic, poor connectivity, loss of green space and that the application lacks detail. The report states that no houses can be occupied prior to the completion and opening of the new primary school. The report notes that there is no capacity at Kemnay Academy to accommodate pupils from this development, but no decision has been made on the need for an academy in Kintore. Kintore and District Community Council have objected to the development on the grounds that there is no vehicular access directly from the development to the new primary school. ...In terms of traffic, improvement works proposed include the enlargement of the Broomhill Roundabout to 70-metres diameter.

Fireworks display voted a great success

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-07T09:23:26+00:00

The Kintore Fireworks Display has been voted a great success with a huge crowd and very appreciative feedback. Even the weather gods were smiling on us, when torrential rain during the day abated for the few hours to allow the crowd to enjoy the fun cold… but not wet. Many thanks to Kintore and District Community Council, Kintore Rotary and all the volunteers who worked so hard to re-establish the Kintore Fireworks Display on the town’s annual calendar of events. PHOTOS © Ken McEwen All rights reserved

Inverurie Health and Care Hub

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-05T09:40:12+00:00

NHS Grampian are organising a public drop-in session to see the latest plans for the proposed Inverurie Health and Care hub on Wednesday, November 12. Members of the Project and Design team will be on hand to talk through emerging plans and to answer any questions. The drop in session is being held on Wednesday, November 12 at The Acorn Centre, West High Street, Inverurie (see map below). Visit any time between 11.00am and 6.00pm.

Kintore survey indicates broadband divide

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-04T11:14:29+00:00

While some of those who are able to get fibre broadband enjoy speeds over 65MB, a significant number on conventional wired broadband report their service appears to be deteriorating. ...Almost two thirds (65%) of those who responded complained of disconnections affecting their broadband service, with 38% saying these outages are “quite regular” or “very regular”. ...Just over a quarter reported that the speeds they get were 1MB or less and 10% complained of broadband speeds less than 500k. ...Satellite accounts for 4% of the total, with one subscriber saying that they switched to satellite in response to poor speeds and disconnections on conventional broadband. ... ...“Those who are able to get fibre broadband are seeing higher broadband speeds, but those of us who are stuck on wired broadband are convinced that our service is getting worse. ...“A substantial number of the responses from the survey refer to slow speeds and data throughput failures affecting broadband services at peak times. ...“Given that considerable amounts of public money are being invested to improve the broadband services in Aberdeenshire, it would be concerning if this investment is coinciding with a deterioration in the wired broadband network that still supplies the majority of connections in towns like Kintore.” "BT need to up their game in Kintore and deliver the broadband speeds that enable residents to access the internet without having to wait and wait for files to download,” comments East Garioch Liberal Democrat Councillor Fergus Hood "I have asked BT to explain why broadband speeds are so slow not only in Kintore but also in Blackburn and Newmachar,” Councillor Hood continues. “BT needs to start communicating with their customers to confirm when the fibre optic network will be completed in these communities. ...Councillor Hood points out that Aberdeenshire Council is investing £16 million in broadband upgrades in Aberdeenshire and BT has the contract. ...Having ongoing support calls but they only seem to contact me during day when I'm at work so taking forever to resolve - very frustrating!”

Community council chairman comments on current issues

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-11-03T11:32:52+00:00

At the October CC meeting we were advised that it looks that, following considerations on how the application was processed, the Gateway Kintore application for inclusion in the LDP, will be re-presented to the Infrastructure Services Committee's meeting on 27th November. ...The latest plans for the East Kintore development will be presented to the Area Committee on 4th November, it will hopefully outline their proposal for Community Facilities. The council advised that the land purchase for the new primary school has gone to a compulsory purchase order and is currently with the Scottish Office for Approval. No doubt you will have seen the press, where on of our local councillors was chasing the Education Department for a decision regarding the A96 Secondary schools. ...In its current condition there is no scope to utilise the upstairs for public access, due to having no disabled access and little space for the installation of a lift. It was therefore decided to approach Malcolm Fraser Architects of Edinburgh for their opinions on what could be achieved with the building currently and potentially in the future. ...At present the lower floors are let to the Council Media Department and on a formal lease to a private company and a wish was expressed that it should be used for community use rather than commercial. ... ...We have had fantastic support from local businesses providing:- the loan of a barbecue (Harry Fraser Catering), Portaloos by Nixon Hire, Oil drums for bonfire by Bains Coaches, Portable lighting and generator by Travis Perkins and Nixon Hire and a lot more, too many to mention. ...As there is a substantial cost of putting this together it is hoped there will be significant contributions from general public on the night. The new household waste recycling scheme has been launched and will hopefully be of benefit to all residents as well helping the Council Reduce its landfill volumes. ...The idea is that a renewable energy project, similar to what was done at Udny, could deliver significant annual earnings for community use. The Scottish Government fund this and we will report in due course what the study finds is possible in our area.

B977 Fintray road closure

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-10-29T09:53:03+00:00

The B977 Kintore to Hatton of Fintray road will be closed on Thursday, October 30 from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm. The closure is to allow emergency drainage works to take place.

Kintore 0-3 Group Christmas Shopping Night

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-10-27T13:31:04+00:00

Kintore 0-3 Group are organising a Christmas Shopping Night on Friday, November 14 from 7.30-9.30pm in the Kintore Public Hall. There will be a variety of stalls, beauty treatments and pampering and a grand raffle with a star prize. Tickets are £3 which includes a glass of wine. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

Broadband postcode lottery in Kintore?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-10-22T14:41:13+01:00

Early results from a community broadband survey in Kintore suggest that there is something of a postcode lottery to broadband services in our town. Those who are able to get fibre broadband are enjoying speeds of over 20MB. Those who are unable to get fibre broadband are reporting that their broadband service is deteriorating. One early response, from an area of Kintore where fibre broadband is not yet available, reports “very regular” outages and broadband speeds of less than 0.5MB. Another response, who also cannot get fibre broadband, correlates the growth of fibre broadband in Kintore with the deteriorating of their traditional wired broadband. Is it possible that the high-speed fibre customers are taking up more of the available bandwidth, leaving customers who cannot get fibre with a broadband service that is less reliable and slower than they had previously? It’s beginning to look like it. Please help us to understand what is happening to Kintore’s broadband service by completing our community survey.

Another chance for Gateway Kintore?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-10-22T13:41:32+01:00

Gateway Kintore may go back to Aberdeenshire Council for reconsideration of its inclusion in the forthcoming Local Development Plan. That’s the suggestion from Kintore and District Community Council’s recent discussions with local councillors. "A local councillor advised that it looks that, following considerations on how the application was processed, Gateway Kintore application for inclusion in the LDP, will be re-presented to the Infrastructure Services Committee's next meeting in November,” reports Brian Johnstone, chair of Kintore and District Community Council.

Nov 6: Kintore Fireworks

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-10-22T11:22:10+01:00

Further details have now been announced for the Kintore Fireworks display on Thursday, November 6. The event will start with a display by Pyromanci at 6.30pm. The three bonfires will then be lit at 7pm with the fireworks display starting at 7.30pm. The venue is the park next to Kintore School, on School Road in Kintore. There will be a barbecue with burgers, crisps and drinks available. There will also be luminous sticks, bracelets and necklaces to buy for the kids. It is some time since Kintore had its own Fireworks Display, so please come along and support this community initiative which has been led by Kintore and District Community Council and Kintore Rotary. CAN YOU HELP? The organisers are also looking for portable lighting and power supplies for the various displays and stalls. If you can help by lending lighting or power supplies for the event, please get in touch on info@kintorecommunitycouncil.co.uk.

Kintore Summer Festival 2015

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-10-16T10:28:23+01:00

It may be only 10 weeks to Christmas, but some people in Kintore are already thinking of summer 2015. That would be the committee of the Kintore Summer Festival. “Believe it or not but we are now starting to organise the 2015 Kintore Summer Festival,” says Colin Anthony the festival’s chairperson. “Some of the committee members have decided to step down this year which means that we urgently need new faces to join the committee otherwise the festival will not proceed next year. We need your help!” The Festival committee’s next committee meeting is on 12th November 2014 so if you are interested in coming along please send email to kintoresummerfestival@yahoo.com for more information

Nov 6: Kintore Fireworks

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-10-15T12:22:14+01:00

Make a note in your diary for the evening of Thursday, November 6. That’s when the Kintore Fireworks display will take place. It’s been some years since the town did its own display, but it was once a very popular event each year. Kintore and District Community Council have put together a plan to bring back the fireworks with support from the Kintore Rotary Club. The display will be in the park beside Kintore School. More details her shortly.

Nov 15: Casino Night fundraiser

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-10-15T12:16:38+01:00

Kintore Rotary are organising Casino Night fundraiser in Kintore Public Hall on Saturday 15 November. The event will be raising money for the annual 'Children in Need' Appeal and to local causes, one of which is the Kintore Bonfire Night / Fireworks display, being held in the park beside the school on the evening of Thursday 6 November. This is the return of an event which was very popular when it was held there annually many years ago and is being planned by Kintore and District Community Council and supported also by the Rotary Club. Tickets, price £5, are available from Jim Thomson on 07776 172152.

Chairman's report to community council AGM

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-09-16T14:31:23+01:00

I would like to thank everyone who has contributed in large and small ways to help improve what we have here in Kintore. Without the support of members of the Community, the Community Councillors, Police Service, NHS, our locally elected Councillors and the Garioch Area office we would not have been able to progress the many items we have identified and I certainly appreciate the all of support received this year. Many items have come before the Council including primary and secondary schools, new housing developments, retail developments all of which deliver many challenges for the members in the understanding of the formal processes, procedures, rules and regulations and how best to review, comment and hopefully have some influence on the outcomes. This is currently a very important time for all of us in Kintore as we review and progress the chance we now have for improving the community facilities in the East Kintore and the Town Park developments, the new primary school along with the chance to improve and increase the use of our beautiful Town House. ...Whilst some community facilities are to be provided within the new primary school and we await the results of an audit being carried by the Council on our behalf to help us identify what sustainable sports facilities are suitable for a town the size of Kintore. ...In line with current trends I see social media outlets are an excellent way of sharing and communicating the views of the community and the council and I see more of this being used to share the good news , comment on currents topics and receive public opinion for all our benefit. It is important to keep this all going as the more we share our opinions the better placed we all are to make better decisions that reflect community opinion. I would like to thank those responsible for the Kintore.org.uk website, Kintore Konnect and our local papers for the ongoing support and publication of the many items reported in the past year. We have enjoyed great support from the local businesses and individuals for the provision of the floral displays again this year and I must mention Ainslie Reid and his team of volunteers who have done a terrific job in delivering and maintaining fantastic displays. Appreciation should also be shown to the individuals who toiled to transform the weed bound area at the bottom of Lochburn Drive into a tidy floral display area, along with due thanks to the contributors of the materials, well done all !! We have had terrific support from the Community in our progressing facilities for the growing community and I am hopeful that in the next year we will see some success from our efforts and be able to improve in the near future on the facilities on offer in the town. ...So, I look forward to my second year as chairman and strongly recommend all to get involved in some way, we have vacancies in the Community Council and the more members we have the more we will be able to take on and hopefully progress.

Sept 6-14: North East Open Studios

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-09-06T15:55:13+01:00

Peerie Pantry is taking part in the North East Open Studios event with a photographic exhibition from September 6-14. Peerie Pantry cafe is one of a number of venues around the North East that will have artwork on display by Photograpic Art Student Connor Bleakley. Artwork will be available to purchase. Come along and support North East Open Studios promote the wealth of creative talent on your doorstep. See www.northeastopenstudios.co.uk for more details on all the artists involved or pick up a free catalogue from Peerie Pantry. Please note the venue will not be open on the 7th of September. Opening hours etc can be found on the Peerie Pantry website.

Second mini supermarket for Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-08-22T09:45:37+01:00

Following hard on the heels of the news about Sainsbury’s Local opening a convenience store at Midmill comes news of a second “mini supermarket” planned for a site about a tenth of a mile along School Road. The new convenience store is proposed for a site on the east side of School Road between its junction with Gauchhill Road and Sunnyside View/Brae Crescent. The plans, by TCD Architects, are for a “Proposed Mini Supermarket” and have been prepared for Malcolm Allan Housebuilders Ltd. The site is bounded on the North by the existing bungalows and on the south by the proposed roundabout and access road to the Kintore East development. The car park to the north of the mini supermarket shows space for 15 cars. FOOTNOTE: This mini-supermarket planning application and the one for the nearby Sainsbury’s Local convenience store were approved by the Garioch Area Committee at its meeting on Tuesday, August 26

Kintore needs more self-sufficiency

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-08-01T15:12:22+01:00

For many of the services that other communities of 5,000 (going on 7,000) people take for granted, we now have to look to other towns to serve our needs. People who remember Kintore as a village talk about how it had a bakery, two butchers, two filling stations, two banks, three pubs, two hotels and a general store. ...The result of this is that we have to rely on other communities to provide our weekly shopping, to fill our cars, to socialise over a drink or a meal, or to put up our guests. A town that constantly relies on other communities to provide its services is on the slippery slope to becoming, not a community, but a dormitory town. ...Apart from the fact that the meat he sells is so much better than any shrink-packed, water-injected offering from a supermarket, the busy shop is an important centre for people to gather and “hae a newsy” about the community. ...In that one shop you get a snapshot of the importance of local businesses (yes, even a local supermarket) to building and maintaining the community spirit. We are fortunate in Kintore that we still have organisations that foster this community spirit – I’m thinking of the two cafés, the pharmacy, the school, the library and the medical centre. We are also fortunate to have some incredibly hard-working people giving their time to build and maintain a community spirit with initiatives like the Kintore Summer Festival, the Christmas Lights, The Bothie, the floral displays and much more. But, how much better would Kintore be if we had a council that – instead of obstructing developments and thwarting our ambitions with developments like Gateway Kintore – encouraged enterprise, ambition and the establishment of facilities in Kintore? Instead of obstructing developments that would underpin the sustainability of our community, they should be encouraging developments that make our town more sustainable. ...I’ve already talked about how a butcher’s shop and cafés draw people into Kintore from the area round about. ...If we do finally get our supermarket, hotel and filling station on the outskirts, we should ensure that our town centre is such a strong attraction that those who travel from around the local area to the supermarket will: ...If that determination that Kintore was to be more than a dormitory town had been around a year ago, perhaps we could have saved the Torryburn Hotel from probable demolition to make way for more houses. ...That’s a much brighter picture than the current one, where facilities are closing down and the ambitions of the community are dismissed by the council.

Uncertainty over fibre broadband upgrade

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-07-30T11:02:58+01:00

Poor broadband connections have long been one of the hottest topics on Kintore.org.uk and our associated Kintore Facebook page. But, if you thought that this website and the Facebook page would be filled with people rejoicing, you would be wrong. For those lucky people who have now got ‘superfast’ broadband installed, the reports seem generally positive, if a little muted. ...But, then when we go to the BT website and enter our phone number we get the message: “BT Infinity isn't currently available to you”. ...The uncertainty is heightened by comments on the Kintore Facebook page that some properties are directly connected to the exchange and ‘may never get fibre broadband’. The issue here is that fibre broadband works by providing an optical fibre link between the exchange and the distribution boxes that you see in town. ... As long as the copper wire is not lengthy, you will not loose too much of the fibre speed. ...Well, although there are comments on the Kintore Facebook page, there seems to be no official word. ... • Or will distribution boxes be installed in the areas where there are direct connections? • Or will we just be forgotten and left to languish in copper wire 20th century broadband? No matter what technology your broadband uses there are signs that the Kintore exchange is still having problems coping with the demand. Our own broadband has recently been delivering speeds of 5MB to 7MB – not bad for copper wire technology. ...On two occasions last week BT Wholesale’s speed checker struggled to record speeds of 0.00MB and 0.07MB for periods of more than three hours. Effectively, during these slow speed times, we have no service and any broadband activity has to be carried out courtesy of a personal hotspot on a mobile phone.

Kintore Arms Inn sold

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-07-22T09:07:41+01:00

The Kintore Arms Inn in the centre of Kintore has been sold and has now closed. Future plans for the inn and the identity of its new owners are unknown. The current owners announced the closure on the Kintore Arms Facebook page. The message on the page read: “FOR INFORMATION: As of the 20th of July we will be terminating our lease of the Kintore Arms Inn as the building is now sold. We would like to thank all our customers and loyal staff over the past 9 years for there valued custom and support. We at present don't know the new owners. Once again thank you. The Andrews.” Following on from the closure of the Torryburn Hotel, the uncertainty over the future leaves Kintore even worse off for facilities. During the closure Kintore is without a bar in the town (there is one at Kintore Golf Club), or a restaurant (meals are served at the cafes and at the Kintore Golf Club) and very short on accommodation.

Improvements to The Square

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-07-14T12:05:28+01:00

Aberdeenshire Council has submitted proposals for environmental improvements around the 18th century Town House in the The Square, Kintore. The council are proposing the replacement of the bitmac surface surrounding the Town House. This will be replaced with Caithness stone slabs and granite cubes around the perimeter. The existing granite setts to the east would be replaced with flame textured sets. This is said to be similar to recent improvements in Huntly Square and Old Meldrum town centre. In the submission to planning, the council say they intend to retain existing mature trees on the site. The planned improvements include reconnection of the granite fountain and repair to the granite top. New lighting is also proposed. Also planned is the replacement of bollards and installation of three traditional benches to replace the contemporary benches on the site. On the Town House itself the council is proposing to repair a number of the granite steps on the double staircase to the council chamber. ,

Dismay as councillors vote down Gateway Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-07-03T13:16:29+01:00

At their meeting this morning members of Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure services committee voted not to include Gateway Kintore in the new local development plan. The vote at the meeting was seven for and seven against. The chairman used his casting vote to vote out the plans. The decision of councillors, flies in the face of huge support for the development demonstrated through a 1,000-plus petition in 2012 and 340-plus representations in the local development plan consultation, demanding that Gateway Kintore be included in the local plan. The Gateway Kintore masterplan includes a supermarket, filling station, hotel and restaurants along with business and community facilities. Also in the plan is an upgrade of the Broomhill Roundabout to improve access to Kintore on the A96. Support came not only from Kintore, but also Kemnay, Blackburn, Fintray and communities across the local area. Among the supporters is the Inverurie Business Association who want to see Gateway Kintore go ahead because of the jobs it would create and also to reduce the amount of traffic clogging the centre of Inverurie to get to the supermarkets. The decision leaves the 5,000 residents with the prospect of having to continue to drive through Inverurie, or to Dyce, or Westhill to do their weekly shop, with only “top-up” shopping facilities in the town in the existing Co-op and next year’s Sainsbury Local. Car drivers will continue to have to drive to Inverurie, Westhill or Bucksburn to fill up.

Community council hopes for facilities boost from council meeting

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-07-02T09:37:05+01:00

On the eve of Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure services committee meeting that will decide if Gateway Kintore should be included in the new local plan, Brian Johnstone, chairman of Kintore and District Community Council has urged councillors to listen to the community. At the Garioch area committee’s local development plan meeting, it was agreed that Gateway Kintore should be referred to the infrastructure services committee, with a view to including it in the new plan. “Other towns of 5,000 people take the facilities of a supermarket and filling station for granted,” Brian Johnstone points out. “But, Aberdeenshire Council planners have opposed the only opportunity currently on the table, to provide these facilities for Kintore. ...“At the moment, people in Kintore and other nearby communities have to travel into Inverurie, Dyce, or Westhill to do the weekly shop or to fill their car. I am hoping that the infrastructure services committee will now give the green light for Gateway Kintore. “There can be few developments that have enjoyed the same level of community support. In 2012, more than 1,000 signed a petition, instigated by the community council, calling on Aberdeenshire Council to support Gateway Kintore. More recently, 340 people wrote to Aberdeenshire Council as part of the local development plan consultation, demanding that Gateway Kintore to be included in the new local plan. “It would be a sad day if the clearly expressed views of the community and the community council were not heeded.” Gateway Kintore’s agents, Halliday Fraser Munro, have written to the members of Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure services committee to confirm that the development meets the three criteria set by the Garioch Area Committee. ... • Gateway Kintore is compatible with the new Scottish Planning Policy, particularly in relation to sustainability • Gateway Kintore will not impact negatively on the town centre • While time has not permitted renewed consultation with Transport Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council’s roads officers, previous consultation over the proposed improved A96 junction did not raise any concerns.

Plans submitted for Sainsbury's Local at Midmill

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-06-15T11:47:11+01:00

A planning application has been submitted for the demolition of existing buildings at Midmill and the development of four retail or commercial units and a hot-food takeaway unit at Midmill in Kintore. The development by Castleglen Investments proposes one larger shop 395 sq m unit, flanked by two smaller units either side of 97 sq m each on part of the site of the former Midmill filling station and adjoining food takeaway of The large unit is the one that is due to open as a Sainsbury’s Local. It is comparable in size to the existing Co-op on Northern Road. The retail statement submitted with the application says “The convenience store would provide primarily top up shopping within a limited catchment area up to 1km from the site. There would be strong emphasis on fresh and quality produce which is currently limited within this part of Kintore.” The car park will have space for 31 cars. The construction will be of roughcast block walls with metal cladding above. The first redevelopment application for the site was for retail units, offices and a filling station. This application was lodged in May 2005 and covered the entire site, including the building on the east of the site, which is not included in this application. The final date for any public comments to Aberdeenshire Council is July 17.

June 29: Commonwealth Games Baton in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-06-05T14:15:32+01:00

The Queen’s Baton will visit Kintore on its route to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. It is due to pass through Kintore on Sunday, June 29. The Queen’s Baton Relay is schedule to arrive in Kintore, from Dunecht, at 10:15 am on June 29. The relay will pass along School Road and Northern Road, scheduled to leave Kintore at 10:47. The baton is visiting more than 400 communities to let local people part of the build up to the games, which will be Scotland’s biggest ever sports and cultural show. The Queen’s Baton began its journey through the Commonwealth last October. On its way to Glasgow it will pass across 70 nations. You can follow its progress online.

Kintore East masterplan backed

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-06-05T14:14:47+01:00

Aberdeenshire councillors have approved the Kintore East masterplan that envisages a substantial expansion of Kintore to the south and east. The plan proposed the construction of 600 new homes, concentrated to the south east of Tuach Hill, which will be left as open ground. The plans include a new centre with convenience shopping and community facilities, near the Torryburn, plus the new school. The masterplan was put forward by a consortium made up of Kirkwood Homes, Barratt North Scotland and Malcolm Allan.

Gateway Kintore to go infrastructure committee

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-05-28T19:54:03+01:00

At today’s Aberdeenshire Council meeting councillors referred the Gateway Kintore development to the Infrastructure Services Committee with a view to including it in the new Local Development Plan which will come into force in 2016. The Gateway Kintore master plan will now be subjected to a number of assessments, including retail impact and traffic. Depending on the outcome, the development will go forward to go in the new local plan. “It is clear that councillors have listened to the considerable support that has been demonstrated for Gateway Kintore through the petition and the representations,” said a spokesman for Gateway Kintore. “We now look forward to providing the council with the information they need to carry out their assessments and, given a positive outcome, we will be pushing to provide Kintore and other local communities with the facilities of a supermarket, filling station, hotel, restaurants and an upgraded Broomhill roundabout at the earliest opportunity. “We would also like to thank all the people from Kintore, Kemnay, Blackburn, Fintray and other Garioch communities for supporting us through the petition and also those who submitted representations for Gateway Kintore to be included in the local plan.” If Gateway Kintore is included in the new local plan, a planning application could be submitted to the council as soon as the new plan comes into effect, in 2016.

Council still blocking Gateway Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-05-26T11:40:26+01:00

Despite a 1,000 name supportive petition and 340 representations to the council, planners from Aberdeenshire Council are still refusing to include Gateway Kintore in the Aberdeenshire Council local plan. Tomorrow and Wednesday (Tuesday and Wednesday, May 27/28) Aberdeenshire councillors will be asked to approve the local plan without the Kintore development - making this the second time that the plan has been barred from the local plan. At Kintore.org.uk we have seen, again and again, how the demand for a supermarket in Kintore is one of the top desires of many residents of our growing town. We have also seen a huge groundswell of support for the Gateway Kintore development, which proposes a supermarket, filling station, restaurants, hotel and business development alongside an upgraded Broomhill roundabout. In 2012, 1,000 people from Kintore, Fintray, Blackburn, Kemnay, Inverurie and other local areas put their name on a petition (870 online, others on paper) supporting the development. Then, more recently, 340 people (three times more the total representations from Inverurie and Westhill combined) wrote to the council demanding that Gateway Kintore be added to the local plan. The Gateway Kintore plan is also not just a pipe dream. Kintore.org.uk understands that talks are ongoing with a national supermarket and hotel chains, who are considering the opportunity and keen to look at the detail of locating at Gateway Kintore. From that perspective it is perplexing that Aberdeenshire Council should continue to defy the well-expressed wishes of the people. What exactly is it that the council finds so unacceptable that they feel they have to block this development? If our understanding is correct there is correct, there are commercial interests in this site, keen to provide the services that the people of this area of Aberdeenshire want. Why must we wait another five years for the Council's officers to recognise the benefits that this site brings, or to see if another site can be found (by which time the potential operators may well have lost interest)? We urge councillors to speak up for the people of Kintore tomorrow and Wednesday.

2019 date for re-opening of Kintore station

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-05-22T10:55:50+01:00

Kintore station should re-open in 2019 according to the latest estimate. The much sought-after move will coincide with the upgrading work on the Aberdeen to Inverness railway line. The announcement suggests that the new station will be ten years later than the 2009 date given in the NESTRANS schedule.

New Kintore School delayed

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-05-22T10:45:04+01:00

News that the new Kintore School will be delayed by a year has been met with dismay in Kintore. Kintore School opened in 2006 was soon too small for the number of pupils Work had been due to start shortly following planning approval for the new school. The planned opening date was August 2015. News reports were that the consortium of builders involved in the Kintore East expansion of Kintore had advised the council that they were not in a position to hand over the site. Aberdeenshire Council was reported as saying it would pursue a compulsory purchase order to secure the land. The primary school in Kintore was replaced with a new school in 2006. It was designed for just over 415 pupils but soon became too small. There are currently around 600 pupils.

June 21: Kintore School Football Tournament

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-05-22T10:39:59+01:00

The Kintore School Football Tournament takes place on Saturday, June 21. Carol one of the organisers sent us the details: “I’m helping to organise the school football tournament. This will take place in the field beside the school and on the AstroTurf. It runs from 10am till approx 2pm on 21st June. “There will be a BBQ, stalls and bouncy castles so it's a fun event for all the family. All welcome.”

May 31: New venue for Kintore Summer Festival

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-05-08T10:54:17+01:00

The Kintore Summer Festival will take place on Saturday, May 31 at a new venue. After many years based in The Square in the centre of Kintore, the organisers have moved this year’s festival to Kintore School and the playing field. See the Kintore Summer Festival page for full details of this year’s great family event. You can also download a copy of the Kintore Summer Festival leaflet (375k PDF). At the same time the organisers have issued a plea for new people to join the Kintore Summer Festival committee to ensure that the festival continues in future years. Please Contact Uli Mitchell on 01467 632764 for further information on how you could help.

Hospital bus service improved

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-05-02T09:37:09+01:00

Lobbying regarding a proposal to cut the bus service connecting Kintore to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary has been successful. The proposals would have meant taking two buses to get to the hospital for work, appointments or visits. Now Stagecoach North Scotland has announced that the number 37 service will run from Inverurie, via Kintore and Blackburn, to ARI every 20 minutes, rather than the previous 30 minutes.

Wargaming anyone?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-04-28T11:22:23+01:00

Just received a question that we cannot answer. A keen wargamer has move to the area and wants to know if there is a local Kintore group, or a people interested in starting one. “I would be quite keen to start a group but don't know where would be best to do it or what costs might be involved! Is there anywhere suitable locally?, says Niall Campbell. If you can help Niall, get in touch with him through the website editor@kintore.org.uk. We’ll forward your emails.

May 3 to 25: Birds and Beasts Exhibition

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-04-28T09:51:22+01:00

Birds and Beasts Exhibition at Balbithan House from May 3 to 25. Art Exhibition featuring work by Marga Schnell, Mel Shand, Alison D Brown, Winifred Fergus, Mary McMurtrie, Elspeth Haston, Gillian Ferns, Linzi Russell, Mairead Amos, Emma Palmer and Craftyweebirdie. Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12pm - 4pm. At Balbithan House, Balbithan, Kintore. Admission free. For further information call 01467632282.

A new lease of life for our Town House

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-04-25T09:47:18+01:00

It is good to hear that attentions are turning to finding a new use to give a new lease of life to Kintore Town House. It is a magnificent and historic building that has been the jewel in the crown at the centre of our Royal Burgh of Kintore since 1747. Since Kintore Burgh Council was dissolved in the 1970s, the council chamber has been little used. It used to be the venue for Kintore and District Community Council meetings, but these were moved because of the difficult access to the chamber. The access difficulty is because of the building’s most distinctive feature – the double staircase leading to the council chamber on the first floor. Under the stair is the door to the old town jail. Originally the building also included a schoolroom and grain store. More recently, as you can see on the history page, part of the Town House was used as a shop and post office. Now a group has been set up to look at potential new uses for the building. The neglected state of Kintore Town House has been an issue that Kintore.org.uk has highlighted over the years. A historic building like this should be cherished and utilised. • In 2009 we lamented the state of The Square and urged that the forecourt should be laid out in slabs or cobbles rather than the tatty tarmac that currently surmounts it and suggested that Kintore should apply for a share of a £60 million pot for town centre regeneration. • In 2010 we noted that the Town House, then with peeling paint on windows and doors, looked sad and neglected and urged action to safeguard our ‘jewel’. We look forward with great interest to the proposals that come from the group studying how to give Kintore Town House a new life.

Disappointment at date for new station

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-03-24T12:46:25+00:00

Work for the reopening of the Kintore rail station is not likely to start until 2016. Originally in the NESTRANS schedule to reopen in 2009, our local councillors have been trying to get a date from the Scottish Transport Minister. The response is that work is not likely to start for another two years and the opening is not likely to be until 2019 – TEN YEARS after the 2009 date originally noted by NESTRANS. Even this delayed date comes with the caveat “subject to funding”. Follow the long-running saga of the reopening of the Kintore rail station here.

Before you get too excited about Sainsbury's

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-02-21T10:24:47+00:00

You may have seen the story in the Press and Journal this morning “Delight at store hope for Kintore”. Well, just a word of caution before you start celebrating. Obviously it is good news. Very good news for a town with lamentably poor facilities. We’ll now have another option alongside the Co-op in Northern road and a well known name to boot. A Sainsbury’s Local branch But, that is where this store stands comparison in size terms – with the Co-op in Northern Road. We understand that what is being proposed by Sainsbury’s is a Sainsbury’s Local. The store size, we understand, is about 4,000 square feet. That’s less than a tenth of the size of the current UK average supermarket, which is reckoned now to be around 50,000 square feet. The new Sainsbury’s local is planned for a “small shopping parade in the Midmill area of the town” and will create 20 jobs.

It's called planning for a reason

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-02-13T16:21:09+00:00

Twice in the past few months I have been in meetings where the line of the Aberdeen to Inverness dual carriageway was highlighted as being a burning issue for those with an interest in the future of this area. The Inverurie by-pass was built at the same time as the A96 dual carriageway from Aberdeen to the Port Elphinstone roundabout. But, presumably to save cost, the new by-pass was constructed as a two-lane road. Before the by-pass was built, all traffic had to funnel through the centre of Inverurie Now that the Scottish Government have committed to building a dual carriageway all the way from Aberdeen to Inverness, one might assume that the second carriageway would just be built alongside the the existing Inverurie by-pass to complete that section of the road. But, there is a problem. Despite the inevitability of a dual carriageway, the authorities have allowed building along the verge on both sides of the Inverurie by-pass. Now, there is simply not enough width for a dual carriageway. If only our authorities had checked the dictionary (for the definition of the word “planning”) when the road was built. Now, the development of the A96 corridor from Kintore to Pitcaple are up in the air as we wait to find out how Transport Scotland plan to overcome this issue. It seems inevitable that there will need to be a new dual-carriageway route, by-passing the by-pass.

Kintore to Fintray road floods for third time

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-02-06T09:55:18+00:00

This is proving to be one of the wettest periods for years with a series of rainstorms sweeping the country and it has resulted in three flooding closures of the B977 Kintore to Hatton of Fintray road in the past month. The first two photographs were taken just before 9 am this morning one of which shows a truck that ignored the “road closed” signs and decided to chance the floodwater. The third picture is from lunchtime with an abandoned car, whose driver presumably wishes they had heeded the “road closed” signs because, this time, they were not scaremongering. This section of road is notorious for flooding and there are fixed warning signs on either side of the river warning that the area is liable to flooding.

Community council responds to local plan consultation

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-01-31T15:03:28+00:00

Kintore and District Community Council chair Brian Johnstone has submitted the community council’s response to the Main Issues Report consultation, which ends tomorrow (February 1, 2014). In it, the community council chair argues that the Gateway Kintore site should be included in the Aberdeenshire Council Local Development Plan 2016. In the letter, Mr Johnstone points out that the community has already made its feelings known by expressing aspirations for improved shopping facilities and community amenities. He believes the proposals outlined in the council’s Main Issues Report do not address these aspirations and amenities for a town with a future population in excess of 5,000. The letter points to the proposed housing developments for 600 houses and that this will create a further demand for full-time and part-time employment in retail, hotel and other businesses. The Gateway Kintore development, the letter continues, “will provide at least some more of these opportunities in the type of business which have a demand for part-time workers”. Mr Johstone also points out that there are currently no other potential developments that would provide the facilities that Gateway Kintore proposes. “The existing identified sites cannot provide the size required for a proposed supermarket,” Mr Johnstone writes, adding that the proposed site on the A96 corridor would help sustain “a large retail development, hotel complex and hopefully a petrol station”. Looking at the wider local region, Mr Johnstone highlights that Inverurie Business Association support the Gateway Kintore proposal, recognising that it would reduce congestion in Inverurie. READ THE FULL LETTER TO ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL

Feb 24: Kintore Public Hall AGM

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-01-27T15:02:46+00:00

Kintore Public Hall is one of the key assets we have in the Royal Burgh of Kintore – a venue for all sorts of community and private events. Although it is owned by Aberdeenshire Council it is run by a voluntary committee from the community. This means the rental for events can be kept low, which, in turn, means there are more events for us as citizens of Kintore to enjoy. Please make a note in your diary for Monday, February 24 at 8pm to come along at the public hall for the AGM and show your appreciation for the volunteers who keep our public hall busy and vibrant.

Seize the opportunity to push supermarket

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-01-17T10:31:49+00:00

Aberdeenshire Council are inviting responses to the Main Issues Report produced for the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan 2016. The deadline for responses is February 1. One of the hottest issues in Kintore at the moment is the frustration that the town has doubled in size in recent years, with some 1,000 further homes proposed, yet we have no supermarket, filling station, or many of the facilities other towns of a similar size take for granted. Despite submitting a draft master plan for the Gateway Kintore development, supported by a 1,000-name petition, Aberdeenshire Council continues to block the proposal, arguing that the site is too far from the town centre. Aberdeenshire Council’s planners have also said that the 1,000-name petition in support of the Gateway Kintore Development will not be considered in their current consultation. Frustratingly, this means we are required to respond to the council all over again. From where we stand, it looks like a snub for Kintore and the other communities in the area who support the Gateway Kintore plan. If you want to see Gateway Kintore become a reality and you want to make your voice count, you need to respond to the current consultation by Saturday, February 1, 2014. Fortunately we have made this as easy as possible. You can send your response in a matter of seconds. 1 CLICK HERE to go to the online form 2 Review the standard text 3 Add your name and details 4 Then click the SUBMIT button

High-speed broadband on the way

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2014-01-17T10:16:05+00:00

This week we have received the welcome news that many in Kintore has been waiting for. After years of problems with slow downloads and services like BBC iPlayer being almost impossible to use at peak times, Kintore is due to get high-speed fibre broadband this summer. The move comes as a package of broadband improvements thanks to £410 million funding from the Scottish Digital Partnership. Speeds of up to 80 Mbps and the BT Broadband website says the service will be available in June this year. If the headline 80 Mbps figure is achieved, it will mean that many houses and businesses in Kintore will see a ten-fold increase in broadband speeds. Among those welcoming the news was North-east Scotland Conservative MSP Dr Nanette Milne, who has an office in Kintore. “Businesses and residents alike often depend on quick reliable broadband and will reap the benefits of this funding, providing an economic boost to the area and creating new employment opportunities. It is therefore important that the improvements are delivered as soon as possible,” Dr Milne points out. UK Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has pointed out that the UK already does more business online than any other European country and says that widespread access to superfast speeds will provide a welcome boost to the Scottish economy.

Timeline of the Bothie opening

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-12-17T09:34:44+00:00

The Bothie opens its doors

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-12-03T09:44:14+00:00

A five-year vision to provide young people in Kintore with a place to meet became a reality today (Saturday, December 7, 2013) with the opening of “the Bothie” youth café. The youth cafe project has been driven by Action Kintore, a charity set up to provide facilities for young people in the town. With support of many local organisations including upstream oil and gas company Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd, construction work on the £140,000 project began in June this year and the straw bale building has now been officially opened. ...“This has been a substantial undertaking for Action Kintore, which is composed largely of volunteers from the community who have been dedicated to providing the young people of Kintore with a place where they can meet. “But, thanks to the support and encouragement of hard-working volunteers, the young people themselves, our local councillors and Aberdeenshire Council, we kept going. As a result it was a very special moment for many people when we declared the Bothie open. “In particular we are very grateful to upstream oil and gas company Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd, who provided £20,000 to support the construction project and to fund the appointment of a youth worker. We have also just had a boost from another oil company TAQA who have also contributed to the project. ...We’ve also had a lot of support from Aberdeenshire Council who provided the former library site at a nominal rent.” ...“Straw bales are also very good at cutting noise, which is important with a location in the heart of a residential ...“Straw bale construction has impeccable green credentials, which is one of the reasons that Bancon Construction were keen to take on this project. We researched the techniques thoroughly and discovered that straw bales were first used for construction on the plains of Nebraska more than a hundred years ago. ...“The bales were originally intended as temporary and were laid in a ‘Lego’ building block fashion, with the bales being load bearing. ...“We found a lot of enthusiasm from our suppliers and sub-contractors in tackling this project and, based on this experience, we would be keen to take on similar projects in the future.”

So Gateway Kintore is too far to walk?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-11-30T15:59:39+00:00

At the Local Development Plan meeting earlier this month it seemed that the main argument against the Gateway Kintore development is that it is too far for children to walk. So, we thought we would take a look at the facts. If we assume that the new centre of Kintore will be around the Torryburn (the red marker on the map above), once the Kintore East development is completed. That’s where the council are proposing that community facilities should be concentrated, right at the heart of the new expanded Kintore. So what are the relative distances between Gateway Kintore and the centre, compared to the distances between the council’s preferred site (on what will be the northern outskirts of Kintore) and the centre? • From the centre to the council’s preferred site is 0.8 miles. • From the centre to the Gateway Kintore site is 0.9 miles. It seems to be accepted that the Gateway Kintore site is the most attractive for a supermarket developer. It also seems to be accepted that there is less chance of getting a supermarket at the northern site (because it is much less visible and less easy to reach for traffic on the A96 trunk road). So, for the sake of one tenth of a mile, it seems council officials are denying us our best chance of having a supermarket that meets the ambitions of Kintore.

Wind Turbine application

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-11-29T10:25:48+00:00

An application has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for a 78-metre turbine on the Midmill Industrial Estate. Generic turbine photo, not representative of this application The application is for a single wind turbine with a tip height of 78 metres, crane pad and meter house on the business park. The application is in the name of VG Energy, from an address at the Thainstone Agricultural Market. You can see details of the application on the Aberdeenshire Council website. Closing date for representations is December 18.

Nov 30: Book Week Scotland Drop-in Quiz

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-11-21T10:09:28+00:00

Come and join the Big Book Bash on November 30, to celebrate Book Week Scotland. The “Book Week Scotland Drop-In Quiz - True or False!” takes place 2-5pm at The Peerie Pantry, 12 Northern Road, Kintore Easy, True/False Questions - call out your answers all afternoon! Scottish related for St. Andrew\'s Day FUN). FREE entry Big Book Bash written QUIZ sheet (True /False) to win goodies. 'Think You Know’ Desk Trivia Fun Quiz Calendars and Nancy’s Novels for sale. Pick up your FREE ticket and reserve your table in advance from The Peerie Pantry. (special Peerie Pantry deal available for cuppa & cake) Organiser: Nancy Jardine & Glen Reid. Admission charge: FREE Tickets from: The Peerie Pantry. More info: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Peerie-Pantry/318218068275690 or call 01467 631158

Kintore christmas card post

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-11-20T17:19:48+00:00

Kintore School are, once again, organising the Christmas post service within the village. The special red post boxes will be located throughout the village from 1st December until 16th December( last post 12pm) at 25 pence a card. Please put correct amount in a sealed bag with your cards and pop them in one of the special post boxes. Ensure that cards are clearly and correctly addressed as every year the team say they have a few unrecognisable addresses! Remember the cards are delivered in the local area only, as cards are delivered, on foot, by volunteers organised by the Kintore parent council.

Dec 7: Kintore Christmas lights switch on

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-11-13T09:31:54+00:00

The Kintore Christmas lights will be switched on on Saturday, December 7 at 4.30 pm in The Square in front of the Town House. Santa and his elves will be there, as will be our very own Kintore Pipe Band and a Christmas disco. There will also be mulled wine, burgers, soft drinks, glow sticks and stalls. Come along and celebrate the start of the Christmas festivities. Thanks to the Kintore Fundraising Team who put in a lot of hard work each year to raise the money for the lights.

Farewell to the Torryburn?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-11-08T13:23:40+00:00

The owners of the Torryburn on School Road in Kintore have applied for a warrant to demolish the former hotel and clear the site. There are reports that attempts to sell the former hotel have failed and it is likely that the owners believe there would be more potential buyers for a cleared site. Sections of the Torryburn site have been sold in recent years for housing developments, but there is no word of proposed uses for the site. See details of the demolition warrant application on the Aberdeenshire Council website.

1,000 names will not count says council official

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-11-07T14:18:34+00:00

Responding to a question by Councillor Fergus Hood at last night’s Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan meeting in Kintore School, a council official said that the 1,000-name Gateway Kintore petition would not count as a representation in the consultation for the 2016 plan. Piers Blaxter, Structure Plan Team Leader at Aberdeenshire Council, said that the Gateway Kintore petition would not be considered because it had not been submitted during the consultation period. If people wanted to make a representation on the proposed supermarket development, they would have to re-submit their views by January 31, next year. While admitting that the Gateway Kintore site had the best chance of securing the backing of one of the supermarket operators, Mr Blaxter said he could not support it. ... • He also expressed concern that, if the site were approved, because it was a mixed development, the supermarket, filling station, restaurants and hotel could be dropped and replaced with business units. Steve Crawford for Halliday Fraser Munro, the architects who prepared the Masterplan responded that he believed the council had adequate measures to prevent this. Mr Blaxter explained that the development of Kintore was constrained in the north of the town by three pipelines, including a high-pressure gas pipeline. This was why the Kintore East development had been proposed, because, other than crossing the A96, there was no other way to expand the town. Although Kintore was expanding south and east, Mr Blaxter explained that the site for the station was at the north end of Northern Road. ...He said he could envisage people arriving at Kintore Station and “heading for a pint, then staying in the station hotel”. ...Mr Blaxter asked if there was a medical centre in Kintore. Councillor Hood confirmed there was but said there were concerns that the new medical centre in Inverurie could lead to closure in Kintore. • For more information and maps, see page 48 of the Garioch Appendix (pdf 5.69MB) • To submit comments on the Local Development Plan look under the “Having your say...” heading on this page.

Gauchhill Road closure for 2 weeks

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-11-03T20:52:25+00:00

Gauchhill Road in Kintore will be closed for two week from November 25. The closure will be from Melrose Place to Gauchhill. The closure is to allow surface water connections. An alternative route is via Halforest Avenue, Forest Road and School Road, or the B994 Midmill, B987 to Gauchhill Road.

Kintore Fundraising Team Distributes £3,000 to local Kintore community groups

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-11-02T12:53:23+00:00

The Kintore Fundraising Team , whose primary role in the village is the installation and maintenance of the Christmas lights and the annual switch on in the square , have undertaken several successful fundraising activities which resulted in them having surplus funds which they decided to offer to community groups in Kintore. The response from the local community was very positive with ten different applications being submitted for the committee’s consideration. The result was that all applications were accepted and cheques are about to be issued to every group that applied. Groups that are about to receive donations are: • Kintore Playgroup • Kintore Senior Section of Girl Guides • 3rd Kintore Rainbows , Kintore SWRI • Kintore Bowling Club • Kintore Cub Scouts • Kintore United • Action Kintore • Kemnay Academy Music Association (of whom many are Kintore residents) • Kintore Senior Citizens Club.

Nov 6: Community urged to attend local plan consultation

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-11-01T19:11:32+00:00

Kintore and District Community Council is urging members of the local communities to take part in a consultation for the Local Development Plan on Wednesday (November 6) at 7.00pm in Kintore School. Brian Johnstone, the chairman of the community council, explained that Aberdeenshire Council had brought the meeting forward from November 26, leaving little time to encourage people to attend. ...“This is an opportunity for the local community to get our message across, loud and clear, to Aberdeenshire Council. There is growing anger and frustration in the community that – although we have seen 1,000 new homes built in Kintore since 2000 and a further 1,200 to 1,500 are planned for the future – facilities in the town have failed to keep pace. “In particular, people in Kintore want to see the sorts of facilities that other towns of 4,500 people take for granted – like a supermarket, filling station, plus better community and recreation facilities. “What is particularly frustrating is that it is now 250 days since we handed over a petition, with more than a thousand names, calling on Aberdeenshire Council to support the Gateway Kintore plan. “People cannot understand why, eight months on, there appears to have been no progress in taking forward a development that meets so many of the community’s demands for proper facilities in Kintore. “We want people from the community to come along on Wednesday, to take part in the discussions and ask the Aberdeenshire Council representatives why, despite the huge public support, this proposed development is still not being supported by Aberdeenshire Council Planning Officers in this Main Issues Report.” The Gateway Kintore petition – handed over to local councillors Nan Cullinane, Martin Ford and Fergus Hood – included the names of more than a thousand people calling on Aberdeenshire Council to bring the Gateway Kintore development forward for an early decision. Support for the Gateway Kintore proposal has come from other communities in the area, including Blackburn, Fintray, Kinellar, Kemnay, Thainstone, Port Elphinstone, Inverurie and Garioch communities. Inverurie Business Association has also come out in support of Gateway Kintore, saying that it would help to absorb some of the financial outflow from the catchment area, while easing traffic congestion in Inverurie. ...A master plan for the 31-acre Gateway Kintore site, adjoining the Broomhill Roundabout on the A96, was drawn up by architects Halliday Fraser Munro and submitted to Aberdeenshire Council planners in January. ...The master plan also incorporates an upgrade of the Broomhill roundabout – something that will be required for all future developments in Kintore. Following Wednesday’s meeting Kintore and District Community Council say it will be important for people to take the time to respond to the Aberdeenshire Council consultation on the new Local Development Plan.

Nov 23: Kintore School PTA Christmas Fair

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-10-21T09:32:55+01:00

Kintore School PTA is holding their Christmas Fair at the school on Saturday, November 23 from 10am to 2pm. They promise Craft stalls, Raffles, Santa's Grotto, Refreshments, Bottle Stall and lots more.

Nov 8: Christmas Shopping Night

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-10-16T12:27:52+01:00

Yes, it is that time! Time to start thinking about Christmas shopping and the Kintore 0-3 Group are quick off the mark with this event. Tickets £2 which includes a glass of wine and shortbread. Star prize £100

Oct 19: Kintore coffee morning for Syria

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-10-07T12:38:47+01:00

Kintore Rotary Club has organised a fundraising coffee morning on Saturday, October 19 at 10 am to help the Syria Refugee Appeal. “We will have the Shelterbox tent up in the Church Hall as a demonstration of how Rotary intends providing shelter for some of the unfortunates who are fleeing Syria, in fear of their lives and only taking belongings which they can carry,” says Kenny Thomson of the Rotary Club of Kintore. “This is a real humanitarin crisis is developing in that area, which will worsen when the weather turns a lot colder,” he adds.

Our councillors say amenities come first

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-09-18T11:14:58+01:00

Aberdeenshire councillors have told the developers behind the Kintore East development, that could see 1,200 new houses built in Kintore, that community facilities must come first. That’s the front page lead report from yesterday’s Aberdeenshire Council meeting in today’s Press and Journal. But the frustration remains that Gateway Kintore seems to be taking an interminable time to come before councillors for a decision. Gateway Kintore would answer four of the five demands from residents There are five requirements that repeatedly get expressed on Kintore.org.uk and on our Facebook page: • Supermarket • Filling station • Community facilities • Fibre high-speed broadband • Upgraded Broomhill roundabout (retaining direct northbound access to Kintore) Gateway Kintore would address four of these five demands, yet it has still not been brought before councillors. The 1,000-plus people who signed the petition (most of them in summer 2012) calling for the development to be determined by councillors must be wondering why it is taking so long. It’s not like a lack of facilities is a new problem. Around 1,000 houses were built in the town between 2000 and 2010 and the facilities have not kept pace.

A message to Aberdeenshire councillors: Put facilities before houses

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-09-12T09:22:31+01:00

On Tuesday you will be asked to approve a development that will result in the building of up to 1,200 new homes in Kintore. This will be a massive expansion of Kintore which already has a population of 4,447. Our message is a simple one. “Put facilities before houses”. In February this year, your colleagues representing Kintore were presented with a petition carrying more than 1,000 (800 online, plus hard copy petition forms) names calling for the Gateway Kintore development to be brought forward for a decision by the council. The 1,000 signature petition handed over by Kevin Watt (left) chair of Kintore & District Community Council to councillors Martin Ford, Nan Cullinane and Fergus Hood. The message should be clear. Put facilities before houses. ... • Community facilities ... • Upgraded Broomhill roundabout (retaining direct northbound access to Kintore) Gateway Kintore is preferred by many because it provides three of these five requirements on a site beside the A96 where it will be of benefit, not only to Kintore, but to other communities in the area. Also, the development will fund the improvement of the existing Broomhill Roundabout, retaining the vital direct access to Kintore from the A96 northbound out of Aberdeen (under alternative proposals this direct access would be closed off). For these reasons we urge you to vote for a deferral of the Kintore East proposals until a decision is made on the plans for a supermarket, filling station and other community facilities for Kintore. • See the results of our Facebook poll

The Bothie nears completion

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-09-11T14:41:56+01:00

Despite the slight setback of having to postpone a proposed first event at The Bothie this week, progress with the construction has been good and The Bothie should be ready in the next week or two. “The building won't be finished until next Friday at the earliest and we are disappointed, as we were very keen to show it off,” says Kenny Thomson of support group Action Kintore. “I visited it today and it is superb. It is ideal for small groups to meet and anyone interested in any aspect of it, whether it be to help out with youth activities or to use it for self interest groups, can contact me. I have already had one such enquiry for its' use and with meeting space in Kintore at a premium, I am sure I will receive more.” ...To finish off the interior there is a lot of painting still to be done and volunteers who could help, should contact Kenny Thomson. There is also work needed to get worktops in place and the small kitchen area kitted out. Any help or contacts would be welcome – contact Kenny Thomson again. ...As the building is constructed from strawbales it will be extremely efficient and well insulated. It does mean, however, that the Outside, the walls are noticeably bumpy, due to the straw bales under the plaster, but that seems to add character to the building. Appropriately the exterior paint colour will be straw. What else could it have been? ...Action Kintore have just received a cheque from Nexen Petroleum for £10,000 and this, together with Council funding already committed to the project, will substantially pay this years' costs of a Youth Development Worker. Four applicants have applied for the post and Action Kintore are to carry out interviews on Monday 23rd.

Kintore East recommended for approval

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-09-11T11:52:48+01:00

Aberdeenshire Council is to recommend to councillors that the Kintore East Development Framework is approved at the council’s Garioch Area Committee meeting on Tuesday (September 17). The plans cover a large area of land east of the existing burgh of Kintore extending from the new business park on the south-west to extend eastwards along the railway line towards Aberdeen. The plans as displayed in 2011 The proposal, which was outline at a public exhibition in February 2011, proposes an expansion of Kintore to the East, adding between 1,000 and 1,200 additional houses, a public park, sports fields, commercial developments and land for new schools. Aberdeenshire Council agreed to grant full planning permission for the primary school in August this year. Council planners have recommended the exclusion of an area to the south of Tuach Hill shown hatched in orange on the documentation. The Framework envisages work beginning with the commercial and community area of the Kintore East development close to School Road, just west of the Tuach Burn. The planners suggest this area could be suitable for a community facility, with childcare and healthcare. It is notable that the report to councillors refers to this area being suitable for “convenience retail”. This rules out the provision of a supermarket. Many will view this as underlining the need to approve the proposed Gateway Kintore development, for which a 1,000-signature petition was handed over to Kintore councillors in February this year.

Could you put something back into the community?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-09-10T14:44:39+01:00

Are you interested in putting something back into the community that thou live in? Do you have an interest in Kintore and its future? If the answer to either of these is ‘yes’, then please come along to the annual general meeting of the Kintore and District Community Council on Tuesday, September 17 in Kintore School at 7pm. All who have an interest in the town are welcome. There will be vacancies and it is essential that these be filled by individuals who reside in Kintore and have an interest in what takes place in the town. One of the main functions of community councillors is to represent the community in all manner of topics, often by bringing them to the monthly meetings, where discussion can lead to a 'community' view being put forward. At a time when issues such as a new school and more house building are being discussed, local input on these and various other matters which impact on local people is important. A good turnout is therefore hoped for. The Community Council meets at 7pm on the third Tuesday of each month, in Kintore School.

What progress on Gateway Kintore?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-07-18T11:46:20+01:00

You will probably recall that, back in February, a petition with more than 1,000 signatures was handed over to our Kintore councillors – Nan Cullinane, Martin Ford and Fergus Hood. The petition called on Aberdeenshire Council to bring forward the Gateway Kintore development for consideration by councillors. Five months on, have you noticed how things have gone awfully quiet? Is the Gateway Kintore Masterplan gathering dust on some Aberdeenshire Council shelf? Would you not think that the council and the councillors would realise this was a burning issue for Kintore – a town that has expanded beyond all recognition, but has been starved of the facilities that an expanding town needs? As a burning issue, would they not want to keep Kintore 4,000-plus residents reassured that their petition was not being ignored? Well here is an open invitation from the Kintore website for Aberdeenshire Council and our councillors give us that update. • Where are we with the Gateway Kintore development? • What is the timescale for it to go before councillors? • When can we expect a supermarket to open in Kintore? • When are we going to get a filling station? • When and how will we get an upgraded Broomhill roundabout that retains direct access to the town from the northbound A96?

Where will Royal Mail sell off leave our service?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-07-12T09:24:55+01:00

So the UK Government is to press ahead with the sale of Royal Mail, one of the services that even Mrs Thatcher’s government thought was a privatisation too far. As a customer, my question is where will that leave our postal services? Currently, I receive an outstanding service. Our mail is delivered six days a week, usually with a smile and a cheery comment thrown in for free. If I look at how private couriers operate, the picture is very different. The actual delivery is often pretty good, but there are quite a few occasions when delivery dates are missed. Vans return to the depot with the package I need still stuck in the back. More galling is the nonsense of designating our address as “Highlands” and charging up to £40 extra to deliver to this remote area (which happens to be just 12 miles away from the Scotland’s third city). Geography was one of my favourite subjects at school and I know that Kintore has never been, either geographically or politically, in the Highlands. My concern would be that the new privatised Royal Mail (or whatever it is called) will introduce similar surcharges for those of us with the effrontery to live outside the big cities. Brace yourself for the new range of stamps – 1st, 2nd, 1st Large, 2nd Large, 1st Remote, 2nd Remote? Will they also reduce the number of deliveries? Or stop deliveries altogether and insist that we collect our mail?

July 13: Marie Curie Blooming Great Tea Party

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-07-02T08:43:57+01:00

Raising funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care, the Marie Curie Blooming Great Tea Party takes place in Kintore Public Hall on Saturday, July 13 from 2 pm - 4 p.m Organised by the Garioch Marie Curie Cancer Care Fundraising Group, there will be tea, coffee and home baking, plus prize draws. Admission is £3 for adults, concessions and children £2. Tickets from: at the door on the day.

The Bothie begins to take shape

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-06-24T11:45:32+01:00

The Bothie, the new meeting place for Kintore’s young people, is taking shape with the foundations having already reached floor level. It is expected the building will be completed by mid-September. With the building taking shape, Action Kintore are now looking for volunteers. Read more about the progress on The Bothie in the Action Kintore section of this website.

Rapid progress by Kintore youth project

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-06-24T11:42:29+01:00

Building of The Bothie in Kintore started two weeks ago. Settled weather has allowed the foundations and walls to be completed to floor level, as shown in the photograph. Kenny Thomson, from the support group Action Kintore said: “The Bothie will create a fantastic opportunity for young people to meet with friends and learn new skills. A Youth Development Worker, along with two youth workers employed by the Council will manage activities, but volunteers are urgently required to assist in a variety of roles. “For example, one person has already volunteered to speak with school leavers about employment opportunities in the oil industry” Beth Low, who has been a member of Kintore Youth Forum for many years said: “it's really exciting to see The Bothie taking shape at last" Action Kintore is a Limited Company which exists solely to promote the provision of youth facilities within the town and its members have worked hard with youngsters from Kintore Youth Forum, officials from Aberdeenshire Council and others, to secure the finances necessary to build the facility. If you would like to help in any way, please contact Kevin Watt on 07729 909447. The building is expected to be completed by mid September.

Kintore Summer Festival programme

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-05-26T13:01:05+01:00

The full programme has just been announced for the Kintore Summer Festival which takes place this year on Saturday, June 8. As is traditional the Festival will get under way at 11 am, in The Square with Kintore Pipe Band marching from the Public Hall into the Square to play in front of our magnificent 18th Century Town House. For full details of the Kintore Summer Festival programme go to the Festival page. You can also download the flyer (2MB pdf). • The Kintore Summer Festival Team has also asked us to thank everyone for making their fundraiser last Saturday such a great success. The event raised around £1,500 to help make this year’s festival possible.

Exhibition celebrates botanical art

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-05-25T12:36:04+01:00

Mary McMurtrie, of Balbithan House in Kintore, was described as Britain’s oldest working artist. When she died in 2003, aged 101, she had just completed proof reading her latest book of illustrations. She specialised in painting flowers and plants. An exhibition is opening this Sunday in her former home, Balbithan House, celebrating the theme of botanical art with paintings by Mary McMurtrie, Julie Wyness and Alison D Brown. There are also crafts by Craftyweebirdie. Admission to the exhibition, which runs from Sunday, May 26 to Sunday, June 16, is free. The exhibition is open Friday to Sunday from 12 noon to 4pm. For more information go to www.balbithan.co.uk. To get to Balbithan House, take the B977 to Hatton of Fintray and take the first turning, signposted Balbithan, up past Kintore Golf Club. At the top of the hill you will come to a cross roads where Balbithan House is straight ahead. (Take care, there is a blind crest on your left as you cross into the driveway.)

Broadband woes continue in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-05-11T13:18:41+01:00

In the last month, Kintore’s broadband infrastructure has been creaking under the strain of the growing number of households and businesses in Kintore. Broadband outages and slow speeds seem to be affecting a large proportion of the population. This seems to confirm the fears that BT’s much-trumpeted upgrade for its broadband network in Kintore was not going to produce the results we had all hoped for. The trouble is that, no matter whose name is on the top of your invoice, the network you are on is almost certainly BT. Which is a shame because some competition might persuade BT that the network is failing and they need to ditch yesterday’s copper wire network and invest in fibre technology for Kintore. Between 2000 and 2010, Kintore grew by more than 1,000 homes and numerous businesses including global headquarters for a number of international businesses. ...Yet, if you go to BT Infinity website you will find that Kintore isn’t even on the current rollout plans. That seems incredible when there are plans for a further 1,2000 homes. Meanwhile, as you listen to friends talking about 39mB download speeds on their optical fibre broadband. ...Earlier this week the speed tester recorded our broadband speed at 0.01mB – that’s 1k! And judging from the responses on our Facebook page and Twitter feed, we were not alone. Yes, there are times when we get 5mB or even 7mB if we are lucky. But, that is usually off-peak and – even then there are glitches when the network comes to a halt. ...Give us a date when we are going to be brought into the 21st Century.

Bennachie sunset

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-04-24T09:56:41+01:00

Sunset last night behind Bennachie, photographed from Hill of Balbithan, just above Kintore Golf Course. I liked the way the cloud mimicked the silhouette of the Mither Tap and the two birds just add to the interest. © Ken McEwen All rights reserved.

Fire service in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-04-19T09:46:21+01:00

Last night’s fire at the old Torryburn Hotel has brought the matter of fire cover in Kintore to mind. For a major fire like the Torryburn, units are brought in from the surrounding area and last night we could see the blue lights on the A96 as units converged on the Torryburn. According to today’s news reports there were 50 fire service personnel involved in fighting the blaze. But it brings to mind a concern that has been niggling at the back of my mind for some months. With the move to one unified fire service in Scotland, what is the future for the fire station in Kintore? Is there a future? Will the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service see the argument for keeping the Kintore Fire Station, when (viewed from afar) Inverurie looks so close by?

Sunset brings promise of spring

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-04-02T09:32:49+01:00

The daffodils have been keeping themselves covered up. And who can blame them? Even thought it is April, there is still ‘sna behind the dykes’ in the fields around Kintore and the temperatures remain stubbornly cold, with a biting wind. Apparently March has been the coldest on record since 1969. I can believe that. But, last night’s sunset behind Bennachie, gave us a promise of spring, with the potential for temperatures to struggle back into double figures in about ten days time. Maybe then we will be able to catch up on our late-arriving spring? Maybe then the daffodils might even risk popping their heads up?

Kintore Konnect March edition

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-03-15T11:18:24+00:00

The March 2013 edition of Kintore Konnect has just been published and you can read it on this website HERE. In this issue you can read about: • Tokyo Olympics • What’s happening at the library • Farewell to Alan Greig • Church News • A gam of dodge the poo • GO take over the Hub • Diary of events • Visit to Uganda

1,000-name petition for Gateway Kintore handed over to local councillors

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-02-27T12:47:34+00:00

A petition carrying the names of more than a thousand people has been handed over to local councillors urging Aberdeenshire Council to approve a plan that would bring new facilities for the expanding town of Kintore. The petition calls for an early decision on the Gateway Kintore development, on a 31-acre site adjacent to the town’s Broomhill Roundabout on the A96. ...Kevin Watt (left), chairman of Kintore and District Community Council, hands over the petition in front of Kintore Town House, to councillors Nan Cullinane, Martin Ford and Fergus Hood. The master plan, prepared by architects Halliday Fraser Munro, includes a supermarket, filling station, 100-bedroom hotel, restaurants, nursery, community facilities, play barn and business premises. The master plan also incorporates an upgrade of the Broomhill roundabout, retaining direct access to Kintore for traffic heading north on the A96 from Aberdeen. Under the plans by the roads authority, this direct access to KIntore would be closed and traffic diverted across a new link road to the B944 Kemnay road. ...Kintore and District Community Council say the facilities proposed in Gateway Kintore are desperately needed for a town with a population of almost 4,500. ...“Kintore and District Community Council has supported the Gateway Kintore proposal from the outset, because we see it providing the kind of facilities that a rapidly-expanding town like Kintore desperately needs. “The strength of public feeling over the lack of facilities in Kintore is amply illustrated by the 1,000 names and the hundreds of supportive comments on the Gateway Kintore petition. “Having inexplicably failed to get the Gateway Kintore development added to the local plan, I hope that this master plan will now provide the opportunity to get this plan in front of councillors for an early decision. “Apart from the facilities on the Gateway Kintore site there is also strong support for the plan to upgrade the Broomhill roundabout. The roads authority’s proposal to divert traffic away from Kintore, on a new link road joining the B944, is clearly not welcome.” Support for the Gateway Kintore proposal has come from other communities in the area, including Blackburn, Fintray, Kinellar, Kemnay, Thainstone, Port Elphinstone, Inverurie and Garioch communities. Inverurie Business Association has also come out in support of Gateway Kintore, saying that it would help to absorb some of the financial outflow from the catchment area, while easing traffic congestion in Inverurie.

New martial arts class in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-02-26T14:06:10+00:00

Susan Staniforth is starting up a new Martial Art Class for SooYang Do on Fridays from 6.30 to 7.30pm Sooyang Do is specifically designed to be suitable for all ages (5 upwards) and for all ability levels. No previous martial arts experience is necessary and the main requirement is enthusiasm. All welcome, come along and try a few classes before committing, call Mrs Staniforth 07860144177 www.sooyangdo.com

House plan for Gauchhill

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-02-20T14:58:32+00:00

A planning application has been submitted for a new house at 10 Gauchhill Cottages, Kintore. The new house is proposed for the garden of an existing house in Gauchhill. You can view the plans for the three-bedroom, two-storey house on the Aberdeenshire Council website and the deadline for comments on the application is February 25.

Kintore sunset photos

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-02-18T12:12:41+00:00

A montage of the Kintore sunset yesterday, over the period of an hour by Sammy Murray. Note the distinctive silhouette of the Town House clock Tower. © Sammy Murray

Master plan submitted for Gateway Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-02-06T11:49:01+00:00

A master plan for the proposed Gateway Kintore development in Kintore has been handed over to Aberdeenshire Council planners in a bid to get the proposal considered by councillors. Despite representations from Kintore and District Community Council and others, the Gateway Kintore development was not included in the current Local Development Plan. A petition calling on the council to put the plan to councillors has attracted more than 1,000 signatures. The master plan for the 31-acre site, prepared by architects Halliday Fraser Munro, incorporates a supermarket, filling station, 100-bedroom hotel, restaurants, nursery, community facilities, play barn and business premises. The Gateway Kintore master plan also incorporates an upgrade of the Broomhill roundabout on the A96, retaining direct access to Kintore for traffic heading north on the A96 from Aberdeen. ...Kintore and District Community Council has backed the Gateway Kintore proposal from the outset, stating that the proposed facilities are desperately needed in a town with a population of almost 4,500. They point out that Kintore has had more than 1,000 new homes added since 2000 and there are proposals for up to 1,200 more. ...“Kintore and District Community Council has supported the Gateway Kintore proposal from the outset, because we see it providing the kind of facilities that a rapidly-expanding town like Kintore desperately needs. “The strength of public feeling over the lack of facilities in Kintore is amply illustrated by the 1,000 names and the hundreds of supportive comments on the Gateway Kintore petition. “Having inexplicably failed to get the Gateway Kintore development added to the local plan, I hope that this master plan will now provide the opportunity to get this plan in front of councillors for an early decision. “Apart from the facilities on the Gateway Kintore site there is also strong support for the plan to upgrade the Broomhill roundabout. The roads authority’s proposal to divert traffic away from Kintore, on a new link road joining the B944, is clearly not welcome.” Support for the Gateway Kintore proposal has come from other communities in the area, including Blackburn, Fintray, Kinellar, Kemnay, Thainstone, Port Elphinstone, Inverurie and Garioch communities. Inverurie Business Association has also come out in support of Gateway Kintore, saying that it would help to absorb some of the financial outflow from the catchment area, while easing traffic congestion in Inverurie.

Scottish wildcat appears again

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-01-30T15:11:43+00:00

The Scottish Wildcat on Hill of Balbithan made another appearance today for the camera. There is no mistaking this cat for an ordinary domestic moggie, with a larger, broader, much more muscular body, with a much broader face and big jaws. The coat is thick and tiger striped, while the tail is distinctively bushy and blunt with black and white stripes. © Ken McEwen All rights reserved. Scottish wildcats are seriously endangered with estimates that there are no more than 400 – and possibly no more than 100 – pure bred Scottish Wildcats remaining in the wild. Some even say that the species has only months from extinction. It is Britain’s most endangered mammal. One of the greatest threats to the Scottish wildcat population is hybridisation with domestic wildcats. Experts reckon this cat is one of these hybrids, although the looks show that it is clearly quite close to a pure bred Scottish wildcat. © Ken McEwen All rights reserved.

Check out the food hygiene standard

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-01-30T11:10:27+00:00

How good is your favourite food shop, cafe, take away or restaurant? No, not just whether the food is tasty – are the food hygiene standards good enough. Now you can check online, or from your iPhone or iPad, before you enter the shop, or book a table. OK, you like the look of the place. The menu posted at the door looks good. But will the food be good? More importantly, is the food hygiene up to standard? Now, it is easy to find how a restaurant, take-away or other food service rates on its food hygiene. In Scotland we currently have a “pass” or “fail”, but in England you will find a score of one to five. You can search by business name, address or postcode. The URL to bookmark is www.food.gov.uk/ratings. Or, if you have an iPhone, or iPad download the Food Hygiene app from the App Store.

Expansion plan for caravan park

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-01-30T11:06:02+00:00

Plans have been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for the expansion of Hillhead Caravan Park in Kintore, adding 17 new caravan stances and tent pitches. The application can be seen on Aberdeenshire Council website’s planning pages.

January sunrise over Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-01-29T10:06:10+00:00

Thanks to Sammy Murray for sending us this lovely winter sunrise picture taken yesterday morning. Winter sunrise at 07:50 on Monday, January 28. Both photos © Sammy Murray

Getting ready for Burns Night

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2013-01-19T13:53:09+00:00

Kintore butchers J&G Dossett have been out hunting on the slopes of Bennachie to bag the haggis ready for Burns Night. Pictured are Emma and John Dossett in the shop proudly displaying one of the haggis from today’s hunt.

Flooded again

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-12-27T10:23:29+00:00

It used to be the River Don, but twice this month it has looked more like the Loch of Kintore. This is the view from just above the Kintore Golf Club club house, looking across the river to the bridge at Boat of Kintore.

Have you got the 'shop local' message?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-12-10T11:50:18+00:00

Kintore butcher J&G Dossett has made the message very clear. This is their new shop front windows urging you to support local business and producers. Have you got the message to support local businesses? Dossett’s has. The new window artwork was produced by the gloriously named Kintore sign maker Rood Signs!

Rainbow cloud over Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-12-10T09:15:51+00:00

Sammy Murray sent in this wonderful picture of a “rainbow cloud” over Kintore on Sunday afternoon, with the distinctive silhouette of the Town House in the foreground. ©Sammy Murray The scientific name for these clouds is nacreous clouds are formed in the stratosphere, where the environment is very dry and clouds rarely form. Because of the height from earth, these clouds receive sunlight from below the horizon. and reflect to the ground producing rainbow colours.

Green light for new station at Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-12-07T11:02:31+00:00

Transport Minister Keith Brown has announced that Kintore will have a station again, 50 years after it was closed in the era of ill-considered rail closures. The new station should be open between 2014 and 2019 – five to ten years after the date mooted by NESTRANS. Kintore station was closed in the 1960s after around 100 years of service to the town. The railway from Aberdeen to Inverurie opened in 1854, built on the line of the ill-fated Aberdeenshire Canal, which had opened in 1805. The canal ran from Aberdeen to Port Elphinstone.

Christmas fundraising postal service

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-12-06T16:18:30+00:00

Kintore School is organising its usual Christmas fundraising post service to deliver Christmas cards in the village. The Kintore School Christmas Post Service will run from Friday 7th December and the last day for posting is Tuesday 18th December To post your cards: • Ensure that your cards are clearly and correctly addressed and not that the service covers the village of Kintore only. • Put the correct payment in a bag with your cards – 20p per card. • Put your cards in the yellow post boxes in the Kintore School foyer, Kintore Pharmacy, the Co-op supermarket and other locations in Kintore.

Nov 25: Peerie Pantry Christmas indulgence

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-11-21T10:15:05+00:00

Peerie Pantry invite you to join them for some Christmas Indulgence on Sunday 25th November 12.00 noon to 4.00pm. Complimentary mulled wine and Christmas tasters.

Dec 1: Christmas Lights Switch On

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-11-20T18:25:21+00:00

The Christmas lights and Christmas tree will be switched on on Saturday, December 1 with the programme starting at 4.30pm in The Square, Kintore. Santa and his elves will be there along with Kintore Pipe Band and there will be burgers and mulled wine to keep out the cold.

Master plan being prepared for Gateway Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-11-13T11:00:20+00:00

Strong public support has encouraged developers of the proposed Gateway Kintore in Kintore, Aberdeenshire, to produce a master plan as a means of taking the development to Aberdeenshire Council for a decision. Since the proposed Gateway Kintore development was made public in the spring, almost 1,000 people have signed a petition calling on Aberdeenshire council to support the plans. Kintore and District Community Council has been behind the proposal from the outset, stating that the proposed facilities are desperately needed in a town that has had more than 1,000 new homes added in the past ten years. ...Now a master plan is to be produced by Aberdeen architects Halliday Fraser Munro which should enable the plans to be put to councillors. “The community council has supported the Gateway Kintore proposal from the outset,” says Kevin Watt, chairman of Kintore and District Community Council, “because we see it providing the sort of facilities that an expanding community desperately needs. “The strength of public support in the local area is amply illustrated by the number of signatures on the Gateway Kintore petition. Having failed to get it added to the local plan, I hope that this master plan will provide the opportunity to get this plan in front of councillors for an early decison.” The Gateway Kintore plans for the 31-acre site envisage a supermarket, filling station, 100-bedroom hotel, restaurants, nursery, play barn, business accommodation and community facilities on the site adjacent to Kintore’s Broomhill Roundabout on the A96. The proposal also includes an upgrade of the Broomhill roundabout, which would be fully funded by the developer. This would retain direct access to Kintore for traffic heading north on the A96 from Aberdeen. Under current proposals from the authorities, northbound traffic from the A96 would be diverted on a new link road across farmland to join the B994. ...Widespread support for Gateway Kintore has come from other communities in the area, including Blackburn, Kinellar, Kemnay and Inverurie. Inverurie Business Association has come out in support of Gateway Kintore, saying that it would help to absorb some of the financial outflow from the catchment area, while easing traffic congestion, reducing costs for families in Kintore and Kemnay and creating employment. • This morning there were 743 signatures on the online petition, plus 230 on paper, making a total of 973 signatures calling on Aberdeenshire Council to bring forward the Gateway Kintore proposal.

Nov 20: Plans for new community campus

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-11-13T09:28:53+00:00

Aberdeenshire Council is organising an open event to view and discuss the draft plans for a Community Campus in Kintore. The community campus will provide a second Primary School with community facilities and will expand the learning and leisure opportunities in the village. The draft plans will be on display and architects and officers from Aberdeenshire Council will be there to discuss the plans and answer questions. This event will be held on Tuesday 20th November from 3.00 - 7.30pm in the community wing of Kintore Primary School and you are welcome to drop in at any point during these times. For more information about the event, please call Kemnay Community Centre on 01467 641444.

Nov 3: Thainstone Fireworks

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-11-01T11:29:50+00:00

This year's Inverurie & District Bonfire & Fireworks Night will be held on Saturday 3rd November 2012 at the Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, with doors opening at 5.30pm. The bonfire will be lit at 6.30pm with the fireworks starting at 7pm. More information on Aberdeenshire Council website.

Expansion proposed for Marshall farm shop

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-10-29T12:02:10+00:00

Plans have been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for the expansion of the Marshall Farm Shop at Concraig Farm, on the A96 a short distance east of the Kintore Broomhill roundabout. The shop would be expanded considerably along with more car parking. As well as extending the existing food shop and cafe, there would be new sections for hardware and outdoor clothing. The plans show access to and from the eastbound carriageway, using the existing underpass under the A96. The deadline for representations is November 6.

Wildcat on the prowl once more

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-10-23T17:30:06+01:00

The Scottish wildcat on the Hill of Balbithan has been photographed once again. Scottish wildcats are one of the most endangered species in the UK, with estimates varying from just 400 left in captivity to some experts saying they are just “months” from extinction in the wild. No ordinary moggie – the wildcat photographed this afternoon The big problem is interbreeding with domestic cats and the Balbithan cat – although very clearly a wildcat with the distinctive tail, stripes and broader face – is believed to have acquired some domestic genes. Experts say the distinctive blunt, striped tail should be even bushier and the stripes more distinct. To protect the endangered pure-bred wildcats, conservationists urge the neutering of domestic cats in areas where they could interbreed with wildcats. Oh, and if you think this looks like a nice wee domestic moggie, think again. Wildcats shun human contact, but, should you a corner a Scottish wildcat, experts say that your next meal will probably be hospital food. Yes, they may look quite harmless, but they are ferocious.

Nov 16: Kintore Rotary Race Night

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-10-17T09:56:45+01:00

The Rotary Club of Kintore are organising a Race Night on Friday, November 16 at 19:30 to raise funds for BBC Children in Need and local groups and charities.

Nov 9: Kintore Christmas Shopping Night

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-10-17T09:55:23+01:00

Kintore 0-3 Christmas Shopping Night Friday 9th November Kintore Public Hall 7.30pm Tickets are £2 and include a free glass of wine or soft drink & shortbread. Lots of great stalls from local businesses & crafters and a huge festive raffle! Tickets can be bought from registered members of the Group or on the door that night.

Kintore rail survey launched

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-09-04T11:33:20+01:00

Alison McInnes, MSP for North East Scotland, today launched a survey asking people in the Kintore area for their views on opening a railway station in the town. Re-opening the railway station in Kintore has been a long held ambition and was included in the NESTRANS plan with an opening date of 2009. However, as we have noted before on this website, the pace of the project has been extremely disappointing, possibly because of the extraordinarily high costs being quoted for the reinstatement of the rail station. Now Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP, Mrs McInnes says she has written to every person in the Kintore area to ask them to take part in the survey. "The local campaign for a station at Kintore is one that I have been involved in for a number of years, actively working alongside the local community to highlight the fact that a station at Kintore can be part of the long-term solution to the North East's transport problems,” says Mrs McInnes. "We have an opportunity to persuade the Scottish Government that this project must be considered a priority. That is why I am keen to gather further evidence and hear my constituents' views on this issue as I continue to make representations on their behalf.” If, like us, you have not received Mrs McInness’s letter, you can complete the survey online at www.alisonmcinnes.co.uk.

Waste gassification plan for former paper mill

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-08-31T10:15:55+01:00

Kirkwood Homes Investments held a public consultation in Kintore Public Hall yesterday, to show their plans for expansion of the commercial use on the former paper mill site north of Kintore. The site concerned is bounded on the east by the River Don and on the west by the Aberdeen to Inverness railway line. ...This plant would take waste, normally put to landfill, and use it to produce gas for generation of electricity. ...Inevitably suggestions of a plant that will take waste and heat it to produce gas, brings concerns for people living near the plant. These concerns include offensive odours – something that is still etched it people’s minds after the issues with the Dundas Brothers rendering plant. ...The company’s representatives at the public consultation include former Aberdeenshire Council official and now environmental consultant George Niblock. He pointed out that the plant would be designed to ensure there were no odour problems. The building, he assured me, would be under negative pressure and so any smells from the waste heating process would be contained within the building. ...Scotland’s Zero Waste Plan http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/06/08092645/0 ...The Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2012/148/contents/made The Zero Waste Regulations Policy statement http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/10/14112444/0 The Scottish Environment Protection Agency website for waste related data, information and policies http://www.sepa.org.uk/waste.aspx The Scottish Environment Protection Agency – Thermal treatment of waste guidelines 2009 http://www.sepa.org.uk/about_us/news/2009/sepa_publishes_revised_guideli.aspx The Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2000/323/contents/made

Aberdeenshire Council: Why Gateway Kintore is not in plan

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-08-30T12:11:59+01:00

I telephoned your office recently to discuss the above matter but you were unavailable at that time, so I now write to express my concern regarding the manner in which a development at Broomhill, Kintore has been handled. ...Firstly, such facilities are sadly lacking, in a town which has grown beyond recognition over the past 10 years, with the building of over 1000 houses, which has left a legacy of inadequate community facilities; secondly, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence of widespread public support for such facilities, evidenced by 930 or so residents signing a Petition supporting the development; thirdly, the fact no new housing is included in the proposals means there will be no impact upon the already stretched educational provision within the town and finally and importantly, the developer has committed to upgrading Broomhill roundabout on the A96 Trunk Road at his own expense. ...Support for the development was made clear by the Community Council since it was first mooted over two years ago and this support was conveyed to your Department in a letter dated 23 March 2010, a copy of which is attached. Several weeks later, we received a reply dated 26 April from Michael O’Sullivan, Policy Planner at Woodhill House, which stated “In terms of commercial development, the development strategy for Kintore recommended by officers to the Garioch Area Committee was as follows: the continued allocation for mixed use development, including protection of land for a Kintore Station, at the northern gateway site (ALP site Emp B); and, a major new site for mixed use development to the east of Kintore (Main Issues Report site G87). ...It was clear therefore at that early stage there would be resistance to the Gateway Kintore proposals, but the community had flagged its support for them and there was an expectation their views would be taken into consideration as the LDP took shape.   ...Positive feedback was received and it is not difficult to understand why, as the facilities envisaged could be used by residents travelling to and from these communities along the A96 Trunk Road, particularly since they will be so accessible and visible, being situated on that major transport link. ...Piers Blaxter and some of our Local Councillors were well aware of the public interest and support for the provision of these facilities, but it seems they chose to ignore them and failed to see the potential to meet public aspirations for the much needed facilities which were on offer and therefore demonstrated a remarkable lack of understanding of local needs. ...By contrast and what is even more inexplicable is the inclusion in the LDP of proposals by a consortium of builders to build a further 1200 houses in Kintore in two phases, when there is no development framework, no firm proposals for new educational facilities nor any likelihood of the consortium having the capability of upgrading Broomhill roundabout on the A96 Trunk Road (they don’t own the land!) ...You will have grasped from the foregoing paragraphs there are no negative aspects to the Gateway Kintore proposals and had they been included in the LDP, there would be no educational or other insurmountable impediments to the commencement of the development. As it is, the community has been deprived of essential and achievable facilities, while attempts have been to placate Community Councillors by saying the proposals could be included in the next LDP, which is of course many years in the future! ...A logical and sensible solution would have been for the Gateway Kintore proposals to be included in the newly agreed LDP, with the development of the 1200 houses being included in the next one. ...There has been much rhetoric in recent times relative to the increasing importance of Community Councils, but the general manner in which this particular development has been handled has definitely called that into question and one must ask what the point is in seeking community views and then ignoring them, particularly when substantial effort has been made by Community Councillors and other members of the local population to consider the proposals, solicit public opinion and respond to correspondence on them? ...The lack of lateral thinking and forward planning are lamentable and an explanation to the residents of Kintore, as to why there was a failure to deliver much needed community facilities, would also be appropriate. ...l trust you find this to be in order but if you have any queries regarding the content of this letter of if you require further information regarding the Aberdeenshire Council complaints procedure please do not hesitate to contact me.

Aug 30: Expansion of paper mill commercial park

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-08-17T12:18:39+01:00

Kirkwood Homes Investments are holding a public consultation for their planned expansion of the commercial park at the former Inverurie paper mill site on August 30 in Kintore Public Hall 6pm to 9pm.

Aug 22: Dennis Robertson MSP surgery

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-08-13T19:03:01+01:00

Dennis Robertson MSP Aberdeenshire West Will be holding a surgery on: Wednesday 22nd August, from 3.00pm to 4.00pm, at the Kintore Public Hall, Kintore. To make an appointment, please call my Constituency Office on 01467 631364, where my staff will be pleased to pass me your details. Alternatively, drop in on the day, although you may have to wait. Anyone who cannot get to a surgery because they are disabled or housebound can get in touch and alternative arrangements can be made. Many problems can be dealt with by letter or email and you can write to me at : 10 & 11 Craigearn Business Park, Morrison Way, Kintore AB51 0TH Email: Dennis.Robertson.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

Aug 4: Kintore author's book signing

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-07-27T10:26:31+01:00

Kintore author Nancy Jardine is holding a Garden Party and book signing session at 39 School Road, Kintore, on Saturday, August 4 from 2pm to 4pm. If you have ever wondered what it is like to get a novel published, this is an event for you. Local Kintore author, Nancy Jardine invites you to come and find out. To celebrate the launch of two new novels Nancy invites anyone interested in 'happy ever after' romance novels to browse the displays. There will be the opportunity to buy a personally signed print copy, or a signed e-book cover if an e-book version (Kindle) is preferred. She says it's a 'buy 1 new novel and get 2 FREE second-hand Harlequin/paperback' deal. Additional second-hand books will be available to buy, with 50% of the profits going to The Reading Bus charity. You can find out more about Nancy Jardine’s writing at http://nancyjardineauthor.weebly.com http://nancyjardine.blogspot.co.uk http://facebook.com/nancy.jardine.56 or on Twitter @nansjar

Kintore artist's early work on show

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-07-26T12:49:15+01:00

An exhibition showing early etchings by a Kintore-based artist who, during her lifetime, was recognised as Britain’s oldest working artist, will take place at Balbithan House on selected days from Sunday, July 29 to Sunday, August 19. The late Mary McMurtrie is known as one of Scotland’s finest botanical painters. However this exhibition of recently discovered etchings reveal a quite different style. Dating back to the mid 1920's when Mary was an undergraduate at Gray's School of Art, these early etchings of landscapes and portraits remind us of the outstanding talent of a remarkable woman. Sun 29 July - Sun 19 August (Fri, Sat, Suns only, 12-4pm) To get to Balbithan House, take the road past Kintore Golf Club (signposted Balbithan). At the top of the hill you will reach a crossroads where Balbithan House is straight ahead.

More housing planned for Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-07-24T11:58:44+01:00

The Badentoy Trust and AJC Homes have submitted a planning application to Aberdeenshire council for a development of 11 houses (four of which would be affordable homes) at Gauch-hill Road in Kintore. The site of the proposed houses is Lincrieff, Gauchhill Road, Kintore, adjoining the new houses being built at Beechwood. You can view the proposal on the Aberdeenshire Council planning website. The closing date for representations is August 16, 2012.

Gateway Kintore now on Storify

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-06-27T13:33:14+01:00

Now you can read about the battle to secure better community facilities for Kintore on Storify. Storify includes details of the proposed development and the story of the battle to bring the proposal forward, despite Aberdeenshire Council’s refusal to include it in the local plan.

Kintore BT upgrade downgraded

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-06-18T12:22:40+01:00

In December last year BT made the announcement that “Kintore will be among 47 communities in Scotland to receive the new service that promises speeds up to 20Mbps”. It certainly sounded good news and it was announced in a way that made it sound like the new service was going to deliver notably faster speeds for Kintore. “Up to 20mbps” sounded great in a town where there have been persistent complaints about slow connection speeds making use of websites like BBC iPlayer all but impossible at peak times. The excitement about the announcement died down pretty quickly when the truth was revealed that this was not the much-hyped BT Infinity, fibre-optic but just an upgrade of the old copper wire system. Now BT is sending out emails to announce that the switchover is to take place on June 21 around 6pm. This will affect BT customers and those whose service providers use the BT network (which in Kintore, I believe, is virtually everyone). Both broadband and landline will be interrupted briefly before switching to the new service. What is notable from the emails is all the hype has gone. No longer are they trumpeting “faster broadband” or “up to 20Mbps”. Instead the email simply adds in brackets “It might make it a bit faster, too”! So the big promises have been toned down and, instead, we are being sold the line that this will give us a ‘stronger, more reliable broadband connection”. Although it is disappointing that the the claims of “up to 20Mbps” have disappeared, a “stronger, more reliable broadband connection” still suggests a better service. Let’s wait and see whether it is actually delivered. Maybe we’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Kintore Konnect 8 published

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-06-11T14:44:01+01:00

The latest issue of Kintore Konnect, the newsletter produced in association with Kintore and District Community Council and Kintore Parish Church, is now available on this site. To download a copy go to the Kintore Konnect page.

Housing decision deferred

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-05-29T13:54:23+01:00

Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch committee have deferred a decision on the proposed 150-house development in Kintore. The committee decided to defer the decision, to give more time to find out about education provision and also to try to increase the proportion for the proposed new town park.

Another housing development planned for Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-05-23T10:03:14+01:00

Aberdeenshire Council is recommending approval for a planning application proposing up to 150 new homes in a residential development at Midmill in Kintore. The development comes at a time when the community council is campaigning for more facilities, including Gateway Kintore, before more houses are built in the town. The application, which is due to go before the Garioch Area Committee of Aberdeenshire Council on May 29, is described as an “enabling development for a town park and associated facilities at Woodside Croft in Kintore. More new houses planned for Kintore The application for planning permission in principle is in the name of J R Craig and Scotia Homes. The architects are William Lippe of Inverurie. The report to the committee envisages the site could be developed for up to 150 houses, with 10% of the total being affordable housing. The developers would be asked to make a financial contribution towards primary and secondary education in the area, plus a financial contribution towards three hectares of parkland and a sports pavilion. The development brief calls for parkland sufficient to allow for sports pitches, a play area, parking and a pavilion. When the development was first mooted in 2004, Aberdeen City Council advised concerns about the size of the development and, in particular, that it could have a significant impact on the traffic entering Aberdeen on the A96 – which was then over capacity at peak times. Among the objectors, at the time, were Kintore and District Community council. As part of the development brief it was proposed that the B994 Kemnay road would be realigned to join the existing roundabout at the entrance to the Midmill business park. However, an alternative proposal to install traffic lights is being proposed because the land needed for realignment is not in council ownership and “from an environmental point of view new road building should not be promoted without thorough examination of all options”. This would mean the continuing conflict of a roundabout in close proximity to a busy junction with high volumes traffic from Kemnay heading to the A96 and Aberdeen.

Gateway Kintore petition tops 600

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-05-17T10:08:56+01:00

The petition to Aberdeenshire Council calling on them to bring forward the Gateway Kintore proposal for determination by the councillors, has clocked up 600 signatures in support. ...The response to the petition makes it clear that there is broad support within Kintore – and, indeed, from neighbouring Garioch communities – for the kind of facilities being proposed by Gateway Kintore. ...With proposals for 1,000-1,200 new homes to be built in Kintore, the need for facilities and an improved junction become even more pressing. ..."living in Blackburn for almost five years and since having one child and another due in the summer, I feel it would be very useful to have more amenities on our doorstep and only having to travel a short distance to get there. Blackburn, like Kintore is a growing community and we are desperate for for more shopping outlets and facilities closer to our homes." ..."With the population of Kintore having expanded so much in the last 10 years, surely serious consideration needs to be given to a train station in the village." ..."This is requiered now the village has next to no services and an ever expanding population This brings not only employment but reverses the stagnation of recent years lack of development." ..."I think its about time that there were more facilities available considering the amount of new housing that has been built there." ..."Like the Gateway Kintore proposal, but a train station must also be considered as a crucial part of the town's development" ..."The community as a whole would benefit greatly from gatewaykintore,providing a lot of jobs for those who have been out of work for any length of time.." "I would be more than happy to add my name to the petition as the facilities in Kintore now are lacking and I feel that more amenities, like a supermarket, petrol station, hotel and leisure complex is sorely needed” ..."i think that the gateway kintore is a great idea,it would be perfect for the community and would create much needed jobs." ..."Kintore need this kind of development as there are no facilities for the community and the town is rapidly expanding...." "Kintore is choking on too many homes without sufficient facilities to promote growth, Kintore has a strong and proud community and we want people to come and become part of it, not just use it as a place to park their car."

Demand grows for Gateway Kintore green light

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-05-01T12:25:22+01:00

Gateway Kintore proposes a supermarket, filling station, restaurants, hotel, business units, plus leisure and sports facilities, along with an upgraded Broomhill Roundabout to retain direct access to Kintore for Aberdeen traffic on the A96. ..."I feel due to the rapid expansion of Kintore and surrounding area, this development would be of huge bennefit to the local community." ..."THIS IS A MUST, THERE ARE SO MANY FAMILY'S IN KINTORE AND NO LOCAL SUPERMARKET OR PETROL STATION. ..."Kintore is an up and coming village and we need these facilities in the area as they are not availlable at the moment." ..."I have lived in Kintore for 4 years now and feel we are in desperate need of these facilities. ..."I've lived in Kintore almost 2 years and find it absolutely ridiculous that there is only one shop and no petrol station or any sort of facilities for such a large town." "The benefits to Kintore and the surrounding area of this development will be massive, I am hopeful that this development will go ahead." ...There is a poor bus services which has been cut and there is no train service we have to pick our children up from the train station in Inverure-very annoying! ...There is a lack of job opportunities for the teenagers in the area, therefore this will provide employment not only for them but for anyone else who wishes to apply." ..."we badly need this in kintore as there is nothing at the moment, kintore is growing all the time” ..."Kintore is desperate for a supermarket and filling station as travelling to Inverurie is very time consuming and I don't have car all the time and would find it easier if we had supermarket we could walk to." ...I cannot understand the reticence of Aberdeenshire Council to let this proposal be determined – especially as it has a double benefit, namely facilities AND retaining the access into Kintore from Aberdeen." ...We currently live & both grew up in Westhill but are looking into moving out to Kintore - this area really does need the facilities." ...i was born and bred in kintore and i am the 3rd generation of my family, unfortunatly and with great sadness i had to move out of the area due to the lack of facilities for our growing young family, after long concideration we decided to move to westhill as there is far greater facilities to support my family , the gateway kintore should have been erected the same time as the new housing development at kintore, if it had my family would still be staying there"

May 26: Kintore Summer Festival programme

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-04-26T11:32:14+01:00

The programme of events for this year’s Kintore Summer Festival has been announced. To see full details of what is on and where, go to the Kintore Summer Festival page. The Festival kicks off on May 18 with the traditional Afternoon of Music for the residents of Airlie House and Provost Lawrence Court. Then, in the evening, at Kintore Public Hall from 7.30pm there is a fundraising race night at Kintore Public Hall. The main event, though, is the Kintore Summer Festival on Saturday, May 26 stating at 11am when Kintore Pipe Band will march from the Kintore Public Hall to The Square. There’s a very full programme of events to interest all ages, plus the usual range of food, craft, games and other stalls in the forecourt of our wonderful 18th century Kintore Town House.

Councillors' responses to facilities in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-04-24T21:17:17+01:00

Prior to the May 3 election, we asked the Kintore councillors – Nan Cullinane, Martin Ford and Fergie Hood – for comments about facilities in Kintore. In doing so we recognise that councillors might find it difficult to comment specifically about Gateway KIntore. We shall publish the responses, when we receive them, below: Expressing an opinion about the proposed development could mean councillors would have to declare and interest and be unable to vote on the Gateway Kintore development if it was to come before them for a planning decision. For that reason the comments are likely to be quite general. Comments received Councillor Nan Cullinane says: “I’ve lived and worked in Kintore for a number of years and have seen the village grow in size. As more and more houses have and will be built there is definite need for more community facilities, which I feel Kintore and the surrounding area's could benefit from.” No response yet received to our invitation for comments to Councillors Martin Ford and Fergie Hood.

Overwhelming welcome for Gateway Kintore proposal

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-04-23T21:01:13+01:00

“i was born and bred in kintore and i am the 3rd generation of my family, unfortunatly and with great sadness i had to move out of the area due to the lack of facilities for our growing young family, after long concideration we decided to move to westhill as there is far greater facilities to support my family , the gateway kintore should have been erected the same time as the new housing development at kintore, if it had my family would still be staying there" ...This would be great not only for Kintore but for all the small communities surrounding, The village in Blackburn has so many housing plans as well as Kintore where do all these people shop, Aberdeen or Inverurie!! ..."I have 2 children and there is nothing for them to do in Kintore and the supermarket would be great save taking the bus into inverurie twice a week as I don't drive. ..."Absolutely needed urgently now, Kintore is still growing and the factilities would be a fantastic benefit to all the community, young and old!" ...A new Supermarket would bring the much needed competition to the two main ones in Inverurie as well as providing much needed services to those of Kintore. Access to Kintore from Aberdeen to remain from Broomhill is the most common sense and best option, I would not appreciate the added miles and fuel costs of the other option. ...I take my elderly mother who stays in kintore for a weekly shop to inverurie or aberdeen because there are no facilities in kintore. ..."I support these plans as Kintore has become so big and yet doesn't have the amenities to match a growing population." ...Not everyone drives so they can pop to Inverurie or Aberdeen to have these needs met, and the bus isn't the best solution. ..."kintore requires more shops as it has expanded alot over the years and there is not much selection,therefore people have to go to inverurie for shopping." "I regularly visit a relative who stays in kintore and Have to travel to Inverurie for shops or filling station as there is no such facilities in Inverurie, I feel that gateway kintore is a great idea for the area!" ..."This will directly affect my family and I. We use the broomhill roundabout 6 or 8 times daily to take our child to school. if the roundabout is removed we would not be able to access kintore as quickly as we currently do. We also are able to cross the road safer at the roundabout as cars tend to be a bit slower at the roundabout rather than try to cross at the bus stop where cars are doing 70+ miles per hour." ..."long overdue especially petrol station and leisure facillities kintore will benefit from this in more ways than one think of the jobs it would create"

Development would provide necessary facilities

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-04-18T17:31:43+01:00

Planning proposals have been put forward by Halliday Fraser Munro for the provision of essential community facilities on the outskirts of Kintore, near Broomhill roundabout. ...There is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest these types of community facilities would be welcomed by Kintore residents and there is potential to explore the depth of such support. ...A further positive and crucially important feature of the proposals relate to changes to the layout of Broornhill roundabout, by retaining the existing access into Kintore and adding a link road into the proposed development. These costly alterations, to be paid for by the developers, present a far superior solution than the nonsensical proposal from the Council Planners to close the access into Kintore and divert Kintore bound traffic northwest and away from the town and towards the Gaughhill/Kemnay road, which would involve cutting a costly new road through animal habitats, adding millions of additional kilometres to car journeys every year, increasing our carbon footprint and incurring higher fuel costs for Kintore residents. Regrettably however, there are significant impediments to the implementation of these desirable proposals and this revolves around the opinions of senior Council staff and the Reporter, who variously consider there is a sufficiency of employment land elsewhere, which leads to their assertion this 33 acre site is not required for such. A further disappointment is the fact the site was not included in the recently published Local Development Plan, despite numerous representations made during the consultation process that it should be. lt was clearly recognised by the Reporter and the Council as a future development site. ...The last thing Kintore needs in the foreseeable future is more houses, due to the lack of planning and educational provision before and during the last housing boom. For many residents (myself included), it appears that Council policy is to ensure Kintore remains the poor neighbour of lnverurie, in terms of new community facilities. An example of this is the plan to have yet another supermarket built in Inverurie, with no similar provision in Kintore, despite that fact that 950 houses have been built in each of the communities of Kintore and Inverurie since 2000. ...As is so often the case, decisions made relative to communities are made by people who do not reside there and it seems that Kintore’s woes over the past decade have largely stemmed from the fact that decision makers have consistently failed to appreciate and haven’t experienced the detrimental effect their decisions have had on the quality of life and recreational opportunities for Kintore residents. If Kintore is to have any hope of avoiding further and continuing damage due to lack of planning and consideration of its community needs, it is clear that public pressure needs to be applied now, as a matter of urgency and prior to the forthcoming May local elections, when Councillors will be seeking to retain their jobs, While hopeful Councillors will be seeking election to these posts. ...Members of Kintore Community Council should therefore urge residents to actively lobby their elected officials, ascertain Where they stand on this and other planning issues and exercise their democratic rights to elect them or otherwise at the May elections, based on their responses. A self explanatory on-line Petition form could be drawn up, along with a message from the Community Council urging residents to consider adding their names to the Petition. If this Petition received significant support, it would send a message as to the strength of feeling within the community for the provision of the community facilities being offered by this planning proposal.

Will Kintore and NE see benefit?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-04-05T11:07:18+01:00

The Scottish Government has announced a £30 million programme of improvements for the rail network. Could this finally see the re-opening of the Kintore rail station that was slated for re-opening in 2009 by transport organisation NESTRANS? North East Scotland MSP Nanette Milne, who has an office in Northern Road Kintore, was quick to respond to the announcement, writing to the Transport Minister Keith Brown to ask about a timescale for work on the reopening of Kintore station. Nanette Milne at the railway crossing in Kintore. “Now that the SNP have finally announced a £30million national programme of improvements,” she explained, “I will be seeking how much of this will be made available for Kintore and seeking a timescale for when work will be undertaken to take forward projects from SNP Ministers.” As we have suggested here before, part of the problem with giving the green light to the reopening of Kintore station could be the mind-boggling cost estimates. At the same time Nanette Milne will be asking about improvements to the rail network from Aberdeen to the Central Belt. As I have discovered, if you need to be in Edinburgh for a meeting (coincidentally at the Scottish Parliament) for 8.15 am, you have to leave Aberdeen the previous night! Our European colleagues would be amazed to find that you cannot travel from Scotland’s third city to the capital, without leaving the night before. Even if you do find a sensible train time, it is ridiculous when we are trying to encourage people to switch from road to rail, that you would often be quicker driving to Edinburgh or Glasgow, rather than taking the train. It takes almost three hours, when, even now, you can travel all the way from London to Edinburgh in just about 80 minutes more.

Kintore Konnect published

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-03-21T16:18:59+00:00

The latest issue of Kintore Konnect is now available to download at kintore.org.uk.

Mar 24: Kintore School Spring Fair

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-03-06T09:30:50+00:00

Kintore School is holding its Spring Fair on Saturday, 24th March from 10 am to 12:30 pm. Raffles, craft stalls, school craft, games room, chocolate tombola, Allan's Magic, First Photographics, Country Classroom, face painting and lots more. £2 adult, £1 child includes tea, coffee, juice and biscuit.

Knit & Stitch Group formed

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-03-05T10:10:02+00:00

Marianne Hair informs us that there is a new Knite and Stitch Group foamed in Kintore. “We have started a Knit and Stitch Group in Kintore. We have been meeting in the Community Library on Thursdays from 2:30-4:30pm weekly. “This is a free group. Free tuition, help and some materials are also available. All levels and ages are welcome. The group has been meeting since November.” Further information from M Hair on 07708 971711 or ml.h@hotmail.co.uk.

'Kintore Mums' Facebook page launched

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-02-20T14:36:24+00:00

A new Facebook page has been launched for mums in Kintore. The Kintore Mums page is at www.facebook.com/groups/297382763658539/ “I started up the Facebook page for mums in and around Kintore, to either get to know each other or just find out about any groups, or forth coming events in the area,” says Donna Heron. “I only started it on Saturday and it seems to be a great success. Already a few of the mums that have chatted through it are meeting up this week for a coffee. “I think from what I have seen so far there is a lot of mums in Kintore that don’t know a lot of people (as like myself) and are chatting to others on the page about various things.

Mar 30: Pampered chef - Can't Cook, Won't Cook

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-02-20T09:43:56+00:00

Pampered Chef Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook Fundraiser for Georgie MacKenzie and Daniel Spark's trip to Madagascar. Friday, March 30, at 7.30pm in the Kintore Public Hall. Come and see them and their Mums compete against each other in a Ready, Steady, Cook type challenge. We will be holding a raffle with some great prizes and you will also have the chance to order Pampered Chef products on the night. Ticket price £5 per person which includes a tea, coffee or soft drink & Biscuit. Tickets available from Debbie MacKenzie, mobile number 07789 552908 or Avril Spark, mobile number 07577 376938. Go to the event’s Facebook page.

Mar 23: RNLI Quiz Night

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-02-13T12:55:47+00:00

The RNLI Inverurie and District Branch are having another of their much-loved quiz nights in the Kintore Public Hall on Friday, March 23 at 7.30pm. Teams of four people can enter for a donation of £16. To book a team, contact Graham Topping on 01467 632445. There will be prizes, a raffle and a licensed bar, but the organisers advise “bring nibbles”!

The Local Hub potential future use

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-02-02T13:06:09+00:00

The Local Hub has been closed for several months, due to its financial unsustainability as a café. Kenny Thomson, Chairman of Kintore Community Council reports that, at a recent meeting Matthew Reid, representing owners Langstane Housing Association, expressed support for the early re-opening of the premises as a community facility. However, he had emphasised this would be largely dependant upon it being rented to the extent it is self financing. “The lack of suitable accommodation in Kintore for use by existing small groups, or individuals wishing to form specific interest groups but have no meeting facilities, has previously been commented upon,” explains Kenny, “so this is an ideal opportunity to use it at a cost likely to be in the region of £8 per hour, which is in keeping with charges for other recreational accommodation in Kintore.” Anyone interested in using the premises on this basis is asked to contact Kintore Konnect at 634772 or info@kintoreconnect.org.uk or to leave details in the Kintore Konnect Competition box at Kintore Post Office, indicating when and how often you may wish to use the facility. “If by mid-April there is insufficient demand for local community use, Langstane Housing Association may market it for commercial use, or perhaps convert it to residential accommodation,” Kenny concludes.

Wind turbine planning application for Midmill

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-02-01T09:25:45+00:00

An application has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for two wind turbines on the new industrial park at Midmill, close to the Broomhill Roundabout. If approved the turbines would stand 45 metres in total with a 36.6 metre hub height. The planning application is in the name of Upper Mill Farms Ltd, through VG Energy of Glasgow.

Feb 2: Aberdeenshire Council School public consultation

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-01-26T11:21:53+00:00

Aberdeenshire Council is holding a public consolation meeting on Thursday, February 2 from 7pm to 9pm at Kintore Primary School. This follows on from an online questionnaire. Although this closed in September last year, you can still respond by downloading a paper copy and submitting it. The second stage of the consultation process is series of stakeholder meetings that will be held with specific communities between October 2011 and February 2012. Read more about the consultation HERE. Aberdeenshire Council say on the website: “We want to be very clear, that this consultation is not about school closures, we want to have an in-depth conversation with our parents, staff and communities about the school estate and how we ensure that it is fit to deliver the Curriculum and also meet the needs of the wider community. “We will regularly be reporting on the consultation over the next six months, and these reports will be published on this page, as well as being presented to the EL&L Committee.” So come along and have your voice heard.

Feb 27: Kintore Public Hall AGM

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2012-01-23T14:22:32+00:00

Kintore Public Hall AGM on Monday, February 27 at 8pm. Please come along and support your village hall. The hall is Aberdeenshire Council-owned but run by a voluntary committee, therefore resulting in low cost rent all its users. Without the help of the committee this would not be possible. So please come along to the AGM to support your local hall on Monday, February 27 at 8pm, in the ante room.

Womblehill wind turbine application

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-12-28T09:38:56+00:00

A planning application has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for a 51-metre turbine at Womblehill, south west of Kintore. If approved the turbine would stand 51 metres in total on a 34 metre hub. The application is in the name of Kevin Gilbert, with the agent Enviko (Scotland) Ltd of Thainstone. The planning application was submitted to Aberdeenshire Council in November.

Faster broadband for Kintore next summer

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-12-22T12:43:45+00:00

Kintore is to get a faster broadband service by summer 2012. BT has made the announcement that Kintore will be among 47 communities in Scotland to receive the new service that promises speeds up to 20Mbps. According to the announcement, Kintore will be one of eight communities in this latest upgrade, which apparently allows faster speeds over existing copper wires. “This news will be welcomed by North East communities who for too long have had to put up with a slow internet connection. It was unacceptable that so many people in the North East particularly in rural communities have to put up with either little or no access to a broadband connection and I am glad that BT have finally taken some action,” says Nanette Milne, an MSP for North East Scotland. Given the way the last increase in speed – from 2MB to 8MB – has ultimately resulted in little or no speed increase at peak times in the evening, it remains to be seen whether this will actually solve the chronic peak time broadband speeds in Kintore, which have made it impossible for many households to use internet technology like BBC iPlayer. BT say that about 72% of Scotland’s homes and businesses will have access to faster broadband by the summer of 2012.

Kintore Christmas lights switched on

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-12-03T18:03:06+00:00

A large crowd attended the Kintore Christmas lights switch-on late this afternoon at Kintore Town House this afternoon. The Kintore Pipe Band, with their pipes adorned in Christmas lights, led the celebrations. Thanks were expressed to the Kintore Fundraising Team for raising the money to put on Kintore’s lights display and to the volunteers who erected the lights and the tree.

Kintore School Christmas post service

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-12-03T13:39:33+00:00

Kintore School Parent Council is organising the usual Christmas Post for delivery to addresses in Kintore. The service runs from December 2 to December 18, with yellow post boxes at the Co-op, Dossett Butchers, Chemist, Kintore Surgery,School Foyer Description:Kintore School Parent Council are running a Christmas Post service for the village. The charge is 15p per card. Please place cards in a sealed bag with money. Please ensure envelopes are addressed correctly. If you have any enquiries about the service you can contact claire@the-tills.com

Kintore Summer Festival call to community groups

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-11-30T09:50:04+00:00

Calling all Kintore Local Community Groups - The Kintore Summer Festival Committee would like your community group to participate in the 2012 Summer Festival. The following letter is addressed to community groups in Kintore: ...On behalf of the “Kintore Summer Festival Committee”, we would like to take this opportunity to contact our local community contacts to advise you in advance, that the Summer Festival date for 2012 is: ...We look forward to your group’s participation in the festival and your continued support. To ensure there are a good variety of different activities on the day, please can you complete the tear of slip below and return to me by 31st December 2011. (If replying by email give the information as shown below.) The committee will be holding a meeting towards the end of January 2012 where we will consider all applications. We will get back to you in February with confirmation of your groups activity on the day. Please note – we have a Festival fund raising night organised on Friday 18th May, which we have inserted in the www.kintore.org.uk website, within the community calendar to try our best to avoid clashing with other community group nights out. Again, thank you for your contribution in the past and we look forward to your group’s participation in another successful Summer Festival. ...In order for us to ensure there is a good variety of activities on the day, we welcome your feedback by completing the attached slip and returning to festival@kintore.org.uk. If you are replying by email, copy and paste the text below and include your answers: ...Taking Part in 2012 Kintore Summer Festival: Yes or No ...Remember to visit the Kintore Summer Festival page for news leading up to the event.

Kintore and Kemnay 'Citizen of the Year'

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-11-28T10:14:41+00:00

The time has come to honour the best. Kintore Rotary have launched their hunt for the ‘Citizen of the Year’ from Kintore and Kemnay. Victor Nicol at Kintore Rotary Club explains: “Within our community there are many people of all ages who quietly dedicate a great deal of their time and energy int he service of other people. They are prepared to help others. “If you know of such a person and would like their services to the community to be recognised, you are invited to submit your nominations by the end of December.” Kintore Rotary say there are “no restrictions whatsoever in submitting nominations”. Nominations can be sent by post, or email, to: Victor Nicol The Steading Broomhill Kintore Inverurie AB51 0XA Email vm.nicol@live.co.uk

Kintore broadband reaches around half global average

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-11-24T12:44:24+00:00

So, after many phone calls and emails to BT, we finally seem to be seeing speeds return to where they were. But, it is galling that they are still barely half the global average. What is so frustrating is that the cycle will probably now repeat itself – I complain to BT Broadband and after several weeks of taking speed tests things get better. My fear now is that, in about six months time, our broadband will have slowed once again to about 200kbps and the whole cycle of contacting @BTCare will start all over again. This is so wasteful of my time and theirs. It is particularly infuriating when @BTCare tell you that BT Wholesale will not accept there is any fault unless the speed falls below 600kbps. That’s less than 8% of the headline speed they advertise! The graph from speediest.net showing just how slow broadband in Kintore really is. The galling thing is that green line – it represents the global average (yes, average) and we are nowhere near it. I remember being assured by someone from BT that ‘within four years’ Kintore would be upgraded to fibre-optic. Needless to say the four year ended without any improvement. It’s a bit like the NESTRANS date for the reopening of a railway station in Kintore. That was due to happen by 2009!

Dec 3: Christmas lights switch-on

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-11-21T16:35:43+00:00

The Kintore Fundraising Team invite everyone to come and enjoy the Kintore Christmas Lights Switch-on in The Square, Kintore at 4:30pm. Santa and his elves will be there to greet the children, while there will be mulled wine to keep the adults happy! There will also be a burger stall for adults and children alike. Providing some rousing music for the event, we’re delighted that Kintore Pipe Band will be performing. So come along and see the lights that your support of the Kintore Fundraising Team has made possible.

Broadband in Kintore slows to a crawl

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-11-05T16:54:14+00:00

Just as we predicted, the onset of winter has resulted in more broadband usage and, as a result, broadband in the town slows to a crawl each evening. On October 27 our “8MB BT Broadband” slumped to 200kbps – about 2% of the headline speed. Since then we have been in regular correspondence with BT, but we seem to be getting nowhere. ...Unfortunately, as far as I can find out, there is no other line supplier with access to Kintore. So, no matter whose name is at the top of your bill, the line is supplied by BT. ...OK, we may fare worse than some being something over a mile from the exchange, but I know from comments on this blog and on the Kintore Facebook page that others are finding BT Broadband speeds so slow in the evenings that they cannot use services like iPlayer. ...Indeed, sometimes I struggle simply to get enough bandwidth to download the pages of a magazine from Zinio! During the course of these discussions I have gleaned that our line is rated for 6MB. ... Indeed, occasionally during the day, it is fine and I have seen our Broadband achieve that giddy speed. But at speeds sometimes as low as 200 kbps, or 500 kbps in the evenings, we are still only getting between 3% and 8% of what BT say our line is rated for! ...When you get home you find that, at certain times of the day, it will actually only do 2 mph. ...I remember someone from BT telling us that the Kintore exchange was due to be upgraded to fibre-optic “in four years time”. ...So, has BT’s broadband infrastructure simply not kept up with the expansion of Scotland’s fastest-growing town and, if not, what are BT (as the monopoly broadband supplier in Kintore) going to do about it? • If you want to check your broadband speed, there are many speed testers available, but one of the easiest to use is http://speedtest.net.

Dec 11: Christmas Fayre

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-11-04T10:44:18+00:00

Christmas Fayre, Kintore Public Hall on Sunday, December 11 from 1 - 4pm. • Teas and coffees, shortbread • Raffles • Lucky Dip • Bottle Stall • Craft stalls • Children’s Games • Chocolate Tombola • Santa’s Grotto Admission £2 and £1 for children over four years. For more information call 07999 523878. The Christmas Fayre is being organised to help raise funds for Keren Lovie’s Kemnay Academy trip to Madagascar in 2013.

Nov 5: Coffee morning

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-11-03T10:43:24+00:00

Coffee Morning Date(s): Saturday 5th November Time(s): 10.00am - 12.00noon Venue: Provost Lawrence Court,Wellpark Road, Kintore (behind the co-op) Description: Stalls include cake & candy, craft, bottle stall as well as raffle Is there an admission charge?: Adults £1.00 Children 50p

Kintore Summer Festival 2012 date announced

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-10-29T13:11:45+01:00

The Kintore Summer Festival next year will take place on Saturday, May 26. There will be a festival fundraising evening on Friday, May 18. For further information email festival@kintore.org.uk.

Carbon capture pipeline plan dropped

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-10-28T15:47:17+01:00

The proposed National Grid pipeline for the carbon capture and storage project will not now go ahead following a decision by the Department of Energy and Climate Change not to go ahead with the construction. The plan was to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from Longannet power station in Kincardine, Fife and transport it through a pipeline passing KIntore, to St. Fergus in Aberdeenshire for transportation offshore to permanent storage in a depleted gas field. “The members of the ScottishPower CCS Consortium (ScottishPower, National Grid and Shell) have successfully completed the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) study as part of the competition and have submitted their findings to DECC,” explains Mike Jordin, principal design engineer at the National Grid. “This valuable research will now be shared with CCS competitions 2-4. “DECC’s decision not to continue to the construction stage on the competition, means National Grid will not go ahead with its plans to build a new carbon dioxide pipeline from the ScottishPower Longannet Power station, to its existing pipeline near Dunipace. ...“All works associated with changing the use of the natural gas pipeline to a carbon dioxide pipeline will no longer go ahead for this project. The block valves along the existing route to St Fergus and the proposed new above ground installation (AGI) near Longannet, Dunipace and Kintore as well as a CCS compressor station adjacent to St Fergus natural gas terminal will not be built. ...“National Grid’s carbon team have worked hard over the past four years on the research and development of transporting carbon dioxide as part of the CCS project. Although disappointed that this project will not be going ahead, they will apply the invested knowledge and experience to other CCS projects they are involved in throughout the UK. ...“National Grid remains committed to CCS as part of the solution to reduce carbon emissions and help prevent climate change. ...“We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your involvement to date and hope that you similarly will support future projects, so we can move CCS solutions forwards.”

Recollections of Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-10-28T09:38:45+01:00

Roger Summers has produced a book entitled “The memories of a Loon fae Townhead Terrace”. “There are a lot of stories about Kintore School,” Roger explains. “It is also full of stories about the characters who lived in the around late forties early fifties.” Roger’s book can be bought at the Butchers, Post Office or Anne Laidlaw up the Terrace.

Supermarket and filling station plans

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-10-13T18:19:59+01:00

We now have copies of the plans for the proposed development at Broomhill Roundabout that would incorporate a supermarket, filling station, hotel, restaurant, sports facilities and offices. The land, where this development is proposed, extends to 13 hectares to the east and south of the Broomhill Roundabout, south of Denhead and on the land at Coolgardie and Boghead Croft. Click on the map to see it in the largest size we have (sorry, it is still a bit small). ...“To attract investment from occupiers of these facilities, sites must be located where they can be easily seen and easily accessed. Kintore South provides a unique location for this type of development directly adjacent to the A96 trunk road and therefore provides a real opportunity to deliver the types of uses proposed. “The location of a supermarket on a trunk road frontage will attract investment into the town and encourage potential occupiers to the high quality office space. This will also complement the presence of childcare facilities and after-school clubs, by locating these facilities next to areas of employment. “Given that the adjacent land is allocated for housing and industrial development, this proposal offers the opportunity for alternative land uses, which will provide a range of facilities for existing and future residents in Kintore and the wider area.” The plan also resolves the issue of access to Kintore from the northbound carriageway of the A96. Under plans by Aberdeenshire Council, there would be no right turn into Kintore. Instead a link road is proposed across Womblehill farm, requiring traffic for Kintore to head in and join the Kemnay road before heading back to the business park, or the new Kintore South complex. ...The Kintore South proposal is to redevelop the Broomhill Roundabout as shown below, retaining the direct access to Kintore from the northbound carriageway and doing away with the need for a link road across Womblehill. Halliday Fraser Munro say this “allows for direct HGV access into Midmill Industrial Estate, rather than a convoluted access through the town. ...You can download and complete a form to give your comments on the proposal.

Supermarket and filling station proposal

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-10-07T15:35:50+01:00

Plans went on show today in Kintore for a new commercial development beside the Broomhill roundabout on the A96, with a supermarket, filling station, hotel, restaurant and offices. The plans are for the land on the east side of the Broomhill roundabout, south of the road into Kintore. It would adjoin the extension to the business park. The proposals, prepared by Aberdeen architects Halliday Fraser Munro, also include an alternative junction layout.
View Supermarket development in a larger map The solution put forward by the authorities was to remove the Broomhill roundabout and to provide slip roads to and from Kintore for southbound traffic only. Northbound traffic heading to Kintore would be diverted by a new link road across Womblehill farmland to join the Kemnay road. Instead, the new plans propose enlarging and modifying the Broomhill roundabout to retain direct access to and from Kintore on both the northbound and southbound carriageways. There would be a new exit on the roundabout to serve the supermarket, filling station, hotel and business development. We have been promised a plan of the new development which will be posted here as soon as we receive it.

As nights draw in broadband woes increase

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-10-06T14:50:26+01:00

As the autumn chill takes over from last week’s Indian summer, more people are turning to the internet for their evening entertainment and that, in turn, means that Kintore’s broadband infrastructure comes under greater strain. The bad news is that, unless we can persuade BT to improve that infrastructure, speeds will presumably get worse as the winter sets in. Kintore has been the fastest growing town in Scotland over recent years and its seems pretty clear that broadband infrastructure is now unable cope with the number of homes currently in Kintore – let alone further expansion. Think of the wires supplying broadband to your home, like a water pipe. If the pipe supplying Kintore is not big enough and we all turn on our taps at the same time, the water will slow to a trickle. It seems pretty clear that is exactly what is happening with broadband. As far as I am aware, regardless of who actually puts their name on your broadband bill, currently in KIntore it is BT that provides the network. So it is they that have to be persuaded that something must be done. As a town where many people travel to work in Aberdeen, broadband speeds during the day hold up quite well. It is from around 6pm onwards that the network grinds to a crawl. Daytime speeds of between four and six megabytes often drop to a tenth of that and lower. At speeds of 600 kbps, or less, using BBC iPlayer or watching video becomes impossible and even basic websites take an age to load. ...By letting BT (directly or through your ISP), know that they are not delivering the service and the speeds you expect. ...The more people whom complain about the poor broadband in Kintore, the better chance that BT will see the need to upgrade the connection into Kintore.

Kintore Pipe Band's Beat Retreat

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-09-26T09:18:36+01:00

To conclude their 90th anniversary celebrations on Saturday, Kintore Pipe Band Beat Retreat in front of Kintore’s 18th century Town House. On an evening that was more like summer, than summer actually was this year, the band marched from Kintore Public Hall to the Town House, where they received warm applause from the crowd who gathered for this special occasion. Photographs © Ken McEwen, video © Lesley McEwen

Quiz Night raised £1,005 for Christmas Lights

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-09-26T09:16:03+01:00

The Kintore Fundraising Team are delighted to announce that we raised £1.005 at our Quiz held on September 23. The team would like to thank all those who attended for their support and hope that a good night was had by all. They also wish to express thanks to all the businesses in Kintore, and individuals , for their gifts of raffle prizes. The money raised will be used to continue our refurbishment of the villages Christmas lights , which is funded and operated entirely by the efforts of the Fundraising Team with no involvement at all by the local council. The Kintore Fundraising Team have also started asking local business whether they would be willing to sponsor a light , which other local Aberdeenshire villages successfully do. If your business is interested in joining in then please contact David Lloyd on 01467 634944 If you want to make a really early note in your diary, the Christmas lights will be switched on on Saturday, December 3.

Chance to question Stagecoach about bus services

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-09-16T19:17:11+01:00

The Commercial Manager of Stagecoach Bluebird, Wiliiam Mainus, will be attending the Kintore and District Community Council meeting on September 27. So if you have any questions about the bus services to and from Kintore, this is your opportunity. The meeting is on Tuesday, September 27 at 7pm in Kintore School.

The Bothie project potentially back on track

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-09-09T10:09:19+01:00

Following the poor attendance at the public meeting this spring, we reported in May that The Bothie project to create a youth cafe in the centre of Kintore, had been cancelled. Following the Action Kintore AGM the project is now potentially back on track. An impression of The Bothie project. The first phase is the rectangular building on the right. At the AGM on May 19 there was unanimous support for continuing The Bothie project and – at a volunteers meeting in July – a number of very enthusiastic people turned up. The big issue faced by Action Kintore is project costs and how to bring them within the budget. If the costs can't be brought down, the building work can’t proceed. Another significant development is the recruitment by Action Kintore of Youth Development worker Kelly Sinclair. Her first contributions were at the July meeting, where her organisational and people skills were evident. “As we have said, community support for this project is vital,” says Kenny Thomson, Director of Action Kintore, “and volunteers for the many and varied tasks associated with the build, running the building and general youth work will always be welcome.” Kelly Sinclair can be contacted on 07842 265814.

Kintore Konnect issue 5 out now

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-09-08T20:44:46+01:00

Kintore Konnect issue 5 has been published and can be downloaded from this website (pdf 4.3MB). In this issue you can read: • the latest on the Local Hub • the reinstatement of The Bothie project • find out about the volunteers who keep Kintore blooming • archaeology on Tuach Hill • and news from Kintore Kirk.

Friday, September 23: Quiz Night

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-09-07T09:49:24+01:00

Kintore Fundraising Team are organising a Quiz Night on Friday, September 23 to raise funds for Kintore’s Christmas lights. The Quiz Night takes place in Kintore Public Hall. 7 for 7.30pm start. Fully licensed bar. £15 for team of four. Please contact Donald Anderson on 01467 632972 or text 07714 277063 for tickets.

Tuesday, September 27: Community Council AGM

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-09-03T18:56:23+01:00

The Annual General Meeting of Kintore and District Community Council will take place at 7pm on Tuesday, September 27 in Kintore School. More information on the Community Council news page.

"Highland Tiger" photographed again near Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-08-29T13:58:00+01:00

The so-called Highland Tiger, a rare Scottish Wildcat, has made another appearance on Hill of Balbithan just outside Kintore. Yesterday’s sighting was on rough ground near the Kintore Golf Course. It is likely to be the same wildcat as was seen and photographed in the same area in April. At the time wildcat experts said they were surprised to find a Scottish Wildcat in a location so far east of the Cairngorms. The Scottish Wildcat is one of the rarest mammals in the UK, with estimates that less than 400 remain. The most distinctive feature of the Scottish wildcat is the blunt, black-and-white striped tail, rather than the tapered tail of domestic cats. As the Highland Tiger website puts it: “Scottish wildcats are the only surviving member of the cat family native to Britain. They look like an oversized muscular tabby but with a thick blunt tail and serious attitude!” The biggest threat to the wildcat population is interbreeding with domestic cats. Scottish Wildcat Association Highland Tiger

Marie Curie Cancer Care Coffee Morning August 27

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-08-23T13:42:12+01:00

Marie Curie Coffee Morning on Saturday, August 27 in Kintore Public Hall. Coffee morning run by 2nd Kintore Brownies and 3rd Kintore Rainbows to raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Enquiries to 01467 632497

Kintore Pipe Band's 90th Anniversary

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-08-23T09:14:02+01:00

Kintore Pipe Band is celebrating its 90th Anniversary with a special event in the town on Saturday, September 24. Kintore Pipe Band currently has 25 pipers, 15 drummers and two drum majors. It is one of the few bands that has survived and played continuously for 90 years – so the celebration of this important part of Kintore’s heritage is important for the town. As one of the most popular pipe bands it takes the name of the Royal Burgh of Kintore not just around the country but as far afield as the Czech republic and Belgium. A contingent from the Band have also played in New York, Italy and the Pipe Major recently played in Kazakhstan. The celebrations will start at Kintore Public Hall at 2pm, where there will be a display of photographs and Memorabilia. Everyone is welcome and admission is free. Refreshments will be available. There will be band performances in The Square, Kintore at 2.30pm, 4pm and a Beating the Retreat at 7pm. Kintore Pipe Band’s 90th Anniversary CD will be available on the day at £8.00. • Kintore Pipe Band’s Facebook page is at www.facebook.com/kintorepipeband

Bronze Age house excavation at Balbithan

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-08-21T16:58:16+01:00

A team from Headland Archaeology is currently excavating a Bronze Age house in Balbithan Forest, near Kintore and visitors are welcome. The trench across the site has revealed the walls of the hut, which was probably two storey, with a floor under the thatched roof. In the centre of the floor the team has found a hearth. Like the traditional Highland black houses, this fire would have been used for cooking and heating and the smoke would have simply permeated through the thatch, rather than having a chimney, During our visit to the site there was some excitement as the team found a worked piece of worked flint. Working on the site are volunteers from Europe and the United States. The dig will continue until this Thursday (August 25) from 10 am to 4 pm and visitors are welcome. There are a number of hut circles already marked on the Ordnance Survey map of the forest. Also, nearby, on Kintore Golf Course, is a Bronze Age burial Cairn. The Bronze Age in Britain spend from about 2,500 to 800 BC. • To get to the site head up Balbithan past Kintore Golf Club. At the junction turn right along the Lang Stracht. Park at the first forest entrance on the right. Walk a short distance in and you will see the team working on the right hand side of the forest road.

Scottish Government says high-speed broadband is "key priority"

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-07-06T16:58:14+01:00

The Scottish Government has said that access to the next generation of high-speed is a key priority. The government’s aim is to have “access for all” by 2020. The Scottish Parliament debate on June 30 highlighted the need for rural Scotland to be included in the digital revolution for high-speed broadband and 4G mobile coverage. "We want all parts of rural Scotland to have access to next generation broadband to ensure a bright future for our rural economy,” Rural Affairs Secretary, Richard Lochhead said following the debate. “We believe that a world-class broadband infrastructure will underpin the future of the digital economy in Scotland. "We have set out our ambition for all of Scotland to have access to next generation broadband by 2020, with significant progress to be made by 2015. Meeting the challenge of delivering this service to rural areas in particular is a key priority of our Digital Strategy. “The UK Government has allocated £530 million to the rollout of next generation broadband for rural areas. ...Scotland's 3G coverage is only at around 66 per cent of the population and 41 per cent geographically - well below the UK average. "We have urged the UK Government to direct Ofcom to increase the obligation for 3G coverage in Scotland, as a large proportion of the areas currently not covered across Britain are in rural Scotland. We wanted 90 per cent of Scotland to be covered, matched to 90 per cent of the UK. But if that's not immediately achievable, then we at least should have a specific target for coverage in Scotland. "Connecting rural Scotland to a twenty-first century communications network is essential to connect it to the world, bringing benefits to the rural economy and community as a whole." Fine words, for sure, but, when Kintore residents regularly see their supposedly 8MB broadband falling to 500k, or less, 2020 seems a rather long way away.

The Local Hub café closed

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-06-16T13:04:02+01:00

The Local Hub community café in the centre of Kintore has closed. Kintore & District Community Council heard at their last meeting that the café was in the process of being sold “due to cash flow problems”. it was reported to the meeting that there were two potential buyers for the community café, but if neither of them were able to buy, the meeting heard the Local Hub would have to close. The closure is the second blow to the community facilities in Kintore, following the announcement that plans for youth café The Bothie had been shelved, due to a lack of interest from potential volunteers.

Summer sunset at 10.30pm

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-06-13T09:58:43+01:00

With just over a week to go to the summer solstice, this is the sunset last night in the far north-west at 10pm, photographed from just outside Kintore. Earlier this year predictions of a hot summer were easy to believe as we sweltered in a long April heatwave. But, with decidedly cool temperatures and the “April showers” that didn’t come in April, we all have our fingers firmly crossed that summer will return in July and August. Still, we mustn’t complain to much. While the sunset was looking this great in Kintore, much of the country was being bombarded by torrential rain.

June issue of Kintore Konnect now out

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-06-13T09:51:33+01:00

The June issue of Kintore Konnect features marks the 90th anniversary of the Kintore Pipe Band with a front page photo and feature inside. Also inside are a feature on pet care from Donview Veterinary Centre, news from Kintore Kirk, community news, a diary of events and an article entitled ‘Myths about Guiders’. You can download a copy of Kintore Konnections in pdf form (2.8MB).

Carbon Capture project public meeting June 7

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-05-27T11:35:05+01:00

National Grid is part of a carbon capture and storage (CCS) consortium with ScottishPower and Shell U.K. Ltd developing a carbon capture, transportation and storage scheme. This will involve capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from Longannet power station in Kincardine, Fife and transporting it to St. Fergus in Aberdeenshire for transportation offshore to permanent storage in a depleted gas field. To achieve this, National Grid will need to install a new 18km pipeline from Longannet to join with an existing pipeline at Dunipace, in Falkirk and carry out modifications to allow the conversion of an existing pipeline which already runs along the eastern side of Scotland from Falkirk to Aberdeenshire. ... • new above ground installations (AGI) each approximately 100m2, two at Longannet and one at locations near Dunipace, Kirriemuir, and Kintore • the change of use of the existing pipeline, this will require modification works at existing block valve and AGI sites along the route near Gargunnock, Braco, Machany, Crieff, Chapelhill, Meikleour, Kirriemuir, Ruthven, Tigerton, Fettercairn, Auchenblae, Crathes, Garlogie, Inverurie, Tarves and Stuartfield ... • a new compressor station next to our natural gas terminal at St. ...Shell UK Ltd will also be installing a new 1.3km pipeline around their terminal at St Fergus, for which planning permission will be required. National Grid has organised a series of public drop-in sessions at various locations along the route to allow you to find out more and share your views on the project. Alternatively, please contact our community relations team on freephone 0800 195 3541, write to National Grid c/o, Freshwater, 14 Elliot Place, Glasgow, G3 8EP or visit www.ccsscotland.com for more details.. The Kintore event is on Tuesday, June 7 from 3pm – 7:30pm in Kintore Parish Church Hall, Kingsfield Road, Kintore Deadline for views and comments to be considered on this project is 15th July 2011. Views shared with National Grid at this stage will be noted as part of the pre-application consultation process but are not representations to the planning authority. There will be opportunities to make formal representation to the planning authority when a planning application has been submitted.

Kintore Youth Forum thanks community for support

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-05-27T11:20:54+01:00

The AGM of Action Kintore Ltd was held in Kintore School on the evening of Thursday 19 May and Directors took the opportunity to invite local businesses, Grampian Police and Aberdeenshire Council, to thank them for the support given to Kintore Youth Forum by financing the use of two rooms within Kintore Town House.  A wooden plaque, with donors names, will have pride of place within the facility. The plaque was kindly donated by Bill Beveridge of Kintore Trophy Centre and is seen being held by members of the Youth Forum. Pictured are:- Back Row - Maxwell McDonald (C & M McDonald), Inspector Bob Thomson (Grampian Police), Richard Cowling (PDC Systems), Drew Cullinane (Kongsberg Maritime) Middle Row - Pat Cowling (PDC Systems), Shirley Donoghue (Youth Forum) and Jill Sowden (Garioch Community Planning Partnerships) Front Row - Taylor Insh, Fatima Dawod and Sophie Fraser from the Youth Forum It is vital that sufficient volunteers come forward to share the work needed to successfully build and operate The Bothie. This innovative and eco-friendly youth and community facility will be built on vacant ground in Allandale Gardens, and has already taken four years of planning and commitment by young people and Action Kintore members. Building cannot start however until additional volunteers are found and the staffing issue resolved, so PLEASE contact Isobel Kendrick on 07754 706780 if you can offer any kind of voluntary support for the project.

Sunday stroll raises more than £4,000

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-05-27T11:15:40+01:00

Jim Thomson of Kintore Rotary has been working with members of Friends of St Andrews to organise a fundraiser and a sponsored Sunday Stroll involving Rotarians and staff, pupils and supporters of the School was held through Kintore Quarry on 8 May. Despite the very wet and windy conditions, at least 120 walkers turned up and successfully completed the 3K walk. A staggering figure of £4102.56 was raised as a result of this initiative. Jim Thomson (third left) with staff and members of Friends of St Andrews and Rotary President Roddy Duncan, who is presenting the cheque to Sandra Harper, Acting Deputy Head of the School. Thanks to Bardon Aggregates Manager for allowing the use of roads within the Quarry and to all who took part in the walk, or sponsored it.

MSP calls for urgent action on broadband

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-05-25T14:58:52+01:00

Nanette Milne, Scottish Conservative MSP for North East Scotland, has renewed her call for the Scottish Government to take action on rural broadband blackspots. “Access to broadband in rural areas is essential in order to grow the rural economy,” Dr Milne says. “I am determined to make sure the North East is not left behind and that we see the investment needed to make sure that all communities in the North East can have access to fast broadband connectivity.” Dr Milne said there seemed to be a growing gulf between the technology offered to city dwellers, compared to rural areas. She called for the Scottish Government to invest in superfast broadband for the whole of Scotland. The lack of fast, reliable broadband, she believes, is holding back business and the Scottish economy. “Broadband is as important to many farming businesses as the tractor or livestock now,” she added. Dr Milne has written to Alex Neil MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment asking for an update on what proposals the Scottish Government has to bring forward investment in rural broadband. “I believe it is vitally important that we see real progress made and that the SNP Scottish Government commit to bring forward the investment they promised at the election in improve broadband for across Scotland,” Dr Milne concluded.

Broadband: Kintore stuck in the slow lane again?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-05-22T17:14:35+01:00

Living just about a mile outside Kintore our line is rated at 5mb of the supposed headline figure of 8mb quoted in BT’s adverts. Now, during the day we can, indeed, get 5mb. But, during the evenings and on Saturdays and Sundays, we struggle to get 10% of that. Currently BT Broadband is struggling to deliver 586k – that’s just a tad over 10% of what it should be. At that speed, using BBC iPlayer is impossible and you can actually watch the websites slowly forming themselves on the screen! It’s like taking a trip back to the bad old days of Home Highway ISDN lines. Come on BT, this is 2011 not 2001! What really bugs me is that I have to keep complaining and whingeing to BT. Usually there is an improvement for a month or two, then the system starts grinding slower and slower and I have to start the cycle of complaining all over again. It’s wearing for me and it can’t be very nice for the people who man @BTCare on Twitter. So, what I’d like to know is, how is are broadband speeds elsewhere in Kintore? Is your broadband equally slow, or is BT providing decent speeds some places and not in others? Hit the “Add new comment” below, or email editor@kintore.org.uk and tell us whether BT deserves a bouquet or a brickbat for the broadband speed they are delivering to your house. Is Kintore being left in a internet backwater.

Cup Cake Decorating for Kids

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-05-20T17:27:29+01:00

Cup Cake Decorating for Kids during the Kintore Summer Festival on 21st May In The Local Hub, The Square, Kintore. All day (while stocks last!). Cakes are £1.50 each - other food and refreshments available

Early summer photos of Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-05-12T15:18:15+01:00

Early summer photos in Kintore. © All copyright Alice Morrison

RNLI Cheese & Wine on May 27

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-05-12T14:39:49+01:00

The RNLI are holding a Cheese and Wine Evening in St Mary’s Church Hall, St Mary’s Place, Inverurie on Friday, May 27 from 7pm to 9.30pm. Tickets will be available from the RNLI stall at the Kintore Summer Festival on Saturday, May 21. Or get your tickets direct from Steve Kirby Secretary – RNLI Inverurie Branch sjnkirby@tiscali.co.uk 01467 632306 07968 248 270

The Bothie project scrapped

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-05-09T17:27:26+01:00

The decision has been taken to cancel The Bothie project which had envisaged a youth cafe in the centre of Kintore, to be constructed using sustainable strawbales construction methods. The decision came following a public meeting on March 25 to discuss progress on the project. Despite being well publicised, the organisers were disappointed when only one new volunteer turned up. How The Bothie would have looked if the project had gone ahead “In light of the obvious lack of community support and interest, which was always recognised as being crucial to providing the volunteers to supervise the activities, the Bothie is cancelled,” Kenny Thomson, chairman of Kintore and District Community Council, confirmed.

Kintore Summer Festival programme announced

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-04-23T15:51:37+01:00

As usual the main events take place on Saturday, May 21 and centre on The Square in Kintore. There are a number of other events starting with the Two Fat Ladies Cookery Demonstration on Friday, May 13 in the Kintore Public Hall. Then on Thursday, May 19 there is an afternoon of music with Mary Burnett in Provost Lawrence Court from 2pm. On Saturday, May 21, the festival gets under way with Kintore Pipe Band marching from the Public Hall into The Square at 11 am. ...11.00 am: Kintore Pipe Band, marching from the Public Hall to the Square. ...12.30 pm: Evolution Dance School put on various dancing performances, in the Public Hall. 12.30 pm: Mr Bug the Bugman Creepy Crawlies Show for 5-year old and above, Upper Hall. ...2.00 pm: Balloon & Magic Show By Allan's Magic - arrive promptly to avoid disappointment, Public Hall. ...2.00 pm: Highland Dancing performed by students of Lawrence Dance Academy at The Square. 3.00 pm: Mr Bug the Bugman A touch & feel bug show, Upper Hall. ...3.15 pm: Balloon & Magic Show By Allan's Magic - arrive promptly to avoid disappointment, Public Hall. 4.00 pm OnStage Drama Group - A show by the students of OnStage Drama Group at the Public Hall. ...Enjoy Live Music all afternoon by Kintore Pipe Band and Chalmers Mackay Music School showcase of bands, organised by Ruby Mackay at the Square. www.chalmersmackay.org e-mail: chalmac@btconnect.com ...Various children's activities including Face Painting & Tattoos, Balloons, Kiddies Ride, Library Story Telling, bouncy castle, Jiffo The Clown, Tai Chi Demonstration and many more.

Two Fat Laddies Cookery Demonstration

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-04-23T15:31:27+01:00

The Kintore Summer Festival Committee is organising a Cookery Demonstration by the Two Fat Laddies on Friday, May 13 in Kintore Public Hall. Come along and see local chefs Sandy Greig and Robert Bruce from 7.30 pm to 10pm. Tickets are £7.50 each and are available by contacting Julie on 07789 175115.

Nearly new sale May 7

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-04-23T15:22:30+01:00

Nearly New Sale on Saturday 7 May 2011 at Kintore Public Hall 10am to 1pm. Have a clear out of your children's toys, books, DVD's, clothes and equipment. Only £10 per table! Bargain' to be had on the day. Free entry!

More spring photos from Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-04-18T09:14:56+01:00

More spring photos from Kintore. The bridge and the River Don, geese, Kintore sunset and gathering cloud. All © copyright Alice Morrison

Highland Tiger photographed a mile from centre of Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-04-15T16:21:30+01:00

Photographs of one of Scotland’s rarest mammals near Kintore Golf Club have caused quite a stir in wildlife circles. The Scottish Wildcat, sometimes known as the “Highland Tiger”, is an endangered species with only 400 believed to remain over the whole of Scotland. In the past they were hunted because of the danger they posed to farm animals, or for their fur, but these days the greatest threat is interbreeding with domestic cats. ...This point was picked up by the Cairngorm National Park Authority’s Wildcat Project Manager, Dr David Heatherington when he saw these pictures. “I must admit I’m pleasantly surprised that such a good-looking cat inhabits an areas so close to Aberdeen,” he said. “I would have thought that any cats that far east, with all the pet, farm and feral cats around, would be much more obviously hybridised.” Dr Heatherington’s comments were echoed by Steve Piper of the Scottish Wildcat Association. “Not a bad looking cat at all, very nice tail, probably the best we've had an eye witness photo of in the east Highlands actually, I'm surprised at the location but pleased too!” They may look like ordinary domestic cats, but Scottish Wildcats can be distinguished by their distinctive markings. ... The face and jaws, in particular, are wider as seen in this picture. But perhaps the most obvious distinguishing mark is the blunt striped tail, which ends in a black tip, as can be seen from the photo. The biggest danger to the wildcat population is interbreeding with domestic cats, so, not surprisingly, wildlife authorities are keen that cat owners in rural areas neuter both male and female cats if they are allowed to roam in the wilds. ...Make no mistake, despite the tabby cat looks, these animals are wild. Said to be untameable they avoid human contact of any sort.

Spring photos in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-04-15T14:43:49+01:00

Closer to you? Grampian Police survey

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-03-29T12:43:02+01:00

On April 1, last year, Grampian Police introduced a new community focussed policing model that provides dedicated Local Policing Teams (LPTs) to each of the 24 local policing areas across the three territorial divisions. Each Local Policing Area is led by a Local Policing Inspector with LPTs who are empowered to work with partners to deal with local challenges, respond to incidents and deliver improved policing services. In each Local Policing Area an approach of consulting, listening, responding and feeding back to the local community is being adopted to shape local policing priorities. Communities are also advised of the standards of service they can expect in a renewed Communities Charter and supporting standards documentation. The local policing model aims to build on existing practice and successful performance across the past five years. One year on Grtampian Police would like to know your thoughts about the new model in terms of how successful we have been at meeting the elements of our Communities Charter. This will also provide the opportunity for you to highlight areas for improvement within your community. Grampian Police want across our communities from both individuals and organisations/ groups. Please complete the survey here. The closing date for this survey is Sunday 17 April. If possible we would appreciate the return to be made via the electronic link in order to minimise our administration costs, as the information is input directly to the database. However, should there be any problem with this then please use the PDF version of the form that is available by contacting Grampian Police service centre on 0845 600 5 700. Paper copies of the questionnaire can be returned to Development & Governance, Woodhill House.

Looking for good quality second hand goods

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-03-21T10:03:19+00:00

Bag2School collects good quality second hand adults and children`s clothing, sheets, blankets, curtains, soft toys, shoes, belts and handbags. All items collected are for RE-USE. Kintore School Bags2School on Thursday 24th March 8am - 9am. Please note we cannot accept: Dirty or wet clothing Single shoes Off cuts of material ...Carpets Pillows ...Bric A Brac. Bags are available from the school office or items may be placed in a plastic bag. Please leave your bags under the canopy outside the Main Entrance, a poster will mark the point. Note bags will only be accepted on the morning. For more information 01467 632934 or email claire@the-tills.com

Work on The Bothie due to start in June

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-03-21T09:08:46+00:00

Dave Chouman the architect and Steven Laing the builder recently confirmed the start date for building the foundations of The Bothie as being late April (now, late June), weather permitting. Thereafter, work on the building itself will continue through this year until completion and it is the intention for Youth Forum members to be involved in the actual building process, particularly the straw bale sections. Significant funding is in place and Action Kintore and the Youth Forum gratefully acknowledge the financial support already given by Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd and also that pledged by the Scottish Government and the European Community Rural Aberdeenshire LEADER Programme (2007-2013) and Aberdeenshire Council. Contributions from local sources add to the funding package. Five volunteers recently took part in Youth Worker training offered by Aberdeenshire Council. Further training sessions will be arranged, when the need is identified. To fully explain the entire Bothie project, a Public Meeting will take place in Kintore School on 25 March, starting at 7pm. It is hoped there will be a good turnout of Kintore residents, to hear more about this exciting project and consider how they may wish to get involved, or support the project in any way.

RNLI Quiz Night Kintore April 29

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-03-18T11:29:23+00:00

The Inverurie and District Branch of the RNLI are holding a fundraising quiz night on Friday, April 29 in Kintore Village Hall. Come along and support a worthy cause. There’s a raffle and licensed bar. Teams of four cost £16. Contact Steve Kirby on 01467 632306.

Kintore Konnect 3 published

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-03-17T21:07:25+00:00

The latest issue of Kintore Konnect is now available for you to read online (pdf file 3.6MB. For the third issue, dated March 2011, Kintore Konnect looks ahead to the annual Kintore Summer Festival which takes place this year on the weekend of May 20-22. There is also news from Kintore organisations, including Kintore and District Community Council, Kintore Kirk, an update on The Bothie youth project, Kintore Scout hut and news from the Local Hub.

Public Meeting about The Bothie project

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-03-17T11:59:10+00:00

A Public Meeting about The Bothie project in the gymnasium at Kintore School starting at 7pm on Friday 25 March. All welcome to hear about this exciting project.

Coffee Morning in Aid of the British Heart Foundation

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-03-15T10:31:57+00:00

Coffee Morning in Aid of the British Heart Foundation Date(s): Saturday, 19 March 201 Time(s): 10.30 - 12.30 Venue: Kintore Church Hall Is there an admission charge?: Donations Is there a telephone number for enquiries?: 07748978630

New garage plan for Broomhill

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-03-04T13:32:01+00:00

Plans have been for a new car sales showroom and workshop on land adjacent to the Broomhill Roundabout at Kintore. Acting on behalf of local family business C&M McDonald, the Knight Frank has lodged an application for full planning permission with Aberdeenshire Council for the new building on the land adjacent to the Broomhill Roundabout at Bridgefield, Kintore. The proposed development comprises a garage, MOT test centre and car showroom with an external car display area at the front of the building. The existing building on site is to be converted into the new MOT test centre, with a steel-framed extension being built at the rear to house the main workshop area. A curved wrap-around extension is proposed at the front of the building to house the car showroom and covered car sales area. The showroom has been designed by Westhill-based architects McAdam Design to provide a contemporary extension that wraps around the existing building to give the site an attractive frontage. Gary Purves, planner with Knight Frank said: "C&M McDonald is a successful family-run local business which has outgrown its current premises in Oldmeldrum. The new premises will enable the business to grow to meet its customers' needs and take on extra staff. The development will bring benefits to the local community such as creating local employment opportunities and redeveloping a brownfield site to enhance the main entrance into Kintore through the innovative design of the building." The plans are currently being considered by Aberdeenshire Council with a decision expected later this year.

'Internet Security for Kids' event in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-03-03T14:19:47+00:00

The Local Hub is holding a talk on Wednesday 9 March at 7pm - 8pm "Internet Security for Kids" by Andy Till. This is a matter of concern for many parents, so this is your chance to hear about the issues and how you can guard against them. This is a free event, but refreshments and snacks will be available for purchase.

Gardening for wildlife free talk

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-02-18T16:02:38+00:00

Would you like to see more wildlife in your garden? If so, mark Wednesday, February 23 in your diary now. No this is not an ordinary tabby. It is a Scottish wildcat (note the characteristic blunt tail with stripes and heavier set body and face) photographed in a garden just outside Kintore. OK, that’s maybe not the wildlife you will be most likely to attract – birds... but it’s a lot rarer and, anyway, it’a nice picture! Gardening for Wildlife is an hour-long talk starting at 7pm in The Local Hub, The Square in Kintore. Patricia Snowdon shares the best ways to entice wild life into your garden. There is no admission charge. Refreshments and snacks available to purchase. For further information call 01467 631210 or email kintore@thelocalhub.org.uk

View Kintore expansion exhibition panels and feedback

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-02-17T12:37:09+00:00

We now have the complete set of Kintore East Masterplan exhibition panels online, along with a copy of the feedback form which you can download, complete and return to give your views. • You can view all six exhibition panels here in pdf format (6.5MB). • Then, download the feedback form in pdf format (1.8MB). Save it to your computer, print it out, fill in your comments and send it to the address shown on the back.

How to access Kintore from Aberdeen on proposed Broomhill junction

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-02-13T13:05:47+00:00

The public exhibition for the proposed Kintore East expansion of Kintore has put the focus on the proposed new junction to replace the Broomhill Roundabout on the A96. As the A96 is a trunk road the authority responsible for this plan is Transport Scotland, the Scottish Government transport agency. As the plan stands, traffic from Aberdeen wanting to enter Kintore would leave a revised Broomhill junction and be diverted onto a new road across the fields at Womblehill to the B994.
View Kintore access in a larger map From there, if you want to go to the Craigearn or Midmill business parks, or the proposed south entrance to Kintore East, you would have to double back on yourself, along the B944, to Sandy Thain. If you were heading to the centre of Kintore (or the proposed new entrance to Kintore East you would have to enter the village by the B977 at Gauchhill to the Torryburn Hotel where you would rejoin the current main road. The drawing of the new Broomhill junction, showing direct access only to and from the southbound carriageway. ...And, if we don’t do something about it now, we will: • All be stuck in traffic at the B994/B977 roundabout. ... • And Womblehill Farm, which is renowned for its quality produce, will lose a large chunk of its prime agricultural land. If you want to express your objection to this proposal, write to our MSPs Alex Salmond, Richard Baker, Nigel Don, Marlyn Glen, Alex Johnstone, Alison McInnes, Nanette Milne, or Maureen Watt. (Or you can contact Nanette Milne and Alex Johnstone via their office in Northern Road in the Centre of Kintore.)

Kintore East expansion exhibition

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-02-12T14:22:32+00:00

On show were plans by the Kintore Consortium to develop “Kintore East” with between 1,000 and 1,200 additional houses, a public park, sports fields, commercial developments and land for new schools. The plans cover a large area of land east of the existing burgh of Kintore extending from the new business park on the south-west to extend eastwards along the railway line towards Aberdeen. The main access point would be a new roundabout between the housing association development beside Donald Russell’s headquarters and the existing bungalows next to NECR. ...CAPTION: The map panel at the public exhibition showing the commercial development area in blue on the left, the green area round Tuach Hill, the pink area for the school buildings (light blue) and the housing areas in dark red. This road would then run in a loop through the new development, curving back to the south west where it would join the existing road through the Midmill and Craigearn Business Parks. ...The developers’ representative at the exhibition assured me that the roundabout would be redeveloped as part of the plan, bringing the Kemnay road into the same roundabout as the industrial park (which all logic suggests should have been done at the outset!). At the North East corner of this new area of Kintore would be Tuach Hill and the plans show it as the centrepiece of an open area of parkland. However, there is an area designated for housing on the north slope of Tuach Hill and new football pitches nearby. Near the centre, and contained within the loop road, is the land that the developers are proposing to provide for new school buildings. The plans also show a network of footpaths and cycleways and the housing would include various centres and courtyards, to give the new housing some elements of a traditional townscape. There is no detail at all of how the infrastructure of Kintore will be developed to cope with the extra traffic. In particular, the developer’s representative was only able to point to Transport Scotland’s proposals for changing the Broomhill roundabout to a hybrid junction that would prevent right turns into Kintore from the northbound carriageway of the A96. Instead, Transport Scotland propose that northbound traffic for Kintore would be sent across prime agricultural land at Womblehill to enter Kintore at the B994/B997 roundabout near Gauchhill. The plan to develop East Kintore makes this proposal even more crazy as all the additional traffic, when returning from Aberdeen, would have to head to Gauchhill and then turn back on itself to wend its way back to the East Kintore development.

Shelterbox tent at School and in The Square

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-02-10T18:19:46+00:00

Kintore Rotary Club will be setting up a Shelterbox tent. Firstly, it will be in the foyer of Kintore School, on Monday, February 21 and Tuesday, February 22 to start Rotary's Thanks For Life week. This will highlight the plight of others a lot less fortunate than we are and in particular focusses on the drive to eradicate the world of the crippling disease Polio. On the afternoon of Wednesday, September 23, the tent will be moved to the Square, outside the Town House. To prove its value as emergency accommodation, four members of Kintore Rotary have volunteered to stay in the tent overnight, while it is in The Square. Wednesday, February 23 is also a significant day in the Rotary calendar, as it is the anniversary of the birth of the Rotary organisation. In 1905 in Chicago, the first Rotary Club started.

Major expansion plan unveiled for Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-02-02T16:48:45+00:00

Plans are to be unveiled for a major expansion of Kintore to the east of the town, with housing, community facilities, new schools and a new park focussed on Tuach Hill. The proposals will be presented to the public at an exhibition on Saturday, February 12 from 11am to 5pm in Kintore Public Hall. The plans for Kintore East are being put forward by a consortium of three builders – Kirkwood Homes Ltd, Malcolm Allan Housebuilders and Barratt East Scotland – under the name of the Kintore Consortium. Are the builders coming back to Kintore? The consortium says it has been promoting land to the east of Kintore for future development through the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan (LDP) process since 2008. In the announcement of the public exhibition, the consortium says: “Given the positive feedback received through the LDP process and directly from the local community, it is the Consortiums intention to submit an application for Planning Permission in Principle for the site in the next few months. “The Consortium’s vision is to implement a long-term, sustainable expansion of Kintore over the next 10-15 years, creating a mixed-use development that enriches and complements the town, providing key community infrastructure including land for new primary and secondary schools, a new Park focussed on Tuach Hill, community facilities, employment land and a wide range of housing opportunities for Kintore.”

Kintore Public Hall AGM

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-02-01T10:38:57+00:00

The AGM of the Kintore Public Hall will take place on Monday, February 21 at 8pm in the hall ante-room. This is your chance to support your village hall. The hall is owned by Aberdeenshire Council, but is run by a voluntary committee. That is why you are able to book it at low cost. Without the help of the committee this would not be possible. So please come along to the AGM and support your local hall at 7pm on Monday, February 21.

Kintore station hopes fade

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-01-28T09:46:18+00:00

Why on earth does it take so long for anything to happen in this country? The re-opening of a rail station in Kintore has been on the cards for ten years and more. It featured in the NESTRANS plans with an opening date of 2009. Now, as we embark on 2011 it seems further away than ever. The problem now seems to be Network Rail. Today’s Press and Journal says a report to Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure services committee says: “From discussions held with Network Rail it would appear they do not favour the early construction of a single platform station at Kintore”. When you go on to read that the projected cost of the single platform station is £6.1 million and a double platform station £18.7 million, then you can maybe understand why. I have said it before, but I cannot understand how public projects in this country end up with so many extra zeros on the end of the bill. ... Or is it because there are armies of consultants, advisers and keepers-of-red-tape who get involved in everything we do these days? ...A station at Kintore needs a platform (that is a raised bit of ground to get on and off the train), a shelter (for when it rains or snows) and a car park. Yes, I know that is an over-simplification. But, looked at that way, I cannot imagine how the price can be inflated to £6.1 to £18.7 million! Could the men from network rail please go to Switzerland where they will see a rail network that runs like a Swiss clock, with – in rural areas – what is often (tunnels excepted!) ...When they come back can they please implement what they saw and build our long-overdue station!

Flowers to give a lift to The Square

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-01-27T10:12:34+00:00

Kintore & District Community Council has secured funding from Aberdeenshire Council to provide new flower tubs and hanging baskets for the centre of Kintore. Flower tubs and hanging baskets will improve the appearance of the 18th century Kintore Town House The new tubs and baskets will be placed in The Square, Kintore to improve the environment around the jewel in Kintore’s crown - Kintore Town House. Plans include flower tubs in front of the Town House to prevent parking on the forecourt.

Moon behind Bennachie

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-01-22T09:59:53+00:00

On Thursday morning those with a view of Bennachie were greeted with the sight of a brilliant moon behind the northern slopes of Bennachie. We don’t know enough about astronomy to tell you if this is right, but someone who does tells us the moon might be a little closer to the Mither Tap on February 17. So head up early onto Balbithan Hill (up near the Balbithan House crossroads) to get the best view. (After that, we can sure it will be a cloudy day.)

Coldest for more than 100 years

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-01-22T09:23:13+00:00

We won’t tempt fate by suggesting that we have seen the last of it, but those who have endured November and December in – not just Kintore, but the whole of the UK – know that it has been a very severe winter. Indeed 2010 goes into our own personal record books. Between the January 2010 snows and those in November and December, we have so far needed to snow plough our road as many times last year as we did in the entire 10 previous years living just outside Kintore. The extraordinarily severe weather is confirmed by official statistics which say that the weather so far has been the most severe for more than a hundred years. This week, of course, has been different. The severest cold has been -4ºC at night (not at all unusual in a normal winter) and the sun has been shining almost all week. To look out the window at the skeins of geese flying past the Mither Tap in a clear blue sky, butter wouldn’t melt in its mouth!

Kintore Konnect page on this site

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2011-01-20T09:39:18+00:00

Many of you will have received copies of the new Kintore Konnect newsletter which is now in its second edition, which was published at Christmas. If you didn’t get a copy of the newsletter, if you live outside the area, or if you want to look back at previous issues, you can now do so online on the Kintore Konnect page at Kintore.org.uk. Copies of future issues will be uploaded to the site when we receive them from the publishing team. Many thanks to the Kintore Konnect team for making the newsletter available for you to see online.

New Transport Minister urged go ahead with new Kintore station

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-12-19T16:00:15+00:00

Councillor Martin Ford, who represents the East Garioch ward that includes Kintore has urged the new Scottish Transport minister to give the green light to reopening a rail station in Kintore. The re-opening of a rail station in Kintore has been planned for many years and featured in NESTRANS plans, with a proposed opening date of 2009. "Increasing the proportion of journeys made by public transport is an essential step to reducing carbon dioxide emissions in line with climate change targets,” said the Scottish Green Party councillor. “Experience locally and elsewhere shows if rail services are improved, people will switch from other forms of transport and use the train instead. "The frustrating thing is that it remains absurdly difficult to get support for new rail initiatives - despite the track-record of success for those projects that have gone ahead,” Martin Ford continues. “The proposal for a dedicated service of local trains between Stonehaven and Inverurie with additional stations was first put forward by Grampian Regional Council about twenty years ago. ... The improved service between Aberdeen and Inverurie introduced in December 2008 was, effectively, a first step towards a better and more frequent local service. The service improvement introduced in 2008 has been a success - which must strengthen the case for further service enhancements. "A new station at Kintore is the logical next step. ... All we need, and all we have needed for some time, is a firm commitment from the Scottish Government to get a station built.” At the same time, it would seem, someone needs to get a grip on the costs. As we have said here before, there is no way that the new station should cost as much as some of the estimates have suggested. No wonder getting anything done in this country takes so long, when the cost estimates are so much higher than they really ought to be. Time for our politicians to examine why public projects end up with so many zeros on the end of the price?

Car thefts in KIntore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-12-15T11:29:32+00:00

We received a message from a fellow resident of Kintore that there have been several cars and garages broken into in Kintore recently, as well as two cars stolen. According to the message, this started on Saturday night, but he also reports another car was taken on Sunday night and another one broken into on Monday night. Please make sure your cars and garages are locked and keep a watch for anything suspicious. If you do see something that raises your suspicions, call the police on 999 – or if you want to remain anonymous, call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111. Also, with more frost and snow on the way, don’t be tempted to leave your car doors unlocked in case they freeze. And don’t walk away from your car leaving the engine running with the key in the ignition, to warm it up before setting off. That is just an open invitation! (Also as a colleague found out, some cars will re-lock themselves automatically with your key inside and the engine running!)

After the thaw, the flood

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-12-14T18:47:58+00:00

Photos of the flood at the weekend, following the thaw. © L McEwen © L McEwen © L McEwen © Alice Morrison © Alice Morrison © Alice Morrison

Kintore School Christmas post service

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-12-07T15:05:34+00:00

Kintore School is organising its traditional Christmas post to deliver your cards to addresses in KIntore. They will deliver your Christmas Cards around the village for 15p per card from December 7 to 19. Place your cards in a bag along with money, and make sure your name and address is on the bag. Pop the bag into one of our Yellow post boxes to be found at the following places and they will do the rest. Just ensure your cards have the correct names and addresses! You will find the yellow post boxes at: • J&G Dossett, the butchers • The Local Hub • Kintore Medical Centre • The Co-op • Kintore School Foyer For further information call 01467 632934 or email claire@the-tills.com

More winter pictures from Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-12-05T16:43:36+00:00

More winter photos from Kintore. Winter sunset behind Kintore, viewed over the River Don from Balbithan Winter sunset behind Kintore, viewed over the River Don from Balbithan Winter sunset behind Kintore, viewed over the River Don from Balbithan Bennachie at sunset viewed from Balbithan Bennachie in the snow from Balbithan A buzzard sits on a fencepost A wintry outlook © All photos copyright Ken McEwen 2010

Great photos of the Christmas lights switch on

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-12-05T14:53:49+00:00

Great photos by John Stewart from last night’s Christmas lights swtich-on in The Square, Kintore. See the full album of pictures. Photos ©John Stewart.

Please be a good neighbour during the freeze

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-12-01T09:16:18+00:00

A couple of times in the winters after we arrived in Kintore, some kind soul took a snowplough up the road to our house. Despite our best efforts, we never could find out who it was who did it, so we could thank them. But it was typical of the kind-hearted community we live in. So, during the current freeze, let’s continue our support for others. Please do your bit to keep our community safe during this current freeze. Think of others and help keep our community healthy and vibrant during this bitterly cold weather. Have you got elderly neighbours? ... Is their house warm enough? If you are going to the shops, ask them if they would like you to pick up a few things for them. We’ve all seen how difficult it is to walk, or drive, in the past five days. For the elderly it can be a frightening prospect. Providing you are fit enough yourself, please be a good community member and clear the snow on the pavement outside your home and, if you are up to it, for any less able neighbours. Let’s prove Kintore is a real community and look after each other. • Scottish Government ‘Ready Winter’ page

Snow photos from Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-29T11:54:28+00:00

Community council minutes for November

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-29T11:51:41+00:00

The Kintore & District Community Council minutes for November have been published. The meeting included news of the use of rooms at Kintore Town House for the village’s youth, the usual crime report, news of planning refusal for a new house, new planters for winter and the Local Hub. See the minutes on the community council minutes page.

Make NE broadband pilot, UK Government urged

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-25T18:32:13+00:00

Following a report by the BBC which showed that parts of the Aberdeenshire had some of the lowest broadband speeds in the UK, North East Conservative MSP Nanette Milne has urged the UK Government to include Aberdeenshire as a pilot area for broadband improvements. According to a study by broadband comparison website top10.com - Banchory, in Aberdeenshire was rated 17th worst in the UK for broadband connection at just 1.95Mb. “I would like to thank all those who have emailed me to date with their broadband experiences.” Nanette said. “It is appalling that parts of Aberdeenshire have been shown to have such poor broadband speeds. No community, regardless of size or population should have to suffer from low quality internet services – especially when it is such a vital tool for communication and for business. “The UK Government recently announced that the Highlands and Islands would be the first pilot area in Scotland for major broadband improvements. I therefore urge the UK Government to consider introducing additional pilot areas in Aberdeenshire to end the frustration of thousands of residents. “There is a digital divide quickly opening up between rural areas like those in Aberdeenshire and the superior facilities available in more urban areas in the Central Belt. A number of communities suffer from chronically slow internet speeds, whilst others have no service at all. I believe that residents should expect and deserve better support to deal with this problem. “Something needs to be done quickly to improve the situation to bring the internet speeds from second worst in the country, to some of the fastest.” BT are holding a competition where communities have to vote for the next generation 40MB broadband. To find out more and sign up for Kintore to get the next generation in internet speeds, see “Do you want faster broadband in Kintore’.

Bag 2 the Future!

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-22T12:06:57+00:00

Are you planning a clear-out before Christmas? If so, here’s a great opportunity to put your unwanted items to good use to raise money for Kintore Boys Club! ‘Bag2 the Future’ is looking for good quality secondhand clothing (adult and child), bedding, curtains, soft toys, shoes and handbags. No bric-a-brac though! They will take items in any back and, remember, the more they collect the more they will raise. Please deliver your bags (they will take items in any kind of bag) by Thursday, December 2, to: Joyce Reid (Club Secretary) 5 Tuach View Kintore Telephone 01467 633250 If delivery is a problem, give Joyce a call about uplifting your goods.

MSP launches campaign for better broadband

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-19T10:42:40+00:00

Nanette Milne, Conservative MSP for the North East has launched a campaign to secure better broadband for communities across the North East. ...“It’s time to end the digital divide and deliver superfast broadband to all parts of the country, including rural areas. “While we are seeing some parts of the country given the opportunity for even faster broadband services, North East communities are being left behind. It is extremely frustrating for individuals and businesses who cannot get broadband connectivity at all and it is holding businesses back. I know from speaking to local people in rural communities that they have faced specific problems with connectivity in the past and it is therefore very disappointing that we have seen no upgrades to local telephone exchange. ..."Already there is a two-tier communication system in Scotland and every year it seems that we are seeing an even larger gulf in technology being offered to the cities compared to rural areas. This underlines that there is an urgent need for all of North East to be broadband-enabled and for the SNP Scottish Government must make North East communities a priority for broadband connectivity investment. “As part of my campaign I am carrying out a survey of local residents and would be interested to hear the personal experiences of people across North East. ...“Ensuring adequate broadband services for local people is as important in the 21st Century as road, rail, electricity and water connections were in the last century. ...I signed up for ‘up to 8MB’ BT Broadband, only to find that my maximum speed was not 8MB but apparently 4MB. (It would be interesting to hear the motor manufacturer who would defend advertising that his car was capable of 80mph, but when it is delivered, you are told that it will only do 40mph!) Unfortunately the reality has been even poorer than BT’s actual maximum for the area, with speeds at peak times being less than 1MB! ...Speaking with others afterwards, I know I was not alone in finding that the BT faults line simply gave the engaged tone and dropped my call. ... I’m sure BT have the technology to install an 0800 line that would keep people informed.

Name sought for new road in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-18T10:23:32+00:00

A name is being sought for the new road into the new development of 24 houses at Gaughhill, Kintore. Kintore & District Community Council are being asked for their input.

Beware callers about computers

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-16T12:34:27+00:00

In the space of a week I have had three scam phone calls from so-called technical people, who knew my name, and said they had detected a problem with my computer. With previous calls that makes five virus-scam attempts. All the calls are overseas and, when you dial 1471 after the call, BT don’t have the caller’s number. One caller called themselves “the technical department”. The most recent caller said they had detected an “urgent problem with my Windows”. Apparently if you give them time (I didn’t) they will talk about the tests showing a problem with your computer. I believe they then try to get remote access to your computer (supposedly to diagnose the problem), or invite you to download software then they demand money for their efforts. This, of course, gives them your payment details, plus they may well have installed spyware on your computer. So, if you get a call about your computer from a person, or company, that you do not recognise, hang up immediately! • See more on these scams from Guardian Blog and Digitaltoast, .

Watch out for this scam when driving

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-16T12:26:56+00:00

We have received this report of an incident that happened in Aberdeenshire and are publishing it in the hope that it will encourage people to be on their guard for this scam. Fiona Alderson who reported this, says you can see a report of the same type of scam, elsewhere in Scotland, on the Hamilton Advertiser website. “This what happened to me on the B9022 road, heading towards Huntly between Gordon Country Kennels and Haddoch Farm. “The car that stopped me was an older silver car and the gentleman who spoke with me sounds like the description given in the article of the Turkish man – as well as being clean shaven, swarthy appearance, smartly dressed and wearing a black leather jacket. The car seemed to have seen better days and had a dent in the drivers side. “You might wonder why I stopped – the car was coming towards me, headlights flashing and hazard lights on, being driven very slowly and so my natural reaction was to slow down too, when the car stopped I stopped too. Initially I thought the driver was flagging me down to tell me about an accident up ahead and then when someone got out of the car I thought they were going to tell me that they were moving animals from one field to another – as is often the case in rural areas. “The silver car then moved slowly off and stopped about 10 yards along and the swarthy man tried to thrust a handful of ‘gold’ jewellery in my hand – all the time telling me, in a heavily accented voice, that he had no money, little English, and 300 miles to go to meet up with his family. When I said I had no money and gave him the £1.50 I had in my purse, he tried to get me to take him to my bank! By this time I had had enough and this must have shown because he moved away and I drove off. ...Grampian Police have fed the info out to their NE divisions and passed the info on to CID too. ...“I will now start driving with my door locked when I am alone in the car. “I won’t be opening my window more than an inch if someone I don’t know comes to talk to me, and if I think something is up I will drive on to check it out before phoning the police if it is a genuine emergency! “Hindsight is a wonderful thing – however we don’t expect things like this to happen around here in sleepy Aberdeenshire / Moray.

Carbon capture and storage at Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-15T10:11:39+00:00

The National Grid is looking at the possibility of building a new above ground installation at Fordtown, between Kintore and Leylodge, as part of a carbon capture and storage project. The site would be connected to an existing pipeline and the National Grid say the scheme is ‘in the early development stage”, but that they are “keen to inform local communities of the Government’s plans to CCS (carbon capture and storage) technology and what the project may entail”. Carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere is a ‘greenhouse gas’ The project involves transporting carbon captured from Longannet power station along a pipeline to St Fergus, where it would be sent offshore to be stored in a depleted gas field. Carbon dioxide is a ‘greenhouse gas’ which is a major contributor to global warming. The idea is to capture this carbon dioxide rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. An information day is taking place in the Kintore Public Hall on Thursday, November 25 from 2pm to 8pm. National Grid will have experts at the event to answer questions and talk about the works that could be involved in the area.

Kintore Christmas lights switch-on

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-15T09:19:04+00:00

The Kintore Christmas lights will be switched on Saturday, December 4 at 4.30 pm at the Town House. The Kintore Pipe Band will start off the event. There will be a Burger Stall as well as a Mulled Wine Stall. Santa & his elves will be there with a little treat for the children.

Kintore Youth Forum move into Town House

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-13T17:54:02+00:00

Kintore Youth Forum has secured the use of two rooms in Kintore Town House, while fundraising and planning goes ahead for the development of The Hub. Kintore & District Community Council chairman Kenny Thomson explained that the Youth Forum were able to secure the Town House accommodation following a £10,000 donation from NEXEN. “What a fantastic location, right in the town centre and I'm really pleased that we now have a facility, albeit small, in which some meaningful things can happen,” Kenny told Kintore.org.uk. “It brings the whole project to life and the enthusiasm of the youth workers is a joy to behold. “I can see it going from strength to strength and hopefully carrying that through to occupancy of The Bothie when it is built next year.”

CANCELLED: Fundraising Ceilidh on Saturday, Nov 20

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-12T16:32:40+00:00

Unfortunately this event has had to be cancelled due to poor ticket sales. Kintore Youth Forum Fundraising Ceilidh with Celtallica, on Saturday, November 20 in Kintore Public Hall. 20 November · 19:30 - 23:30 Location Kintore Public Hall Music by CELTALLICA Ticket is £10 each including Stovies Licensed Bar Raffles Tickets available by contacting Isobel Kendrick at 01467 642504 / 07754706780 or from Chalmers & MacKay Music School Inverurie.

Musical Coffee Morning on November 13

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-06T14:52:38+00:00

Musical Coffee Morning is being held on Saturday 13 November from 10 am to 12 noon at Kintore Public Hall. There will be performances from some pupils of Chalmers Mackay Music School. The organisers say: “We would like you to come along to support and listen to some of our talented pupils while enjoying a refreshing cup of tea or coffee along with homemade cakes and biscuits. Proceeds are going towards the Music School’s forthcoming Irish Trip scheduled for April 2011”

Photos from Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-04T09:35:47+00:00

This photos of Kintore are the latest by Alice Morrison. Kintore Kirk Thainstone Centre

Town House looking better

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-01T12:04:18+00:00

Good to see Kintore Town House looking more ‘cared for’ with a much needed fresh coat of paint on the doors and woodwork. The 18th century Kintore Town House Now if we could only get the forecourt improved to give the building a more suitable setting as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Kintore.

Christmas Craft Fayre

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-11-01T11:01:58+00:00

Christmas Craft Fayre Sunday 14 Nov Time(s): 11am – 4pm Venue: Hatton of Fintray Village Hall Cards, pictures, clothes, wooden items, jewellery & more. £2.00 includes hot cuppa and home bakes

Halloween at the Hub

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-10-31T18:57:57+00:00

View the pictures of Halloween at the Hub on the Kintore Flickr Group. A great series of 40 pictures by John Stewart taken at The Local Hub, in The Square, Kintore, on Saturday, October 30. Click on the photo to go to the picture on the Kintore Flickr Group.

Coffee morning in Kintore on November 6

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-10-21T14:58:39+01:00

Get ready for a Coffee Morning on Saturday November 6th at Lawrence Court in Kintore. Time(s): 10.00am - 12.00noon Venue: Provost Lawrence Court, Kintore Description: Stalls include cake & candy, craft, bottle stall as well as raffle Admission charge: Adults £1.00 Children 50p

Do you want faster broadband in Kintore?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-10-05T17:43:58+01:00

Fancy 40Mb broadband? Thought so! Well, between now and Hogmanay we have the chance to vote for Kintore to be among the first to have the new super-fast broadband. To make your vote count go to www.bt.com/racetoinfinity. BT is rolling out superfast fibre optic broadband across the UK. Whether you’re big on social networking, gaming or streaming video, with download speeds of up to 40Mb your online experience will be transformed. The Race to Infinity is giving people the chance to vote online for their area to become one of the first to enjoy this new fibre optic broadband. The five areas which have the largest percentage of votes by December 31st 2010 will win the chance to bring fibre optic broadband to their area and BT will give a donation of computer equipment worth £5,000 to a local community project. It’s a big challenge. We need 1,000 premises to be eligible as one of the winning exchanges. Given the expansion of Kintore in recent years that must be a realistic target. Put it this way, we have had 2,191 page loads on this website in the past 30 days. We also have 540 people signed up for the Kintore Facebook page. So, make sure you go to bt.com/racetoinfinity and get your friends to go there too.

Photos from Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-10-04T18:05:04+01:00

MSP cries foul over rendering plant

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-09-03T09:29:40+01:00

North East Conservative MSP, Dr Nanette Milne has called on Aberdeenshire Council and SEPA to investigate foul smells coming from the rendering plant, at Upper Cottown, Kintore. “I have received a number of complaints from local constituents in Kintore and Kemnay”, says Dr Milne, “that they are experiencing once again unacceptable smells from the rendering plant at Upper Cottown, Kintore. “I have written to the Chief Executive of Aberdeenshire Council to ask for the council to investigate the situation and will be seeking a meeting with SEPA to demand that steps are taken to improve the environmental situation and address the concerns of local residents.” The rendering plant closed in 2004 falling the liquidating of Dundas Brothers, the operating company. The company’s failure came after SEPA served notice on the company following long running complaints about foul odours from the plant. Many Kintore residents recall, with considerable distaste, how – at its worst – they had keep windows and doors shut, even in good weather and people would actually hurry back indoors to get away from the smell. After several changes of owner, the plant was taken over last year by Scot Proteins. Reassurances were offered about the reopening in a Q&A document by SEPA last year. The document said that “You should report any complaints relating to rendering activities on this site to SEPA”. It gave a telephone number for any complaints during office hours to call SEPA’s Aberdeen office on 01224 248338. Outside office hours, complaints should be made using SEPA’s pollution hotline 0800 80 70 60.

The Bothie is go for 2011

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-08-23T09:00:36+01:00

Building work on Kintore’s new youth cafe, The Bothie, should start next year. That’s the news from Kintore and District Community Council’s July meeting, the unapproved minutes for which have just been published. The community council heard that £120,000.00 of funding has been obtained and planning permission has been granted along with a 25-year lease The next stages will be for detailed plans to be submitted for approval. A local residents’ meeting, then a public meeting are also planned. The meeting heard that building work should start next year.

Kintore's 'jewel' still looks sad and neglected

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-08-13T11:39:15+01:00

I made my usual trip into town to get the papers. No matter what the weather the sight of the Town House still lifts my heart. It really is a distinctive and historic centre piece for the Royal Burgh of Kintore. But, considering its importance, it grieves me to see the state that it has been allowed to get into. Kintore Town House: looks good from a distance, but don’t look too close! ...The area around the Town House is a mish-mash of tatty tarmac punctuated by the occasional pile of discarded concrete breeze blocks and outcrop of weeds. Often as not there’s a guddle of cars parked randomly on the tarmac or on the pavement, despite the chain over the drop kerb. Even in these cost-conscious times, surely Aberdeenshire’s fastest-growing town deserves better? A lick of paint would work wonders, along with a good tidy up of the forecourt. As a short-term measure, how about some half barrels of flowers along the front of the forecourt – that would stop the rogue parking and give the place a well needed lift. In days gone by the old Burgh Council in Kintore would never let the place get into the state it is today. In all this, I should say that I constantly admire the floral planters in the wall along the main road. I believe they are maintained, for the community, by a volunteer. ...It would be nice to see Aberdeenshire Council taking pride in what is a magnificent 18th century centrepiece to Kintore.

Over 16s Charity Five-a-side Football Tournament

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-07-28T14:52:38+01:00

Garioch Lions Over 16s Charity Five-a-side Football Tournament on Sunday 12th September 2010 at Strathburn Park, Inverurie. All money raised donated to local charities. Entry forms available from Station Garage, Kintore or by contacting Steven Wood on 07890 451634 : e-mail inverlightfab@aol.com

Grampian Police: Garioch policing update

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-07-07T11:28:52+01:00

Grampian Police has produced the first of what will be a quarterly policing update for the Garioch area. You can download a copy in pdf format from the downloads page on this site.

Community council minutes

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-07-07T11:25:57+01:00

The latest community council minutes are now uploaded for you to find out what Kincardine and District Community Council are doing for our community. You’ll find the June minutes here and remember you can check through the archive minutes on the main community council minutes page.

Help Action Kintore build The Bothie!

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-06-08T14:16:29+01:00

Fundraising has now started for The Bothie, the youth cafe proposed eco-friendly youth cafe for Kintore. The Bothie features an innovative construction involving 640 straw bales and a living green roof. You can help it become a reality: Volunteer your time or skills, call 01467 634388. Or make a donation. Name plaques will be installed in The Bothie recognising those who have contributed to the project. You can send your donations to: Action Kintore Ltd c/o Kintore CLD Kintore School Castle Walk Kintore AB51 0RU Cheques should be made payable to Action Kintore Ltd.

Marie Curie Blooming Great Tea Party

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-06-08T09:54:32+01:00

Monday, June 28 from 11am to 4pm at Friends’ Place @ Moars. Come along and show your support for this wonderful charity. MARIE CURIE BLOOMING GREAT TEA PARTY Monday 28th June 2010, 11am-4pm. Friends' Place @ Moars, 16 Forest Road, Kintore. Strawberry & Cream Tea Party . All proceeds to Marie Curie Cancer Care. Come along and show your support for this wonderful charity.

More pictures from KIntore Festival

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-06-02T12:44:36+01:00

The Kintore Summer Festival team have just uploaded nearly 200 photos from this year’s Kintore Summer Festival. You can find them on the Kintore Facebook page. Click on the ‘photos’ tab at the top of the page.

Pictures from Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-05-28T10:37:00+01:00

More pictures by Alice Morrison.

Thanks from Kintore Summer Festival Committee

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-05-24T12:17:04+01:00

he Kintore Summer Festival Committee would like to thank everyone who came to it to make it such a great success. You will find more pictures on the Kintore Summer Festival section of the website. The Committee would like to say a special thank you to : Chalmers MacKay School of Music Kintore Pipe Band Kintore Rotary Club Kintore Fundraising Team Kintore Fire Brigade Kintore Public Hall Kintore School ...Hopeville Social Club ...OnStage Drama Group Kintore Community Music Group And all the Church Groups, and various Local Community Groups, Clubs and individuals and volunteers who have contributed and helped in any way towards this year's Summer Festival.

Spring photos

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-05-13T09:56:29+01:00

Photos of Kintore in Spring by Alice Morrison.

Bruce retains Gordon seat

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-05-07T09:43:58+01:00

Malcolm Bruce, the Liberal Democrat MP for Gordon, retained his seat last night, although his majority was cut to 6,748. In second place for the constituency, that includes Kintore, was Richard Thomson of the Scottish National Party. Malcolm Bruce (Liberal Democrat) 17,575 Richard Thomson (SNP) 10,827 Barney Crockett (Labour) 9,811 Ross Thomson (Conservative) 9,111 Sue Edwards (Green) 752 Elise Jones (BNP) 699 The turnout was 66.43%

Vine and Victuals Evening for RNLI

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-05-06T10:47:22+01:00

Inverurie and District Branch of the RNLI are organising a Vine and Victuals Evening on Friday, May 28 in Keith Hall Public Hall. The evening starts at 7pm and runs to 9.30. There will be a ‘Roll the Pound to the Bottle’ and a raffle. Tickets cost £12 per person and are available from Steve Kirby sjnkirby@tiscali.co.uk Tel 01467 632306, mobile 07968 248 270.

Kintore School PTA Family Games Evening

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-05-06T10:30:25+01:00

Kintore School PTA are running a Family Games Evening Friday, May 14 6.30-8.30 Venue:Kintore School admission charge: £5 per family Tickets can be obtained from School PTA scmahoney@btinternet.com

Festival programme announced

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-04-19T15:40:16+01:00

The detailed programme for the Kintore summer Festival on the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, May 22 and 23 has just been released. See the full programme on the KIntore Festival page, or download the Kintore Summer Festival leaflet (pdf 600k). Following an Afternoon of Music at Provost Lawrence Court on Thursday, May 20, the festival really gets under way in The Square in KIntore at 11 am on Saturday. There will be the usual live music in The Square with Chalmers Mackay Music School bands, Food and Refreshments all day and lots of other stalls and side shows. ...Open to all children, there is no entry form, or entry fee. You just turn up at Kintore Public Hall by 10.45 am. ...The opening event will then be the march, led by Kintore Pipe Band – with the Fancy Dress Competition entrants – from the public hall to The Square for the judging. ...Two Fat Laddies do a 30-minute cookery demonstration in the Public Hall. ...Kintore Music Group with Mary Burnett at Kintore kirk. ...Mr Bug the Bugman presents a creepy crawlie show in the Public Hall. ...2.00 pm, 3.00 pm and 4.00 pm ...Two Fat Laddies with a one-hour cookery demonstration in the Public Hall. ...Mr Bug the Bugman presents a touch and feel bug show in the Upper Hall at the Public Hall. ...Kintore’s festival weeken ends with the now-traditional duck race on the River Don at 1.30pm on Sunday with 1,500 plastic ducks!

Replacement junction for Broomhill roundabout

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-04-09T15:44:35+01:00

The idea of replacing the Broomhill roundabout on the A96 sounds a good one. ...However, having seen the plans attached to the latest minutes of Kintore and District Community Council, leaves me puzzled. I’m not sure I follow the plan, but it appears to be half of a flyover ... but, without the actual flying! The plan seems to be to provide slip roads on the southbound carriageway to a new roundabout. But, on the northbound carriageway there appears to be no direct access to Kintore. So, if you’re heading out from Aberdeen, and you want to turn right into Kintore, you won’t be able to do so. Instead the KDCC minutes say would “have to use a new link road towards the Kemnay Road near Gaughhill (sic) to access Kintore”. ...But, all the diagram below (click on it for an enlargement) shows is a slip lane disappearing off in the vague direction of the fields at Womblehill Farm! (*As a lover of the quality meat that John Dossett sells from Womblehill, I’m not sure about the beasts of Womblehill being disturbed by all that traffic through their fields!) I can’t see it being popular to force all northbound traffic for Kintore (including heavy vehicles for the business park) all the way out to the B994/B997 roundabout Gauchhill before doubling back into the town. It would also seem to be a surefire way to upset those that the new junction is being built for. The plan is to develop a new retail park at Boghead, right beside the existing Broomhill roundabout. But if you are northbound you will have quite a detour to actually enter the retail park. ...It might finally get rid of the lying road sign that still promises petrol in Kintore, years after out last filling station closed!

The Peerie Pantry is coming

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-04-08T15:40:28+01:00

The former Café Kintore is to re-open on April 22 as The Peerie Pantry. Chris Chick and her business partner Jane Bleakley have taken over the lease. They’re both midwives who have decided to have a complete career change! Chris explains: “Peerie Pantry will be a small cafe/takeaway offering freshly made soups, sandwiches, savouries and homebakes, using as many fresh locally sourced ingredients as we can. “We will offer friendly efficient service in a homely, welcoming environment whether eating in or taking away,” Chris continues. “We’re currently refurbishing the cafe just now but are really looking forward to opening on the 22nd.”

Kintore cafés re-opening

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-04-01T09:45:30+01:00

Two cafés in Kintore are due to re-open this month. Kintore Café on Northern Road has a sign in the window saying “opening April”, while we have just had notice that the cafe in Moar’s furniture shop is re-opening on April 6. The cafe at Moar’s is re-opening under the name of Friend’s Place @moars. At 16 Forest Road, Kintore, the café is to open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 9am to 4pm. In their note to kintore.org.uk, the new operator says: “We will be serving made to order pancakes, freshly made scones, homebakes, soups, sandwiches, kids meals, afternoon cream teas & ice cream sundaes, knickerbocker glorys, ice-cream cones, coke floats .....the list goes on & on.” If you need more information call 01467 633488/632421, or email palinj@aol.com

New photo of Kintore at sunset

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-04-01T09:03:15+01:00

A new sunset photo of Kintore looking across Breadie’s Haugh and Balbithan Island from Hill of Balbithan. © copyright Alice Morrison

Reduction in house numbers at Gauchhill development

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-03-23T15:49:11+00:00

A revised application has been submitted for a reduction in number of houses at the proposed housing development at Gauchill. The developers are now proposing 24 houses instead of the previous 30. You can see the detail on the Aberdeenshire Council planning website.

Photos from Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-03-22T11:44:30+00:00

MSP renews call for Kintore station

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-03-11T19:03:43+00:00

Dr Nanette Milne, Conservative MSP for the North East has renewed her call for the Scottish Government to support the re-opening of Kintore station as a stand-alone station. "In April last year I was pleased that the Transport Minister agreed to my request for a meeting with the interested parties including Kintore Community Council to discuss the re-opening of Kintore station,” Dr Milne, Conservative MSP says. Nanette Milne at the proposed site for the re-established station in Kintore "Given that the re-opening of Laurancekirk station has resulted in greater passenger numbers than predicted. Would the Minister agree that a similar stand alone station re-opening at Kintore would prove popular and address transport issues in anticipation of on going development in the area? "Kintore must surely be one of the fastest growing villages in the Country. In just five years its population has grown from just over 1600 to over 2500 – completely changing its character from a traditional northeast village to an urban satellite of Aberdeen, with tightly-packed streets of modern houses clustered around its historic village centre. "It is important that local community demand and support for the reopening of the station is listened to, and that the Scottish Government look to the benefits which re-opening Kintore Station could have on the environment, the local economy and local communities." NESTRANS, the transport partnership for North-east Scotland set a date of 2009 for the re-opening of Kintore station. • See the full saga of Kintore station re-opening

Ladies Night at The Hub: March 26

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-03-04T19:27:50+00:00

The Local Hub is organising a Ladies Shopping Night in the Hub on Friday, March 26*, from 6.30pm to 9pm. They helpfully point out it is the last Friday of the month, so the wages/salary should be in the bank account! (*This is the rescheduled date, following its postponement due to inclement weather last month.) Anne Brand will be showcasing the new Spring collection of Danish Designer Clothes by Green House of Scandinavia. Come and browse, and perhaps get some advice on new styles or colours to suit you. A timeless, ageless collection in sizes 8-22. A great opportunity to view this exclusive brand (not available in the shops!). ...Also on display, will be the Shen Jewellery Collection, locally designed and hand-crafted by Alison McDonald. As well as the main Sterling Silver collection, there will also be some inexpensive fashion jewellery available, including pieces specially designed to co-ordinate with the Green House clothes. All items available for purchase on the night This is a very informal evening so please feel free to pop in anytime after 6.30pm, and stay just as long as you wish. Due to the limited space, and the nature of the merchandise, this is an evening for ladies only (sorry no children!) The coffee shop will not be open for coffee during this event . For more information call The Local Hub on 01467 631210 or email amcdonald@thelocalhub.org.uk.

Advice to cut your fuel bills: March 22

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-03-04T18:00:04+00:00

Are you concerned about your fuel bills for this past winter? Now is the time to think about reducing your fuel bills for the rest of the year and next winter. Come to this free Energy Advice Session on Monday, March 22 from 2pm to 4pm in The Local Hub, The Square, Kintore. Drop in and take the opportunity to meet with your local SCARF Energy Advisor, who will offer free impartial advice on reducing fuel costs, improving comfort levels, information on lower fuel tariffs, grants and offers for heating and insulation For more information check the website www.scarf.org.uk, call 01224 213005, or email info@scarf.org.uk

Kintore Play Group Quiz Night: March 12

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-03-03T16:03:15+00:00

Kintore Play Group are organising a Quiz Night in the Village Hall on Friday, March 12. The Quiz Night is open to teams of 4 people at £3 per person. Prizes include a two-night stay at The Spires in Aberdeen, Birmingham or Glasgow. To enter contact Sarah Sharp on 01467 632247.

Community Band weekly meetings

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-02-23T09:44:12+00:00

Community Band meets weekly in Kintore Parish Church Hall. Sundays from 11.30 am till 12.30 pm, and play a variety of music. We are happy to welcome any age and stage of musician/ship. Contact Georgina Payne georginakintore@googlemail.com

Details of The Bothie youth cafe revealed

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-02-19T10:11:33+00:00

Details of The Bothie, the proposed youth cafe for Kintore, have been revealed by Action Kintore Ltd. The Bothie - the proposed youth café in Kintore. Read more in Action Kintore and download the pdf file with maps and plans (2.3MB). The proposed youth cafe would be 84.2 square metres in area and include a coffee bar, seating areas and internet access points.A proposed second phase would add a round multi-purpose room to be known as The Drum. With a floor area of 23.7 square metres it would accommodate 25 to 30 people in meeting style. The building has been designed to achieve very high sustainability and environmental standards. It features a green roof planted with sedum, while the walls would be constructed of strawbales. This method of construction offers a very high level of insulation and will be finished with harling and limewash. Download pdf file of maps and plans (2.3MB)

Plans for 'The Bothie' youth cafe in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-02-19T10:05:21+00:00

Although Action Kintore Limited received Company status on 16 March 2009, the ‘Action Kintore’ organisation (herein referred to as AK) has in fact existed for approximately two years and was formed specifically to focus on the needs of a growing population of young people, brought about as a result of a significant housing boom in the town. A survey of young people’s needs had been instigated in 2006 by Kintore Community Council, by canvassing the views of pupils, resident in Kintore, but who attend Inverurie and Kemnay Academies. ...What was quickly identified was the lack of suitable premises and AK set about developing partnerships to address this, namely the Community Council, a Youth Forum comprising a nucleus of young people and youth workers from Aberdeenshire Council’s Community Learning Dept. ...Approximately 180 persons attended, including a significant number of young people and there was overwhelming support for the provision of recreational facilities for youth in the town. Various Council officials and the two local councillors for this area have been supportive from the outset and continue to be so and some of the £14K included in Action Kintore's bank account over the past two years was donated through council grants. ...On the site referred to in the Plans in the e-mail from Dave Chouman, Architect, there previously stood a Council Library, which became defunct and was demolished when the new Primary School was built and a new Library located within it. ... This, combined with its’ central location within the town and having power, water and sewage connections, made it an ideal location and resulted in a Community Council request to the Council that the site be given over for a Youth Café. ...Members of AK Ltd., the Youth Forum and youth workers from the Community Learning Dept. visited various locations and considered various building options, including a log cabin and a portacabin, but an eco-conscious straw bale structure seen while under construction at Whitehouse, Aberdeenshire made an immediate impact and it became the focus of all efforts thereafter. ...In consultation with an Architect, Dave Chouman, Plans were drawn up and an Application for Planning Permission for an eco-conscious building on the site was submitted to the Council and Conditional Planning Permission was granted on 15 September 2009. ...It is envisaged that other small groups and organisations will use it, as it is not only the young people who are disadvantaged as a result of the lack of suitable meeting facilities within Kintore. The enthusiasm of Youth Forum members has been reflected in its’ fundraising efforts; organising a Business Breakfast; a Car Wash; Bag Packing; joint functions with Balfour Beatty’s Fundraising Team, the latter raising a total of £2676.50. In addition, members have met with elderly residents from the Allandale Gardens area, with a view to demonstrating their wish to be ‘good neighbours’ when the Youth Café is completed and in use. ...Phase 1 (the rectangular building) has been estimated to cost £144K and Phase 2 (The drum shaped building) at £71K. The project may have to be completed in two phases and over two years, dependant upon funding. This is an exciting project and ticks so many boxes relative to youth and the community and in addition, the building design, with straw bales in the walls, a living sedum roof and old tyres used in the foundations is not only unique (it is highly unlikely there is another Youth Centre of this kind in the UK), but also eco-conscious.

Quiz night on Friday, March 19

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-02-07T19:56:11+00:00

To help raise funds for the festival there will be a Quiz Night in the Kintore Public Hall on Friday, March 19 at 7.30 for 8pm. The cost to enter is £12 for teams of four, with all proceeds going to the Kintore Summer Festival.

Kintore Public Hall AGM March 1

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-02-07T15:25:17+00:00

Kintore Public Hall is owned by Aberdeenshire Council, but is run by a voluntary committee in Kintore. Please come along and support them at their AGM on Monday, March 1 at 8pm. The AGM will be held in the ante room at the Kintore Public Hall. The fact that the hall is run by a voluntary committee, results in low cost rent for its many users. Without the help of the committee this would not be possible. Please come and show your support. As an added incentive you will be offered coffee and fancy piece!

More details released for this year's festival

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-02-05T12:12:27+00:00

The Kintore Summer Festival 2010 will take place from 11am to 5pm on Saturday, May 22 in The Square, Kintore. To help raise funds for the festival there will be a Quiz Night in the Kintore Public Hall on March 19. By popular request the fancy dress competion is back in 2010. J&G Dossett, the family butcher in The Square, is sponsoring the prizes for the winner and a runner-up. The winner will also get to switch on the Kintore Christmas lights, so that’s something special they can look forward to quite a few months later! For more information contact Elizabeth Lovie on festival@kintore.org.uk or phone 01467 633317.

£1717 for India trip volunteer and counting

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-01-27T15:29:10+00:00

Kelly Wood who has set her sights on 12 months as a volunteer in India, and needs to raise the money for her trip, has reached £1717.47 so far. A delighted Kelly told us: “I have raised £1717.47 so far. Which is great so big thank you to everyone who supported me. “I am planning a Ceilidh on Friday the 11th June. I will post info on tickets nearer the time. “I also have a "justgiving" page http://www.justgiving.com/Kelly-Wood0 which has regular updated info and a chance for online donations! “To aid me to my total of £4630 I am starting a babysitting service, I have my own transport and have experience! please contact me on Kelly.wood6@btinternet.com”

Recycling mess

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-01-16T12:55:10+00:00

Every year we make a deliberate effort to wait a week or so after New Year before taking the bottles to the recycling, having been caught out one year going too soon and finding everything overflowing. So, today, we made our usual trip to the recycling beside Kintore School. What a mess! All the recycling bins are overflowing and there are bottles and cans everywhere. I know Aberdeenshire Council will have been stretched by the road conditions, but this is now January 16. Could they really not have organised a recycling pick up by now? The state of the recycling point is, quite simply, a disgrace.

Show your Kintore alleigance!

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-01-10T17:51:08+00:00

Now you can show how proud you are of the Royal Burgh of Kintore, with a complete range of exclusive branded gifts available from the Kintore Gift Shop! You can choose from T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, calendars, postcards, mugs and even a beer stein – all with Royal Burgh of Kintore personalisation. A hot favourite at the moment is the new range of calendars. There’s the Royal Burgh of Kintore Wall calendar which has a different local photograph for each month and costs just £18. Or, a cheaper option is the one page calendar with a photograph and the whole month on one page, for just £4.50. The gift shop also has Kintore T-shirts and sweatshirts for men, ladies and children with prices starting at £10 for kids and £13.50 for adults sizes. There are mugs starting at £15 and stickers from £3.50. You can also choose prints and note cards with prices starting at £6.50. (Prices are quoted excluding delivery.)

More snow pictures from Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-01-10T11:42:38+00:00

More snow pictures from Kintore. Check out the snow pictures on the Kintore Facebook page and the Kintore Flickr page. Here’s the latest sent in by Alice Morrison. © These pictures copyright Alice Morrison

Snow pictures from Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2010-01-09T11:47:30+00:00

Some pictures of the snow in Kintore. According to the news it has been the most extreme winter weather for some 50+ years, with temperatures rarely rising above freezing. The coldest we’ve recorded (admittedly not with sophisticated equipment) is -13.3ºC. There’s more photographs on the Kintore Facebook page and the Kintore Flickr page. Lights of Kintore behind the snowdrifts near the golf course Icicles are appearing everywhere The moon on a snowy morning Lochnagar picked up by the dawn light in the distance from Balbithan Balbithan Forest in the snow Winter sunset in Kintore. This photograph features in the Kintore Gift Shop © All photos copyright kintore.org.uk

New house proposed on School Road

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-12-29T12:10:29+00:00

A planning application has been submitted for the construction of a new house on the junction of School Road and Castle Road in the centre of Kintore. The new house would be to the south of Castleton the existing house at the junction of School Road and Castle Road, next to Kintore School. The new house would be built in the grounds of Caslteton on a 0.8 hectare site. Access would be from Castle Road.

What sort of village do we want in second decace?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-12-29T11:38:44+00:00

(Well most of us are, there are those who say that the decade doesn’t start until 2011.) So what do we want Kintore to be in this new decade? ...The Town House should be shown off to its best effect with a small plaza instead of tatty tarmac on the forecourt. ...Yes, I know, ever since the old burgh council was disbanded, Kintore has really had to look to Aberdeenshire Council for most of its services and planning decisions. Of course that doesn’t mean we cannot influence where it is important. ...At kintore.org.uk we decided to set people thinking about some of the suggested improvements for Kintore with a poll on the front page. At the moment it shows that the overwhelming desire in Kintore is for a new supermarket with (at the time of writing 52% of the vote). The desire to tidy up the forecourt of Kintore Town House – surely the most attractive and significant building in Kintore – to create a small plaza, comes second with 15% of the vote. ... • A place for young people – this is, of course, is under way with Action Kintore looking at a new youth café. ...One proposal that is already in the system is the idea of re-opening a railway station in Kintore. Unless they can finish it in the next 48 hours that is already behind schedule, because NESTRANS had it down for opening in 2009! It would be popular if our politicians finally do manage to get it established, the poll on the front page of this site suggests it would be popular with 91% of people (at the time of writing) saying they would use it regularly or occasionally. Let’s hope that encourages the political will to ensure that proposed opening date is not missed yet again! We mustn’t forget that one of the big desires has already been achieved with the opening of The Local Hub, our community café in The Square.

Get your Christmas meat order in quick

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-12-12T15:27:17+00:00

J & G Dossetts have already sold out of turkeys, capons and geese, such has been the demand for Christmas. So, if you can think of something else you would like for your Christmas dinner, the advice must be to get round and place your order quickly!

Christmas card delivery

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-12-12T15:24:46+00:00

Kintore School have started their usual fund-raising Christmas card delivery service. Cards for delivery within the village will be delivered in return for a donation to school funds. Cards can be posted in post boxes, one of which is in J & G Dossett the butcher’s in The Square.

Kelly sets sights on India in August

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-12-07T09:02:38+00:00

Kelly Wood writes: “I have lived in Kintore all my life and am now a 6th year student at Kemnay Academy (aged 17) I have just been given a great opportunity to go to India for 12 months voluntary work with project trust to teach English. “This will be a life changing experience for me, but to allow me to do this I have to raise £4,630 by Aug 2010. I am working hard with fundraising events i.e. Bag packs, Gigs, car boot sales and I am doing a bungee jump in April 2010. “I have placed collection tins around the village in: The post office, chip shop, Kintore tandoori and the new co-op (where I work part time) and would be very very grateful of any donations to see me on my way to India. “Thank you.”

Update from Kintore Youth Forum

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-11-30T22:02:26+00:00

The Youth Forum have been meeting fortnightly, ( instead of weekly), since June, and throughout the summer holidays, with Louise Stewart, Isabel Stirling and Isobel Kendrick (new Community Learning Worker). ...In June – invited to meet with two members of staff from Balfour Beatty (formerly Cruickshanks) at their offices in Kintore to discuss joint fundraising ideas. ...Several ‘event planning’ meetings took place during July with additional support from Liz Mackay and Joan & Kenny Thomson, and also attended by 2 members of staff from Balfour Beatty. It was decided at these meetings to try to create an event with ‘broad’ community appeal, which would hopefully increase the amount of funds raised, and also broaden community awareness of ‘The Bothie’ project. ...The Bothie Fundraising Event was held at Kintore Primary School on Saturday 29th August and included a Coffee Morning; Craft Stalls; Sales tables; BBQ by Scouts; children’s activities ie. Face Painting, Lollipop Straw Bale, Coconut Stall, Beat the Goalie and X-Box competition and also ‘Live Music’ with performances by pupils of the Chalmers Mackay Music School, X-Factor Winner and local band ‘Loki’. This was a terrific day, and although numbers attending were a bit disappointing, that was more than made up for by the very positive feeling of community spirit; valuable awareness raising of the Café and a total of £650.00 being raised. Balfour Beatty have also very generously confirmed that all monies raised in joint effort with themselves, will be match funded (doubled) up to a maximum of £2,000. ...At the meeting following the event, the Youth Forum did an evaluation of the day and agreed that it was a really good day, but that perhaps the location was wrong and maybe more publicity was needed. ...Youth Forum Members Emily Paterson & Caitlin Shand attended an Aberdeenshire Youth Forum meeting on Tuesday 1st September at which Bruce Robertson, Director of Education, was speaking. When given an opportunity to raise any local youth issues with Mr. Robertson, Emily spoke out about the length of time it was taking for the planning decision for the Youth Café. ...We may never know, but is an example of how, by positive action, young people can contribute towards making things happen for them in their own community. Our next meeting on the 22th September will be to celebrate the good news re. planning; talk about another fundraising event – a Race Night at The Hopeville Club, Inverurie, on the 30th October which is mainly being organised by Balfour Beatty with support from the Forum; and making up an Information Board for the Forum which they can display at future events. Some members will come along to the Action Kintore Meeting on Wed 23st September to continue celebrations, and to find out about ‘where we go from here’.

Kintore supermarket closed for a week

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-11-28T12:02:19+00:00

The Somerfield supermarket in Kintore is to be closed for a week from December 2 as it is refurbished and will re-open a week later as a Co-op. The store will be running a mini-bus to the Kemnay store during the period of closure.

Kintore Christmas tree becomes weather victim

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-11-25T11:55:54+00:00

The Christmas tree in The Square, Kintore, became one of the victims of the weather when it was blown down in the gales last night. The hefty tree trunk was snapped and the tree now lies forlornly, complete with lights, across the Town House forecourt. It’s a shame for the volunteers who put the tree up and they now face having to fix the tree and re-erect it for the lights switch-on a week on Saturday.

Kintore Christmas Lights switch-on

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-11-23T19:23:32+00:00

Christmas Lights Switch On. Saturday, December 5 at 4.30 pm in The Square, Kintore. The Pipeband will be starting off the evening at 4.30pm and there will be a burger stall and mulled wine and Santa will be making an appearance to give out selection boxes for children.

Kintore Summer Festival 2010 date

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-11-23T18:21:46+00:00

The 2010 Kintore Summer Festiva will take place on the 22nd of May next year. The change from the traditional second weekend of June is because of the Emmerdale Extravangza at the BA Store.

Reopening rendering plant Q&A

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-11-09T12:33:34+00:00

The rendering plant at Cottown, Kintore, which was the subject of many complaints to SEPA before it closed in 2004, is due to re-open under the ownership of Scot Proteins Ltd. Following persistent complains about the offensive odours from the plant operated by Dundas Brothers, SEPA revoked the company’s licence to operate. Subsequently, the company ceased trading. The site was taken over by new owners in 2007 and plans were announced to restart operations. This never happened and now the site has been taken over by Scot Proteins as the new owners. This is a question and answer sheet produced by SEPA explaining the situation around the re-opening of the rendering plant.

Kintore now has Facebook page

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-10-31T16:57:29+00:00

Kintore now has a new home on Facebook. The new Kintore Facebook page links in to kintore.org.uk and gives regular news and updates. The Kintore Facebook page also links to the Kintore Twitter feed, meaning that Kintore news has a wider reach than ever. If you are a member of Facebook (it is free to join) you should click the “Become a fan” link on the Kintore Facebook page. You will then receive updates from the Facebook page on your own Facebook news feed. As a Facebook member you will also be able to: • post your own news and comment onto the wall on the Kintore Facebook page • take part in the discussions • post events on the events tab • and post pictures. News posted to the wall will also automatically be sent out on the Kintore Twitter feed.

RNLI Quiz Night on November 6

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-10-26T16:51:38+00:00

RNLI fund-raising Quiz Night. Friday, November 6 in the Kintore Public Hall. 7 for 7.30pm. RNLI Inverurie and District Branch. Quiz Night in Kintore Public Hall. Doors open 7pm starts 7.30 pm. Prizes, raffle. Licensed bar. Teams of four people. Donation for entry £16.00. Places are limited, first come first served, contact Steve Kirby on 01467 632306. Spare places may be available on the night.

Shocked Kintore day after tragedy

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-10-23T09:32:40+01:00

There is a deep sense of shock in Kintore today as the town wakes up to the reality that a retired farmer is feared drowned after his tractor was washed away in floodwater. A rescue helicopter joins the search over the River Don at Kintore yesterday Sandy Henderson (who was in his early 80s) is missing, believed drowned, following the accident yesterday morning (Thursday, October 22) when his tractor was washed away. The retired farmer was trying to rescue cattle stranded on the flood plain by rising water when the accident happened. A massive search involving police, underwater search teams, coastguard,, fire and rescue services and an RAF rescue helicopter swung into action when the alarm was raised at 08.35. The search was called off after almost seven hours due to the danger to emergency services’ personnel due to rising floodwaters. There is a deep sense of shock in Kintore. Mr Henderson was well known in the area and his family say that the accident happened as he tried to rescue cattle in a field which he leased to another farmer. Our deepest sympathy goes out to Mr Henderson’s family. We hope that the knowledge that their grief is shared in some small way by the people of Kintore, may provide some comfort at this tragic time. FOOTNOTE: Sandy’s body was recovered from the river on Friday (October 23). • The Press and Journal news report • The Scotsman news report

Major search in Kintore flood water

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-10-22T12:36:49+01:00

Emergency services were called to Kintore this morning to search for a man believed missing in the flood waters of the River Don. Police divers, water rescue units, ambulance and fire crews were joined during the morning by a rescue helicopter which is hovering over the river. Rescue services gather at the Bridge of the River Don in Kintore It is reported that the man is missing after a tractor was swept away in the flood that has followed more than 24 hours of heavy rain. This is the second time in three months that there has been substantial flooding at Boat of Kintore. The B977 over the River Don is under several feet of water and Northern Road has been closed at the flyover onto the A96 due to flooding. • BBC story • STV story

Kintore station hopes

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-10-13T11:01:18+01:00

The success of the re-opening of Laurencekirk station, marked by the opening of a £450,000 car park (does a car park have to cost that much?), has put now impetus into the drive to re-open a station in KIntore. Kintore station was listed on the NESTRANS objectives to be re-opened this year. Now there are suggestions that the plan could be brought forward, with the opening of a small one platform station in the immediate future. Still reeling from the suggested costs of a new station for Kintore, any suggestion of a lower cost version is surely welcome as it is more likely to actually happen in the current economic environment. Speaking at the debate in the Scottish Parliament, Nanette Milne Conservative MSP for North East Scotland said: "The reopening of Laurenckirk Station in May has been warmly welcomed and supported locally, and passenger numbers using the station there have significantly exceeded the provisional estimations by around 80%. This is good news and does I believe prove a positive case for the reopening Kintore and eventually other local stations. "Kintore must surely be one of the fastest growing villages in the Country. In just five years its population has grown from just over 1600 to over 2500 – completely changing its character from a traditional north-east village to an urban satellite of Aberdeen, with tightly packed streets of modern houses clustered around its historic village centre."

What happened to the fountain?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-10-13T10:48:31+01:00

Have I not been observant before, or has something happened to the top of the fountain at the Town House? Something has clearly broken off at the very top. It would be great to have that fixed at the same time as laying out the area in front of the Town House in granite cobble stones, rather than the current tatty tarmac.

Kintore fundraising for Pacific disaster

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-10-04T15:01:25+01:00

During the past 2 weeks, an unprecedented and devastating series of earthquakes, tsunamis and typhoons have hit areas around the Pacific, leaving thousands without shelter and entire communities in need of help. Kintore Rotary Club has organised a COFFEE MORNING fundraiser in aid of those who have suffered from what has been described as “one of the most damaging storms of recent years in the Pacific region”. Saturday, October 10 9am–12.30pm Kintore Village Hall Have you heard of SHELTERBOX? Come along to the Coffee Morning and find out why this Rotary led disaster initiative has been so successful in recent years.

Minutes of Kintore Youth Forum

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-09-17T22:01:32+01:00

Brian introduced Mr George Niblock who was going to oversee the Landfill Community Fund application (see separate sheet with notes.). ...Regarding our bank account, Drew said that the Clydesdale Bank requires a letter from Solicitors confirming our status because we have no Company Secretary. ...Kenny is arranging a visit to The Beacon at Bucksburn to find out about the vandalism and crime they endured, and what remedies they came up with. ...Kenny and Brian to arrange a meeting with Steven Laing to get a copy of plans and an estimated quote for the build. ...Kintore Youth Forum have started planning flyers, Joan has spoken again to Elizabeth Lovie about using the Village Hall the available dates 30/5 6,20,27/6 Isabel still waiting to hear about Christian Aid. Youth Forum said would be happy to wear T shirts with the Bothie logo on them for promotion purposes and Kintore Youth Forum plan to contact a few companies for prices. ...Liz has updated the Business plan (Profit and Loss) this was received by Action Kintore as a better reflection of costs and income, Liz was going to email this to Steven as he has the master copy. ...Contract for Build, also Management and the running of the of the youth facility (hire of the premises by outside groups, i.e. taking booking, times of openings, accepting and banking of monies). ...Publicity, Gillian would have the job of dealing with the media, Isabel said there was 3 young people from Kintore Youth Forum who were keen to help with this. ...It was felt that another public meeting to promote and fundraise at he same time be planned after we receive planning permission/building warrant. ...Brian welcomed George Niblock from the Environmental forum, his knowledge and background is from his past employment with Aberdeenshire Council in waste management, Health and Safety. ...The forum take 3% of grant for all the work and help that they give in applying for this fund. (£10,000, only 90% is payable from fund £9,000- £300.00 Action Kintore would receive £8,700 ) A third party has to give £1000 to make it up to £9,700. ...Facilitate Objectives, map of area, no environmental policy as yet, once we have one the Management of Environmental policy. litter, what title on application to Aberdeenshire Council Planning and if it is full planning permission we have gone for. ...The involvement of Action Kintore committee must be above board and show that there is a transparency and no conflict of interest.

Flooding in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-09-04T12:40:23+01:00

Following 24 hours of torrential rain – the tail end of tropical storm Danny we are told – the B977 to Hatton of Fintray is closed. The flood water has created a new Loch of Kintore on the usual flood plain between Kintore Golf Club and Boat of Kintore, over the fields known as Breadies Haugh and Balbithan Island. Looking to Kintore from Balbithan, with the golf clubhouse on the far left and the unreachable Bridge over the Don. An attractive tree-covered island! Straw from the recent harvest floats down the flooded River Don The road to Kintore. Anyone got a boat? So near but yet so far... no way across. The new Loch of Kintore! No, it’s OK. I’ll give the fishing a miss today!

Complaints continue of Hall Forest maintenance

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-08-30T19:04:21+01:00

The long running dispute between some Hall Forest residents and landscaping company Greenbelt took a more serious turn when the land maintenance company issued “red letter” warnings on July 20, 2009, referring to the use of debt collectors. One of the residents to receive these letters (name and contact details supplied) contacted us. ...Photo taken mid August, showing what the objectors say is poor maintenance “The letters are highly misleading about the court costs and credit rating,” he claims. “That would only happen if three things happened, first GB took you to court, second they won and third you failed to pay on a court order.” We believe Greenbelt again sent out bills to Hall Forest residents on August 18. These were apparently normal, bills, not “red letter” ones, with charges to July 2010. The Hall Forest resident who contacted kintore.org.uk says that this follow Malcolm Bruce MP having written to Green Belt expressing his opinion that it was unethical to charge for work that has not been carried out. Mr Middleton of Greenbelt subsequently visited the offices of Mr Bruce and MSP Alison McInnes. Greenbelt Action Group (http://www.spanglefish.com/GreenbeltGroupAction/news.asp) says it is currently bringing two legal cases against Green Belt. Alex Middleton, was reported in the Inverurie Herald on 21st November 2008 agreeing to provide written updates outlining the status of grounds maintenance at sites of concern, and explanations where maintenance has not been carried out satisfactorily and where maintenance has not been carried out satisfactorily. Our resident claims to have written to GB several times asking for these written updates along with details of the contractor, times and locations of works carried out. ...He also claims that, along with other neighbours, he has sent Greenbelt they consider to be an acceptable fee for what they claim to be poor works, but these cheques have not been cashed. • We will be very happy to publish Greenbelt’s response to the complaint.

Youth café fundraiser

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-08-24T21:59:17+01:00

Kintore Youth Forum have organised a Youth Cafe fundraising event for Saturday 29th August at Kintore Primary School from 10.30am - 4.00pm. "The Bothie" Fundraising Fayre will be a fun-filled family day and will include: • Coffees/teas and fine pieces • Craft & Sales Tables • Raffles & Competitions • BBQ • Musical Performances, including the Echt Factor Finalist ' Mel Duthie • 'Beat the Goalie' competition • and much more! See Posters in many of the local Shops and Businesses. The Youth Forum are being supported to run this Event by local company Balfour Beatty; Chalmers Mackay Music School and Action Kintore and hope to welcome lots of local to this 'mini festival day' on Saturday.

Hatha Yoga classes start in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-08-18T09:32:40+01:00

Hatha Yoga classes are starting in the Kintore Public Hall every Thursday at 7.30pm. Where - Upper Hall, Kintore Public Hall, School Road, Kintore When - every Thursday at 7.30pm Why - because yoga is good for you What to bring - a yoga / exercise mat, cushion and blanket What to wear - loose, comfortable clothes How much - £5.00 per class Who is teacher – Gordon Edward (holder of Yoga Scotland Teaching Diploma) How long does a class last - usually about 90 minutes Need more information - phone Gordon at 01467-681525 (home pm) or mobile 07759050306 any time Note – if you are concerned about any existing injuries or medical conditions, please consult your Doctor before attending any classes

Longer hours for The Hub

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-07-25T19:36:12+01:00

The Local Hub community café, opened just over a month ago at the time of the Kintore Summer Festival, has extended its opening hours. It is now open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm for Starbucks coffee, snacks and internet. You’ll find the Local Hub in The Square, Kintore.

Kintore Arms Inn alterations

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-07-14T16:07:45+01:00

The Kintore Arms Inn in The Square, Kintore has submitted a planning application for internal alterations to the listed building. Kintore Arms Inn – planning application for internal alterations to this listed building The plan is to convert the first and second floors to create six en-suite bedrooms.

Kintore cookbook now sold out

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-07-14T11:00:59+01:00

The Kintore Fundraising Team report that the Kintore Village Favourites Cookbook 2009 has been a great success. All 500 copies were sold out by the beginning of July and the team report they now have sufficient cash to send the local boy and family to swim with the dolphin in October. A sell out. The Cookbook has sold all 500 copies and achieved its fundraising goal. The team want to say a big thank you note for everyone who bought a copy. Without turning into a mutual appreciation society, I’m sure we as a community would like to say a big thank you to the Kintore Fundraising Team for all their hard work on our behalf.

Cooking Bus rolls into Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-07-07T08:53:37+01:00

Young people and Aberdeenshire Council staff are to receive cooking and food safety lessons to enhance their focus on healthy eating over the summer holidays. ...The Cooking Bus will roll into Kintore Primary School’s car park today (Tuesday, July 7), and will stay through the week to provide free lessons to groups from around Aberdeenshire. ...As part of the ‘Focus on Food Campaign’ run by Design Dimension Educational Trust, Cooking Bus staff aim to raise the profile of food education to sustain and strengthen the status of food in primary and secondary schools across the country. Chairman of Aberdeenshire Council’s Education, Learning and Leisure Committee, Richard Stroud, said: “It is important that all residents are aware of healthy eating options and the issues surrounding food safety and I am delighted that the Cooking Bus will be in Aberdeenshire to promote these messages. “The Cooking Bus will offer a range of exciting, hands-on activities so people can learn good practice which will help them to increase their skills and look after themselves and their families in the years to come.” Thanks to Darren Cochrane our community police officer with Grampian Police for the photo. Caroline Hay-Crawford, Aberdeenshire Council’s childcare strategy development officer, booked the Cooking Bus for the Aberdeenshire Childcare Partnership and is thrilled that a large number of groups have registered to attend the sessions. ...“The exciting and interactive lessons on offer will give everyone the chance to learn about food safety and healthy eating. “A number of groups from around Aberdeenshire have signed-up to attend the classes and I’m sure everyone will develop new skills which can be used at home or in the workplace.” The Cooking Bus is a specialist-built articulated lorry, which opens into purpose-built kitchen classrooms, which are used for lessons. Qualified food teachers accompany the Cooking Bus and offer practical, hands-on lessons for young people and the wider community and training for teachers, youth workers and health professionals. A number of out-of-school care groups from Kintore, Oldmeldrum, Banchory, Westhill and Ellon will attend the Cooking Bus from Tuesday to Thursday. There will also be a training session on Wednesday afternoon (July 8) for staff who work with children and families. The Cooking Bus can also be used by other groups around the area to promote food education in their communities.

Street Sports in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-07-06T09:42:29+01:00

On Sunday 5 July Street Sports was held in the grounds of Kintore Primary School. It offers the chance for children/youths to play football/basketball/touch rugby and engage with local police officers in an informal environment. Street Sports will be returning to Kintore on Sunday 16 August between 5pm and 8pm. Thanks to Darren Cochrane our community police officer with Grampian Police for the update and the photos.

Amused by Inverurie Homebase

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-06-29T11:32:06+01:00

Went to the new Homebase in Inverurie for the first time today. Amused to see they have signs up in gaelic. Did they think they were building in Inverary, not Inverurie? Naebody I ken in the Garioch spiks gaelic. We aye spik Doric or English, but nae gaelic. One sign in particular is bound to confuse. There are big hanging signs showing the products in that section. One section has writ large “teas”, which is, apparently, the gaelic for heating. I bet there will be a puckly customers fa ging there looking for a fly cup!

Application for new house in town centre

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-06-17T22:23:10+01:00

An application has been submitted for construction of a new house with integral garage right in the centre of Kintore. The planning application is for a new home in the grounds of Goosecroft House, a ‘category 2’ listed building which occupies a most prominent site on Forest Road just behind the Town House. The new three-bedroom house is proposed for the west of the existing house. A separate application has been submitted for change of use for the stable block at Goosecroft House to change it into a house. Another separate application has been submitted for alterations and extension to the stable block at Goosecroft House, along with erection of a garage and part demolition of a wall.

Helping out with festival photos

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-06-15T17:52:53+01:00

On the day of the festival, I met a guy with a camera when my camera battery went flat and I asked him to take photos on the day for me. He introduced himself as Mr John Stewart and kindly took lots of photographs of the Festival. He posted them on the Flickr site and allowed me to use any of the Festival ones. He took a lot of good photos. I just love this village and all the lovely people who live here! Thank you. Best regards, Elizabeth See John’s excellent pictures from the Kintore Summer Festival on the Flickr Kintore Group and don’t forget the other photos posted on this site.

Message from festival organisers

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-06-14T21:44:24+01:00

Could I please put a thank you note in from the festival team to all the businesses, local groups and individuals who help make it such a successful day. Gordon Forum for the Arts, Kintore Rotary Club, Kintore Fundraising Team, Kintore Pipe Band, Kintore Fire Brigade, Kintore School, John and Gillian of J & G Dossett, Mr Cameron Ross of JG Ross, Ian and Ruby Mackay, Willson & McKee from Colorado, America, Kintore Youth Forum, Mr Graham Friar of Highland Cuisine, Mr Mark Reynold, Mr Kevin Gilbert, Hopeville Social Club, Kintore Arms Inn, Moar House Furnishers, Thainstone Mart, Kintore Scout Group, Kintore Public Hall and all the various church, local and community groups, clubs and individuals who help on the day. Once again our community has shown great spirit, pulled together to make a great success of our village festival. I have taken a lot of photos on the day, I can send some good ones to you once I sorted it through. Thank you. Regards, Elizabeth

Roaring trade for Local Hub opening

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-06-13T15:09:42+01:00

The Kintore Local Hub cafe opened at 11am on the morning of the Kintore Summer Festival and was quickly swamped with festival-goers keen to find sample its Starbucks fare and internet terminals. Because the shop is a community enterprise and run ‘not for profit’, over 65% of any profit made from beverages and snacks is invested into a community fund that can then be used in ways that benefit the local community as a whole. The Local Hub community café has been part finance by Aberdeenshire council, the Scottish Government and the Rural Aberdeenshire Leader 2007-20013 programme. Langstane Housing Association have also been a major contributor. Other significant contributions have come from Laings, BP, Inspire, Grampian Police, Kintore & District Community council, Hallforest Residents Association and private donations. How and where the fund is used will be mainly influenced by the members of The Local Hub’s community membership scheme. Among those at the opening was Nanette Milne, Conservative MSP for the North East. "I warmly welcome the opening of the Kintore new community café,” she said. “Kintore has long needed a facility like this to create a meeting place for local people and I wish all involved the best of luck in development this much need community resource." For an annual fee of £10 per annum, members of the scheme receive a membership card that also entitles them to a range of promotions and discounts on products throughout the year.

Weather fails to dampen festival enthusiasm

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-06-13T14:54:37+01:00

Overcast weather and even a touch of drizzle failed to dampen enthusiasm for the Kintore Summer Festival, as people turned out to enjoy all the fun of the fair in The Square. To the sounds of the Chalmers MacKay Blues Band and the Kintore Pipe band, brisk trade was being done in various fund-raising stalls and on the funfair. It was yet another tribute to the community stalwarts in the Kintore Summer Festival commitee and the Kintore Fundraising team. If you have more pictures of the festival and you are willing for us to publish them, email them to us now. FOOTNOTE: Have you got more pictures of the Kintore Summer Festival. If you are willing to let them be published on kintore.org.uk, email them to us now.

New house proposed for Forest Road

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-06-09T22:46:39+01:00

An application has been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for a new house to be built at 33 Forest Road, Kintore. The planning application can be viewed on the Aberdeenshire Council website.

The Local Hub cafe opening

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-06-08T11:16:25+01:00

The Local Hub Community Cafe in The Square, Kintore is to open on Saturday, June 13 during the Kintore Summer Festival. The community coffee shop will offer a wide range of products that include Seattle’s Best® coffee and Tazo® tea brands supplied by Starbucks. Because the shop is a community enterprise and run ‘not for profit’, over 65% of any profit made from beverages and snacks is invested into a community fund that can then be used in ways that benefit the local community as a whole. How and where the fund is used will be mainly influenced by the members of The Local Hub’s community membership scheme. For an annual fee of £10 per annum, members of the scheme receive a membership card that also entitles them to a range of promotions and discounts on products throughout the year. Membership can be obtained either instore, online or an application form posted upon request. To maximise the amount of funds that can be invested into the community, The Local Hub requires a number of volunteers who are able to offer some of their time in a social manner, either within the coffee shop or in its management. Previous experience is not required and we only ask that volunteers have a friendly personality and a strong desire to improve the community. Any training will be provided and we will do our best to make the volunteering experience enjoyable and rewarding. Barista training by Starbucks for volunteers is to be held on Monday, 8th Jue; with several sessions being run throughout the day. Anyone who wishes to register as a volunteer should contact us for an application form and arrange a time to attend a training session. • The Local Hub, The Square, Kintore AB51 0RY. Email: info@thelocalhub.org.uk

Looking forward to Festival

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-06-05T18:55:35+01:00

With just over a week to go it’s time to look forward to the Kintore Summer Festival, an event that proves to those who care to participate, that Kintore is indeed a community – not just a dormitory town for Aberdeen! Not that they should need any convincing. This town is full of community spirit. Look at the Kintore Cook Book project. What a great community effort that was and for such a good cause. It’s always been a great festival, but will this year’s live up to the “summer” in its name. Had it been last weekend the answer would have been a resounding “yes”. For the whole weekend Kintore basked in sunshine and warmth. But this weekend looks likely to be unseasonally cool as I look out the window at sunshine and blustery showers. However... the good news is that the Met Office reckon the weather should improve again by the festival. Yay! Let’s hold the weathermen to that prospect.

Kintore eligible for slice of £60m fund

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-05-21T14:42:30+01:00

Documents just released by the Scottish Government confirm that Kintore could be eligible for a slice of the government’s £60 million town centre regeneration fund. Kintore is one of a number of towns in Aberdeenshire identified as potential targets for the fund. The fund is intended to support community and business leaders in regenerating and growing town centres. In particular reference is made to pedestrian access. Imagine this as a granite cobbled plaza The Square with its magnificent Town House is surely an ideal candidate for support. How much better would the Town House look sitting in a neatly cobbled pedestrian area, rather than being fronted by rough tarmac and illegally parked cars? Applications for the scheme are now open. The deadline for consideration in the first round will be June 5 2009. The deadline for the second round will be August 21 2009. • See also How about regenerating our town centre? and Time to improve The Square?

Virgin balloon flies over Kintore again

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-05-21T10:05:08+01:00

The Virgin Balloon is becoming a common sight over Kintore as it flies out of its Aberdeen City and Shire base at Castle Fraser. This morning’s flight took the Virgin Balloon over just west of Kintore and then along the Dee Valley to the Inverurie Paper Mill site (which Google are apparently interested in as a Scottish base according to today’s Press and Journal) and then on towards Inverurie. FOOTNOTE: The Virgin balloon flies from Castle Fraser when it is based in the North East of Scotland. The balloon flights last between 30 and 60 minutes and cost £185 per person or £349 for two. You can book your Virgin balloon flight online.

Kintore Summer Festival programme announced

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-05-17T18:33:47+01:00

The programme for the Kintore Summer Festival has just been announced. Starting with events on June 11 and ending with the Duck Race on June 14, the main events are in The Square in the centre of Kintore on Saturday, June 13 from 11 am to 4 pm.

Kintore Festival Quiz Night

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-05-17T18:28:58+01:00

The Kintore Summer Festival kicks off with a Quiz Night in the Kintore Public Hall on Friday, June 12, starting at 7.30 pm. Teams of foour are invited and the entry is £12, with all proceeds going to the fundraising effort of the Kintore Fundraising Team. For tickets, please contact Donald Anderson on 01467 632972.

New life for Inverurie paper mill site?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-05-14T20:39:44+01:00

Reports in the media suggest that the Inverurie Paper Mill site may, indeed, find a new use. The interest is apparently in developing the site as a green energy plant. According to the BBC reports, if the plans proceed its re-opening would still be some years away. There were suggestions some months ago that a Scandinavian company was interested in establishing a biomass plant on the site.

Concerns over planned rendering plant reopening

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-05-08T09:45:41+01:00

News that the rendering plant at Cottown is to reopen inevitably raises concerns among Kintore residents who recall the infamous Dundas Brothers plant that caused such offensive odours to waft over Kintore prior to the company’s liquidation in 2004. The liquidation itself came as a result of the plant’s unenviable record, with a series of criminal prosecutions for environmental failings. No doubt aware of the plant’s troubled relationship with the residents of Kintore the new owners have invited members of the public to meet with them on May 13 at the Cottown plant to discuss its reopening. ...Less that a week after being served with prohibition and revocation orders, Dundas Brothers Ltd has gone into liquidation. ... If the business closes permanently it is reported it could also leave a problem for local meat producers who would face added transport costs to take waste material to other plants for disposal. ...The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has taken the first major step towards removing the authorisation which allows Dundas Brothers Ltd to operate its rendering plant at Kintore. Officers from SEPA served the revocation notice on Thursday, June 24, although the company does have the right to appeal against it. The notice was served in the liight of the failure of Dundas Brothers to carry out the upgrading works necessary by June 19 and the continuing stream of complaints from the public - 350 so far this month. ...This required the removal of raw material stored outside the plant and required the company to stop accepting material for processing until improvements are made. "It is very rare for SEPA to serve a revocation notice," explained Colin Gray of SEPA's Aberdeen office, "but we have given this company every opportunity to improve its environmental performance. ...The company has a history of criminal prosecutions for its poor environmental performance, most recently being fined £20,000 in 2002. ...In December 2003, SEPA varied the authorisation for the plant giving the operator six months to carry out substantial upgrading works to improve the odour abatement equipment on the site. I can certainly recall a number of occasions in the period from 2002 to 2004 when I had to call SEPA and write to MSPs to complain about the offensive smells wafting several miles downwind from the plant. We undoubtedly need reassurance from the new owners that we are not going to be subjected to such intolerable nuisance once again.

How about regenerating our town centre?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-05-01T13:10:57+01:00

The latest in the regular flow of news from North East Conservative MSP, Nanette Milne says that she is welcoming the opening of applications to the Town Centre Regeneration Fund. I can think of no better candidate than the town centre of Kintore. We have here a magnificent 18th century town house in the middle of a town centre that could do with a wee bit of a tidy up. So, how about a small slice of the £60 million Town Centre Regeneration Fund coming to a town which has seen precious little investment, while it has borne the strain as one of the fastest growing towns in the country? More could be made of our historic town centre. The Town House currently sits on an island of decidedly tatty tarmac. It would take only a tiny amount of the £60 million to lay the area out in granite cobble stones. As long as there was still access to deliver the excellent meat to J&G Dossett and the beer to the Kintore Arms, why not extend that cobbled area right across to Dossetts and pedestrianise the area – after all there is a perfectly suitable road at the back of the Town House and parking behind to the west of it. As Nanette Milne says: “It is vital for the future of town centres across Aberdeenshire that we do everything we can to maintain viable small businesses and promote local town centres as vibrant and prosperous parts to our economy." So, how about it? Anyone else out there keen to see Kintore town centre regenerated?

"Progress" at Kintore station meeting

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-04-22T19:20:23+01:00

Today’s meeting with Transport Minister Stuart Stevenson about the re-opening of Kintore rail station, was described as having made progress. “Our meeting today proved very useful in bringing together local community representatives, MSPs and the Scottish Government to try to get the reopening of Kintore station back on track,” Dr Nanette Milne, Conservative MSP for the North East said after the meeting. "Network Rail will carry out a feasibility study in conjunction with the work already undertaken by NESTRANS prior to a GRIP (Guide to Railway Investment Projects) being carried out. Depending on the outcome of this study it may then be possible to look towards considering a timetable to start the process that would be required ahead of reopening the station. "I hope that with the support of the Transport Minister and the SNP Government and the clear cross-party support which exists, progress can be made to make the reopening of Kintore station a reality.” The date stated in the NESTRANS plans for the re-opeing of the station was 2009. Dr Milne secured the meeting after writing to Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson MSP. The meeting included representatives from Kintore Community Council, all North East Regional MSPs, Richard Baker and Allison McInnes. Nanette Milne with Kenny Thomson (right) chairman of Kintore and District Community Council and Graham Thomson (left) Vice Chairman. "The meeting with Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson was useful in helping to progress the issue of the Kintore station, as part of two proposed new stops between Aberdeen and Inverness,” explains Kenny Thomson, Chairman of Kintore and District Community Council. "It is important that local community demand and support for a station in Kintore is quantified and to that end we have raised the issue of a possible application to develop a subsidised shuttle bus service between Kintore and Inverurie station. If support for such a service was high then this could help develop the case for a halt at Kintore. We will hope to take this discussion forward with NESTRANS and local representatives."

Sad day in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-04-22T13:30:38+01:00

It was a sad day in Kintore today, when Leslie Taylor, a victim of the North Sea helicopter tragedy, was laid to rest. Our thoughts and sympathy remain with his loved ones and with those of the 15 other victims.

Transport Minister Kintore Station meeting

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-04-13T10:06:32+01:00

A meeting will take place next week with the Transport Minister to discuss the proposed reopening of Kintore Station. Dr Nanette Milne, Conservative MSP for the North East has invited interested parties to the meeting with SNP Transport Minister, Stuart Stevenson MSP. Dr Milne has also invited representatives from Kintore Community Council, all North East Regional MSPs, and First Minister and Gordon MSP, Alex Salmond to attend. The meeting has been pencilled in for Wednesday 22nd April in the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh. ...Dr Nanette Milne, Conservative MSP for the North East Mr Alex Johnstone, Conservative MSP for the North East Mr Nigel Don, SNP MSP for the North East ...“I welcome the agreement of the Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson MSP, to meet with me and other local community representatives to discuss the reopening of Kintore station,” says Dr Milne. “The meeting next week will I hope provide an opportunity to get the proposed reopening of Kintore Station moving forward. “Scottish Conservatives have been leading the campaign for Kintore station to reopen, which I believe would provide positive economic benefits to Kintore and the surrounding communities. I hope that with cross-party support the SNP Government will give serious consideration to make the reopening of Kintore station a reality for the North East.” Hopefully the meeting will also address why the figure being quoted for the cost of re-opening is so ridiculously high. It is very likely that an estimated cost of £6.5 to £17 million (if that is an accurate report of the figure) will be used as a reason to bury the project. How much can it cost to build a platform, a shelter and a car park?

Red Kite flies over Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-04-12T12:40:23+01:00

The red kite, recently re-introduced to Scotland, is looking very much at home in Balbithan Forest above Kintore. Unmistakable due to its huge wingspan and distinctive “swallow tail”, the red kite has been seen regularly flying over the fields that border Balbithan Forest. The RSPB began a programme to re-introduced the red kite to Aberdeenshire in 2007.

Sympathy for victim's families

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-04-02T17:31:28+01:00

When the news started to break yesterday afternoon that a helicopter, shuttling back from an offshore oil installation to Aberdeen, had ditched in the North Sea, we all held our collective breath. We have been here before. Hoping and praying that the news of any offshore accident will confirm that there are no injuries or deaths. That is what happened just six weeks ago with the helicopter ditching near an installation on the ETAP field. Sadly it was not to be this time and we now have the release of 15 of the 16 names of those who died in this tragedy. The reality of the tragedy behind each of these names is all too stark as we think of the families shattered by this news. We can only hope that the knowledge that we are sharing some little bit of their grief will help to provide some small degree of comfort. The tragedy has hit also hit very close to home, with the news that one of the victims – 41-year-old Leslie Taylor – came from Kintore. We offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to all the families and recognise the professionalism of the dedicated teams involved in the search and rescue operation.

The day the steam stopped

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-03-30T20:22:51+01:00

After more than 150 years the paper making industry in Garioch has come to a stop. If you looked north from Kintore today, there was no telltale steam plume to tell you the direction of the wind. Nothing. Yes, the Inverurie Paper Mill – opened by Thomas Tait & Sons Ltd in 1852 and taken over by International Paper of Memphis in 1996 – has ceased. With it have gone some 370 jobs and a century-and-a-half of proud manufacture of fine paper.

Take a virtual look around Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-03-19T16:09:04+00:00

You can now have a look around Kintore using Google’s Street View. Just type in Kintore into Google Maps (“Kintore, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, UK”... to make sure you land up in Kintore UK not Australia or Canada!) and then click on the street view icon. I’ve just been looking around The Square with the Town House, J&G Dossett, the Kintore Arms and Kintore Pharmacy. Google Street View looking at the Town House. Watch out, though, it is addictive! From there you can move around Kintore and even head out over the River Don.

Musical evening with Gillian Jack

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-03-12T16:30:32+00:00

A Musical Evening with Gillian Jack, also featuring What-a-ceilidh-on! 9th May, Saturday at 7.30pm Ticket price £10 per person to include buffet and a glass of wine Kintore Fundraising Team

Lunch at Kintore Public Hall

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-03-12T16:28:54+00:00

Soup and Sweet Lunch at the Kintore Public Hall 25th April, Saturday, 11am to 2pm Ticket price £5 per adult and £2.50 per child Kintore Fundraising Team

Introducing Darren Cochrane Kintore's community officer

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-03-11T13:16:53+00:00

Introducing our new Kintore community-focussed police officer is PC Darren Cochrane. PC Darren Cochrane in front of the Town House in Kintore. For any community police issues contact Darren Cochrane at Grampian Police on 0845 600 5 700 or look out for him in the community.

Kintore United winners of Midnight Football League

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-03-11T12:24:15+00:00

Kintore United were the winners of the Garioch region S4-6 Midnight Football League, organised by Grampian Police in partnership with Garioch Sports Centre and Tesco, Inverurie. Victorious Kintore United with Kintore community officer PC Darren Cochrane, glowing on the left! Kintore United will now compete in the Aberdeenshire Finals on a date and place still to be announced. The competition took place on Friday evenings throughout January and February between 8.30pm and 10pm. It’s purpose was to counter the frequent complaints that "there's nothing to do". Congratulations to Kintore United and to Grampian Police, and particularly our community officer PC Darren Cochrane, for organising things

Kintore station cost

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-03-10T21:03:59+00:00

I was posting the news item from our community council chairman about the re-opening of Kintore station and I must admit I was doing a double-take at the suggested cost. I cannot fathom how a platform, shelter (or even a waiting room) and car park could cost £6.5 million, let alone the frankly ludicrous £17 million figure. Let me say straight away that I believe these were estimates given to the community council and they are just reporting them. But, I cannot see how a simple platform, station building and car park could be inflated to cost that much. Did they get some recently out-of-work bank managers to draw up the figures? Talking of greed. If I can find contractors to build it for less, can pocket the difference between the actual cost and the £17 million figure?

Invite to Kintore station Holyrood meeting

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-03-05T14:30:20+00:00

Dr Nanette Milne, Conservative MSP for the North East has invited interested parties from Kintore to the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh for a meeting with Transport Minister, Stuart Stevenson MSP to discuss the possible reopening of Kintore Station. Dr Milne secured the meeting after writing to Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson MSP. Dr Milne has also invited representatives from Kintore Community Council, all North East Regional MSPs, and First Minister and Gordon MSP, Alex Salmond to attend. “I welcome the agreement of the Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson MSP to meet with me and other local community representatives to try to get the reopening of Kintore station back on track,” says Dr Milne. “The meeting has now been pencilled in for Wednesday 22nd April in the Scottish Parliament and I hope this will allow frank and open discussion on the possible reopening of Kintore Station. • Contact Dr Nanette Milne or Miles Briggs her political adviser by email or phone 0131 348 5884 • As we noted last year, the date given by NESTRANS for the re-opening of Kintore station was 2009.

Time to improve The Square?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-02-27T18:33:34+00:00

Kintore’s 18th century Town House is an imposing centrepiece to the town which was granted its first Royal Charter in the 12th century. It is all the more noteworthy because of its double curved stairway to the council chamber on the first floor. ...A paved concourse would do much to enhance The Square and the Town House I was admiring the town house just this morning when I was in The Square to get my P&J. I was there early enough to beat the conversion of the Town House concourse into a car park. After 9 am there are usually a number of cars that drive round the chain over the drop-kerb that is presumably meant to keep cars out. ...Surely – given improvement projects that have taken place elsewhere in Aberdeenshire – it is about time that this concourse was improved, to show off the Town House and The Square to best advantage. The concourse could be laid out in granite cobbles or paving slabs and, since there is a parking area behind the Town House, it would be sensible to close off the front to cars. Would that we had the courage and the humour to do something like this French cobbled square, The corner is turned up to reveal a tartan-style pattern under the cobbles. Now that would be a feature to put Kintore Square on the map! The Square in Kintore is something special but it is looking a little run down. It would take very little to give it an upgrade to make it a real hub befitting the ancient Royal Burgh of Kintore. ...Work began in 1737 soon after the Earl of Kintore was elected Provost and the cost of the construction was £850 Scots. ... Some say it was presented to the burgh by the Earl Marischal, others say that "Macphersons Clock" (as it was known in the 19th century) came from Banff.

Kintore youth cafe latest

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-02-19T21:58:18+00:00

See the story on the Kintore youth cafe from The Press and Journal.

371 jobs go as paper mill closes

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-02-17T12:35:36+00:00

When US paper giant, International Paper, announced they were having a three-month consultation over the future of Inverurie paper mill, at Port Elphinstone close to Kintore, the outcome seemed inevitable. Inevitable it may have seemed, but it is no less shocking when the announcement of closure in March with 371 job losses came this morning. It is particularly sad to those of us who can remember the mill’s heyday when Captain Copier photocopy paper seemed to be the standard in offices up and down the land. In the shadow of Bennachie, Inverurie Paper Mill (right) will close next month At that time the mill was in local ownership. Viewed from Memphis, the picture probably looked a bit different. "Over the last three months, we have worked hard together with the appropriate representatives to evaluate alternatives for the future of the mill,” said Mary Laschinger, president of International Paper Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia. “Unfortunately, none of the options provided a business plan that was financially viable and that would safeguard jobs. "I am very saddened for our people and the local community that we had to come to this decision but we have acted in order to match our machine capacity to the paper volumes demanded by our customers." "This is a drastic blow to Inverurie and the North East economy,” said Dr Nanette Milne, North East Scotland MSP. "I believe that the site and its strategic position just off the A96 and close to Aberdeen Airport can be developed and is a significant going concern. "I hope that International Paper will meet with Scottish Enterprise and elected representatives at the earliest opportunity to try to find a way to develop future industries on the site."

Reopening Kintore Station Transport Minister to meet

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-02-16T12:40:33+00:00

Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson is to meet Dr Nanette Milne, Conservative MSP for the North East to discuss the possible re-opening of Kintore Station. As we noted last year, the date given by NESTRANS for the re-opening of Kintore station was 2009. “I welcome the agreement of the Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson MSP to meet with me and other local community representatives to try to get the reopening of Kintore station back on track,” Dr Milne said today. “The experience across Scotland has been very positive where a local station has been reopened. The reopening of Kintore station would not only play a vital role in improving improved transport infrastructure in Aberdeenshire but also help to reduce our carbon footprint. “I believe there is a significant business case for Kintore station to reopen which would provide positive economic benefits to Kintore and the surrounding communities. I hope that with cross-party support the SNP Government will give serious consideration to the reopening of Kintore station.”

Kintore Festival Quiz Night

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-02-16T09:44:33+00:00

The Kintore Summer Festival committee will be organising a quiz night on Saturday, 28/03/09 at 7:30pm, to raise funds for this year's festival. The ticket is £15 for a team of four which is available by contacting Mr Donald Anderson on 01467 632972.

New Tae Kwon-Do Club in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-01-30T09:12:36+00:00

A new Tae Kwon-Do Club is starting in Kintore on Monday, February 16 and thereafter every Monday and Wednesday. The Jenny Bruce Tae Kwon-Do Club is run by Jenny Bruce a 3rd Dan Black Belt Instructor Starting Monday 16th February 2009 Kintore church hall Mondays and Wednesdays 7.15-8.15pm All welcome Contact Jenny Bruce on 01467 672495 E-mail: jennybrucetkd@yahoo.co.uk Website: jennybrucetkd.co.uk

"New Year, New You" event at Kintore School

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-01-21T11:41:03+00:00

“New Year, New You” event at Kintore Primary School. Friday Jan 30, 6.15pm – 9.45pm. Tickets £3.00 There will be talks, activity sessions, demonstrations, stalls raffle prizes and visiting therapists.

Kintore hall needs your support

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-01-17T14:14:31+00:00

Kintore Public Hall is run by a group of voluntary committee members from the community. Please come and support your local village hall. The Hall is run by voluntary committee members therefore resulting in the low cost of rent, without a committee this would not be possible. All welcome. KINTORE PUBLIC HALL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Venue: Hall ante-room Date: Tuesday, 24th February 2009 Time: 8pm

Kintore Festival 2009 date announced

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-01-17T13:18:55+00:00

The 2009 Kintore Summer Festival will take place on Saturday, June 13. The Festival will have similar format as last year's as it is being organised by the same group of people, but hopefully the weather will be better! On Friday night, June 12, there will be a quiz night in the Kintore Public Hall. Saturday, 13th, will be the Fayre at The Square, details to follow and in the evening, there will be a dance in the Kintore Public Hall. Sunday, 14th, will be the duck race.

World leader establishes global HQ in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-01-15T10:56:47+00:00

A £40 million business which has grown to become the world’s most comprehensive abandonment and decommissioning contractor is to be established as a separate company with its global base in Kintore. The new company, Proserv Offshore is based on the Midmill Business Park, but is actively looking for an expanded base for its worldwide operations, in Kintore. For the past two years it has operated as a unit within the Proserv Group. “We have created the most comprehensive abandonment and decommissioning contractor in the world. We have a geographical spread from Australia and Malaysia to the Gulf of Mexico, with more than 200 personnel strategically placed to tackle projects around the world,” says David Dent, the Managing Director of Proserv Offshore.

Now we are on Flickr

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-01-10T12:17:54+00:00

The Royal Burgh of Kintore now has a home on Flickr, probably the world’s best known photo sharing website. The intention is that this should become a collection that will showcase all aspects of the town, the local landscapes and people and help put the Royal Burgh of Kintore not just on the map in Britain, but around the world. (Maybe in the future the authorities in Western Australia won’t say the origin of the name of their Kintore is “unknown”!) Take a look at the Kintore group on Flickr and bookmark it for future. www.flickr.com/groups/kintore Please also join the group and upload your own pictures so we can make this a really interesting and constantly updated record of our town.

Unnecessary verbal at post office

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2009-01-10T11:46:39+00:00

In Kintore post office this morning when a young lad comes in and asks for cigarettes. Quite rightly, the counter staff member asks if he has ID. (To verify that he is the legal minimum age of 18 to be allowed to buy cigarettes.) At this the young lad starts using the “f” word at the counter staff member and stomps out of the shop. Now I think the lad was 18 or older. But from this totally unnecessary display of verbal abuse, he certainly did not have the maturity to match his years.

White Christmas unlikely for Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-12-24T10:58:30+00:00

It seems unlikely that we will be enjoying a white Christmas this year. The Met Office forecast for Christmas Day is for sunshine after early morning fog and temperatures up to 6C. So, perhaps more of a day for going out for an after-dinner walk to aid the digestion! Whatever the weather, we wish you a happy, peaceful and enjoyable Christmas, whether you are in Kintore or just dropping into the website.

Company expands horizons in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-12-15T12:58:44+00:00

PDC Systems, a leading provider of hazardous area electrical instrumentation to the international petrochemical industry, has moved to a new base in Kintore, where it is exporting 60% of its production. Current markets are the USA, Middle East and Far East, but the company plans to open up markets in China and Australia in the coming months. Richard and Pat Cowling in front of their new Kintore factory “Over the past two years, the business has grown about 30% and we are very positive about the future,” says Richard Cowling, director and joint owner of PDC Systems, “especially now that we have purpose-built facilities and an expanded team in place.” The new half-acre base on the Craigearn Business Park at Kintore has been built with environmental advice from SCARF and Scottish Government agencies. It represents an investment of £600,000 by the family business. The move has resulted in six new jobs immediately and the business expects to create five more jobs by the middle of 2009. PDC Systems, established in 1993 by Richard and Pat Cowling, specialises in hazardous area control systems for the petrochemical industry, for use both on and offshore.

More details on proposed Forest Road Retail

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-12-07T12:17:58+00:00

More details have been published for the proposed retail development on Forest Road. The application is for three food and non-food retail units with a gross floorspace of 640 sq along with 28 car parking spaces. Details of the application, including site plan and elevations can be seen on the Aberdeenshire Council website. Any representations about the plan must be submitted to Aberdeenshire Council by December 16. You can comment online using the “submit comment” button.

Retail development for Forest Road?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-12-03T14:32:05+00:00

A planning application has been submitted for a retail development on Forest Road in KIntore. As yet the Aberdeenshire Council website has very little detail on the proposal, which has been submitted by Esson Properties. The map appears to highlight the site beside Townhead. The deadline for any representations about the plans is December 16. Although the website has no detail, Aberdeenshire Council’s planning department should be able to supply further information for anyone who wants to know more about this proposal. • The local planning office is at Gordon House, Blackhall Road, Inverurie, AB51 3WA (tel: 01467-620981)

Kintore Christmas lights switch on

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-12-03T14:26:47+00:00

The Kintore Christmas tree in front of the Town House and the Christmas street lights are due to be switched on this Saturday, December 6 at 4.30pm.

Action Kintore makes progress

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-11-30T21:56:18+00:00

At just over seven months on from the packed public meeting on March 9th our small but dedicated team of local people is working hard to make the community wish-list more of a reality. Aberdeenshire Council’s Community Learning team ran an excellent ‘Day for Youth’ which provided taster sessions for a range of activities and provided the launch pad for the Kintore Youth Forum. The Youth Forum is firmly behind the proposal to set up a local Youth Café as soon as possible and has already planned a series of fundraising events and activities to support the project. Action Kintore and the Community Council lobbied Aberdeenshire Council hard for the former Library site to become the site for a community youth facility and to the Council’s credit, they have recently agreed to support that. It is now all systems go to identify suitable premises and seek Planning Permission to have them located there. Through the Community Council, Action Kintore has already successfully applied for £1000 to help start up community projects and is investigating other funding sources. The local Rotary Club is making a donation and Garioch Community Planning Group has also agreed to provide financial support. However, in-kind support is just as important as hard cash, if not more so. Thanks to the meeting in March, we are not short of ideas but without more helpers from the local community, it will not be possible to deliver the activities that were identified as wanted in Kintore. Some helpers have already signed up to run youth events, such as the ‘UTalk’ drop-in sessions whilst others have applied to become volunteer mini-bus drivers. Once they pass the test they will be able to provide transport for groups of young people to attend events outwith Kintore. Much more is planned but the biggest need now is person power. We are not talking here of Committee membership, but simply a willingness to invest some of your time to support your community, so please do get in touch. Volunteers with funding expertise will be especially welcome.

The internet has come a long way

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-11-24T20:16:27+00:00

You are on the internet now. Did it take you a lot of setting up to get online? No. Didn’t think it would. But things were a little different not so many years ago. I was reminded of that when doing some clearing up in the house today. Clearing rubbish out of an old drawer I came across the instructions for setting up the computer to dial the internet provider using a modem and telephone line. The instructions ran to ten pages! How things have changed.

Kintore Town House parking

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-11-13T14:27:31+00:00

Passing Kintore Town House earlier this week I spotted a group huddled round a tripod, capturing the mood of the historic building in the morning light. Pity that their image will be dominated by a clutter of cars parked hap-hazardly in front of the iconic building. The Town House is undoubtedly the most iconic building in the centre of Kintore. So, we really ought to make sure it is shown to best advantage. It’s not as though parking in the centre of Kintore is at a huge premium, so why do they have to park there? There are actually two bollards and a chain (visible in the picture above) to stop cars. But the parking bandits just drive over the kerbs on either side of the bollards! It’s a shame, but maybe the only way to prevent cars parking in front of the Town House is to put in bollards (hopefully attractive ones) to allow us to present the best of Kintore uncluttered by parking.

Inverurie Paper Mill under threat

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-10-21T14:49:32+01:00

The Inverurie Paper Mill is facing possible closure after the announcement of a three-month consultation by owners International Paper of Memphis, Tennessee. The company say the business is unprofitable and not financially viable In the days when the paper mill was locally owned and operated by the Tait family, there was some security in knowing that the business was firmly anchored in the area. Captain Copier, the mill’s main product, seemed to be in every office in the land. But, with the new ownership by a global paper giant, there has been growing concern in recent years. Viewed from afar by a multi-national company, it must be difficult to justify keeping the mill open when labour costs are higher than in countries like India and the Far East. In European terms, there are the additional transport costs involved with having a mill located relatively far from the main markets. Closure would jeopardise 400 jobs, which – although unemployment in Aberdeenshire is thankfully very low – would still be a body blow to local communities. International Paper could easily have turned round and announced immediate or imminent closure. We should be thankful that they have embarked on a three-month consultation on the mill’s future. It would be wonderful to think that the mill might be taken back into Scottish ownership, with sufficient investment to set up paper recycling and renewable energy generation to help cut raw material and operating costs. But, who would take on such a task?

Brigg Kintore's champion dog

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-08-22T15:06:58+01:00

Kintore man Roddy McBain has been having considerable success this year in field trials with his black labrador Brigg. ... When Brig, or Levenghyl Isle of Mull to give him his official title, was 12 months Roddy considered selling him because he found him so hard to train. ...2006 OPEN TEST NORTH OF SCOTLAND 2ND ...2007 SELECTED FOR SCOTTISH TEAM FOR CLA GAME FAIR (CANCELLED) 2007 OPEN TEST NORTH OF SCOTLAND 2ND ...2007 TWO DAY OPEN TRIAL NORTH OF SCOTLAND COM 2007 TWO DAY OPEN TRIAL SCOTTISH GUNDOG ASSOCIATION 1ST (Qualifying For the 2007 championships) ...2008 OPEN TEST NORTH OF SCOTLAND 1ST ...2008 SELECTED FOR SCOTTISH TEAM FOR CLA GAME FAIR 1ST ...On top of 23 field trial and test awards, last year Brigg won a two-day qualifying stake that took him travel Windsor Estate to compete in the British championships. Roddy and Brigg also travelled to Blenheim Palace to compete in the CLA game fair, the biggest in Europe with the Scottish team taking first prize Roddy has the support of locals who allow Brigg to train on suitable land, Don Valley Turf and Seeds land of the Allan family, Tom Forests Quarry and at Savik. ...Roddy uses his experience to undertake private training lessons for people with labradors and he will take in the occasional dog for training depending on time available. • For the dog experts the Briggs details are: D.O.B 05 03 04 Hip Score 3 : 7 Eyes Clear 10 05 05 Sire: FTCH Hamford Zealot of Highseas Dam: FTCH Glenpatrick Eve

As 2009 looms, where is Kintore station?

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-07-25T20:58:59+01:00

North-east Conservative MSP Nanette Milne has written to the First Minister (and local consituency MSP) Alex Salmond to ask him to re-affirm his commitment to a new rail station for Kintore. The date given by Nestrans in 2006 (see news item) for the new station to open was next year (2009). “Recent remarks made by SNP Transport Minister, Stuart Stevenson MSP, that he had received no representations regarding the issue as part of the Aberdeen Crossrail project are deeply worrying," Nanette Milne comments. “Local people in Kintore and across Aberdeenshire want clarity on Crossrail and want to see the proposed reopening of Kintore Station taken forward." With no sign of construction starting, it seems as though the 2009 date for the new Kintore station is yet another empty promise.

30-house plan for Gauch-hill

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-07-10T15:16:21+01:00

A planning application has been submitted for 30 houses on woodland and rough pasture at Gauch-hill, Kintore. The application is in the name of the Badentoy Trust, based at Midmill, Kintore. The houses would be built around the outside of the existing Gauchhill cul-de-sac off Gauchhill Road adjoining the existing birch and pine forest. Access would be from a new road near the existing mini-roundabout at Gauch-hill.

Action Kintore sets sights on youth cafe

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-06-30T21:54:49+01:00

At the Kintore Community Council meeting on Wednesday, June 13, council members agreed to support the concept of a Youth Cafe, in addition to a carpark (which was their original preferred option) on the site previously occupied by the Library. Somewhere to 'hang out' with friends was one of the main requests in a survey of Kintore youngsters conducted by the community council and it also cropped up as one of the main themes at the following Action Kintore public meeting. The Action Kintore sub-group had previously heard about options ranging from "youth shelters" (which were described as being similar to bus shelters) through to portable buildings. The portable building option was seen as best with the former library site being the possible location. "The only caveat was that, whilst supporting the Youth Cafe and Car park option, they feel there should be a survey of the site carried out, to fully ascertain if there could be better use made of it, for the benefit of Kintore," explains Kenny Thomson, of the Action Kintore sub group. This view will be now conveyed to Aberdeenshire Council's area manager. "This support of the Youth Cafe by the Community Council is a major step forward, in terms of trying to assist our young people to acquire youth facilities," Kenny continues. "It is hoped that Kintore Youth Forum will receive positive direction from Aberdeenshire Council and decide to proceed with a Temporary Planning Application." The suggestion was that the café could be located in a portable building and, immediately following the meeting there was word that a possible suitable building had been found, along with the transport to put it on site. However, there are a considerable number of hurdles still to be overcome relating to planning approval, drainage and power connections and staffing. "All in all, things are getting exciting," Kenny concluded.

Request for No 10 bus to stop in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-06-24T16:42:51+01:00

A request has been made for the No 10 Stagecoach Bluebird bus service to stop at Kintore. Stagecoach say they consider it not commercially viable at present. But, some Kintore residents have urged the company to introduce a Kintore stop, saying it would be particularly useful for people who work at ARI. Would you be interested in using such a service? If so, please get in touch, at KenCrosbie@aol.com

Public meeting about future development in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-06-19T16:40:45+01:00

As you are aware Kintore has expanded at an astonishing rate. The recent Capacity Study shows another potentially massive increase in housing development in Kintore over the next few years resulting in • further loss of green recreational space. • a reduction in children’s, youth and community facilities ... • grossly inadequate school • further decline in the amenity and benefits we currently enjoy in Kintore. FUTURE PLANS WILL AFFECT US ALL. The Council, through a Structure Plan consultation, needs to know your views now! Kintore Community Council has organised a ...Kintore School Gym Tuesday 1st July 7.30pm COME ALONG - JOIN THE DEBATE. MAKE YOUR VIEWS KNOWN! Contacts on 632668 and 632662

Kemnay and Kintore adult learning

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-06-18T16:39:43+01:00

Enrolment: Kemnay Academy on Monday, 25 August 2008, 7.00 – 9.00 pm For more information, please contact Community Learning Office on 01467 641444 or e-mail kemnay.cec@aberdeenshire.gov.uk ...Yoga 9.45 - 11.15 am Village Hall ...*Computing for the Petrified 9.30 - 11.30 am Village Hall *ECDL Level 1 Plus 12.30 - 2.30 pm Village Hall ...Stained Glass 7.30 - 9.30 pm Kemnay Academy Spanish 7.00 - 9.00 pm Kemnay Academy ...Yoga 6.15 – 7.45 pm Kemnay Primary Yoga 7.45 – 9.15 pm Kemnay Primary ...- Introduction to Psychology 7.00 - 9.30 pm Kemnay Academy ...For more information, please contact Community Learning Office on 01467 634388 or e-mail Isabel.stirling@aberdeenshire.gov.uk ...*Computers for the Quietly Confident 9.30 - 11.30 am Kintore Primary *Introduction to ECDL 1.00 - 3.00 pm Kintore Primary ...Badminton 7.30 – 9.45 pm Kintore Primary

Wildcat near Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-05-19T12:48:25+01:00

This is a wildcat snapped near Balbithan Woods, just a mile from Kintore. It does not appear to be a 100% pure wildcat according to the experts. For exampble it is a little too white around the muzzle and chest, but it has the classic wildcat tail and wider jaw. It is believed that only 400 or so pure Scottish wildcats remain. It is precisely because of this cross breeding that the Scottish Wildcat is described as a "critically endangered species". The most distinctive Scottish wildcat feature is the tail which is blunt (rather than the usual domestic tapered tail) and heavily striped, with a black tip. It also has the wildcat's wider jaw and the colourings are very similar to Felis Sylvestris, the Scottish wildcat.

What courses would you like to see in Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-05-09T16:38:18+01:00

Community Development Group work together with the local community to identify, promote and develop lifelong opportunities that are relevant and accessible. The group needs your help in planning our programme for 2008/09 of classes to be run in Kemnay and Kintore. They would like to know if any the courses listed below spark your interest. If not, are there other subjects which we might be able to provide? Either way, they would like to hear from you and you can contact them by telephone on 01467 634388 or email r.robertson@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or Isabel.stirling@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Community Learning Classes Adult Badminton at Kemnay Adult Badminton Kintore ...Gentle Exercise for over 50s Salsa Rhythm Outdoor Walking Groups for over 50s ...Self-help Craft Self-help Sewing ...Computing for the Terrified 1 & 2 Computing for the Quietly Confident 1

Action Kintore meeting

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-04-01T21:53:02+01:00

At the January Meeting of Kintore Community Council, a decision was made to set up a Sub Group to arrange a Public Meeting, to address the linked challenges of a lack of recreational facilities for young people, and address the escalating anti-social behaviour within the town. ...Publicity for the event included the compilation and distribution of over 1000 flyers to every house in Kintore, the display of posters in prominent positions in the town centre, media publicity which included an interview by Ken White on Northsound Radio and interaction with young people on the streets, in an attempt to have a good turnout of young people at the Meeting. ...Invitations to the Public Meeting were extended to Ian Fowell, Garioch Area Manager, to Bruce Robertson, Head of Aberdeenshire Education and Recreation Department and to Police Inspector David Allan, Inverurie, who all volunteered to attend and form a panel of advisors. ...Two members of staff from Aberdeenshire Council’s Community Learning Team, Annette Johnston and Liz Mackay, were also present and they were joined by a third member of staff, Naida Sneddon, at the Public Meeting. ...On arrival at the School Gymnasium, members of the public were asked to give written comments, as to what they thought was good and bad about Kintore, and what the perceived problems were. ...This was followed by inputs from Inspector Allan, Ian Fowell and Bruce Robertson and the meeting was then opened up for discussion with input from the public, youth leaders, and some of the young people present. ...As the meeting was drawing to a close, Annette Johnston encapsulated Bruce Robertson’s view, which was that the Council needed to know what the young people of Kintore wanted, before any headway could be made in providing same. Annette’s input gave the Meeting some forward direction and a positive way to finish, as a commitment was made by her and her Community Learning Team to meet with youngsters, to discuss a way forward. ...positive note, those who did leave were met by a member of Action Kintore at the front door of the School and some positive and interesting dialogue took place, and views expressed which would otherwise not have been heard. ...However, Action Kintore is of the view that it was not all about young people, as older generations needed to know that something was being done, to address the challenges of lack of youth facilities and antisocial behaviour, by people who are fit and capable of doing so and now that older people have been updated, the focus can be on resolving some of the issues. ...Colin Cribbes followed up his offer, by arranging Meetings with a group of young people and their parents, at the Scout Hall, to discuss a disco. ...The remainder were all subsequently contacted by Kenny Thomson and many e-mail addresses were collated, with a view to easy future contact, as and when support is required at events within Kintore. ...He has asked to attend Action Kintore meetings, to assess progress of the various measures being applied to address the challenges being faced in Kintore and will submit a dissertation to Aberdeen University in September. ...The Public Meeting has served as a ‘wake-up’ call to the population of Kintore and as a reminder that it is no longer a quiet village but a small town, with all the challenges that presents.

Things I like/dislike about Kintore

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-03-15T21:51:16+00:00

Note also that some people posted conditional comments in this area eg. it used to be small, it had a village atmosphere, and I have put these at the end of the list. ...• My neighbours are nice (several post-its with this comment) ...• I grew up in a village and would like my own family to experience a similar environment ...• It is rural and peaceful, and there are kids to play with • My friends live here (several identical post-its with this on, from younger people probably) ...• Because you can get into the country quickly and there’s lots of parks • Because of the village atmosphere and community, although people need to get involved in their community ...• When I moved here it had a village atmosphere – this is changing ...These comments were given on approx. 65-70 post-its – as some comments were made pretty much word for word by several people, fewer than that are listed ...• New houses with no commitment from builders to put back into the community ...Didn’t manage such an extensive survey on the night as these comments were given on approx. 80 post-its. I think this picks up all the main themes, and again, several comments were given more than once. ...• Tennis courts (comment made that these were also used as a general rec. space as well) ...• Make more use of community school – eg Astroturf easier to book and available more often

Good turnout for public meeting

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-03-13T21:47:19+00:00

Although a Public Meeting is not usually top of the list of Friday night entertainments, a meeting called by Action Kintore, on behalf of the Community Council, attracted nearly 200 Kintore residents to the hall in the Community School last week (March 9th). Young residents made up almost a quarter of the audience, and they were eager to share their views on the facilities and recreational activities they would like to have in the town. Guest speakers at the meeting included Grampian Police Inspector Dave Allan and Kintore Community Police Office, Nicola Stewart. They were joined by Bruce Robertson, Director of Education and Recreation for Aberdeenshire Council, Ian Fowell, the Council’s Garioch Area Manager and members of the local Community Learning team. One immediate outcome of the meeting is a fact-finding session, organised by Community by Learning, for younger residents at the Scout Hut on Sunday 18 March at 7pm. This is a workshop to generate ideas for new recreational facilities, where they would best be sited and how to carry the ideas forward. All interested Kintore young people aged 12 years and over are invited to attend. At the start of the meeting everyone who attended was invited to record their views on Kintore, both good and bad, and to suggest improvements. The comments were collected at the meeting and will be made available on the local website at: www.kintore.org.uk More than 50 members of the audience signed up to assist in the process of supporting young people in Kintore. Volunteers are still equired however, particularly those with a background in Health and Safety, Risk Assessments and skills in the preparation of Business Plans. ...Speaking after the meeting, Community Council chairman Iain Blair thanked everyone for taking the time to attend. The meeting represented a ‘wake up’ call to Kintore residents, to address the needs and challenges of a community which has grown from village to small town size within the space of a few short years. The organisers are under no illusions as to the challenges ahead, but feel that a good and positive start has been made in getting everyone together to address the related issues of lack of recreational facilities and outbreaks of antisocial behaviour.

New Kintore Community Learning classes

editor@kintore.org.uk — 2008-02-12T16:36:48+00:00

Kintore Community Learning have a New Stained Glass class on Tuesday mornings starting on the February 26. Class times are 9.30am - 11.30am. This class will run for four weeks at a cost of £24.40 or £13.60 concession, materials available to purchase from class Tutor Janet Newberry. Beginners welcome. There's also a Gentle Exercise to Salsa Rhythm class for the over 50's, also on a Tuesday Morning at 10.00am - 11.00 am this is held in Kintore Church Hall, cost for this class is £3.00. Tutor is Nhora Morrison. They also have Self Help Craft class on a Thursday Morning, or a Self Help Sewing class on a Friday Morning. session fee of £1.50 or £1.00 concession. For further information please contact Liz Mackay, Kintore Community Learning on 01467 634388.