Future of Kirkton of Durris Site

 

Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) is moving ahead with its plan to relocate staff from their Kirkton of Durris Site. They have filed a planning application for the expansion of their office facilities at Huntly with the objective of accommodating staff from the Kirkton Site. Despite overwhelming community objection to the development of the Kirkton Site for non-forestry activities, FCS continues to pursue this objective. Recently they hired Paul Williamson, a planning consultant experienced in green site development planning applications, to "scope the opportunities for the Krikton of Durris site." It will be interesting to see if he has better luck discussing his plans with the Council's Planning Officials, who have continued to ignore FDF's requests to discuss our plan for the site, despite personal assurances from the Council's Area Manager that the FDF plan is just the sort of project that the Council is interested in promoting.

As required by the terms of the FDF/FCS joint management agreement a meeting has been scheduled for the 6th March to allow FDF to discuss FCS plans with Paul Williamson, John Thomson (FCS District Manager), and John Gell (FCS Area Land Agent).  FDF will present its plan for an environmental centre at this meeting. Overwhelming community support was given for this plan at the Public Meeting held at the Kirkton of Durris Hall last November. It is hoped that FCS will accept that this is the most environmentally sound future for Kirkton of Durris and join us in this project. Should this plan be rejected by FCS in favour of development of the site for executive housing, FDF, with community support, is prepared to pursue the opportunities presented by current legislation to purchase the Site and the whole of Kirkton Wood for the benefit of the local community. A request has been made to the Crathes, Drumoak and Durris Community Council to support the FDF plan and possible purchase of Kirkton of Durris.

 

 

Old Bridge of Sheeoch

 

At the FDF AGM we announced our support for a North-East Scotland Preservation Trust led initiative for the restoration of the Old Bridge of Sheeoch. As part of this AOC Archaeology Group was commissioned to undertake an  archaeological evaluation of the bridge and its surroundings.  This was done in mid-December and a comprehensive report was issued in mid-February. The work entailed a laser scan survey of the bridge, a landscape survey, and an archaeological dig at the Kirkton entry to the bridge. The laser survey has provided an excellent documentation of the structure of the bridge and identified three distinct phases of construction. The landscape survey showed a track leading along the burn in the direction of the River Dee and a possible track leading upstream, both on the Kirkton side of the burn. The dig consisted of a   2 m. by 1.5 m trench.  The trench revealed three distinct road surfaces.  While no artefacts were found which would have enabled a possible dating of the various road surfaces, research of map archives showed that there was a bridge at the site in 1774. From this it could be concluded that the earliest bridge, a relatively narrow structure, was there prior to this date. It is possible that this early bridge was considerably damaged in the major floods that occurred in 1829 and that the bridge was widened and resurfaced at this point in time. The map survey also identified two tracks leading from the bridge on the Kirkton side, one heading down to what is now the South Deeside Road and the other heading up the hill in the direction of Stonehaven. From the direction taken by this second track, it might be assumed that it connected to the Elsick Mounth which was a very early track connecting Durris with the Mearns.

 

 

Tree planting day at Pitcowdens

 

On Sunday 3^rd December thirty adults and children gathered at Pitcowdens to plant 185 native broad leaved trees.  The project was organised in partnership with Friends of Durris Forest (FDF), Forestry Commission Scotland (FSC) and Durris Primary School.  See website friendsofdurrisforests.co.uk for a group photo!

 

Friends Board 2006

 

If you have any suggestions, or would like to contribute to one of the working groups, please contact any committee member.  

Mark Ansell (811371)         Margaret Brown(810030)

Julia Mackay(811576)

John Coyne (844787)         Helen White (811435)

James White (811756)

David Felstead (811884) (Membership Officer)

Dan Cadle (844800) (FCS Community Ranger)