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Daily NE SCOTLAND news headlines on kintore.org.uk

 

KINTORE LANDSCAPE PROJECT SEEKS VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are required for fieldwork for the Kintore Landscape Project during the first two weeks of October (October 4 - 15). The work follows on from the archaeological excavations in Kintore that have literally unearthed the lagest concentration of Neolithic round houses in Aberdeenshire and the largest number of Roman bread ovens in the UK!

"The work will involve field walking for ancient artifacts and local volunteers are more than welcome," says Murray Cook of AOC Archaeology.

For more information, contact Murray at murrayc@aocscot.co.uk or call him on 0131 440 3593

 CEREMONY MARKS START FOR NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION

The cutting of the first turf on August 4 marked the start of construction for the new 420-pupil Kintore Primary School.

The new school is due for completion in December 2005, with pupils continuing to use the existing 1907 building and its 1950s extension while construction continues.

DUNDAS BROTHERS GOES INTO LIQUIDATION

Less that a week after being served with prohibition and revocation orders, Dundas Brothers Ltd has gone into liquidation. It is believed that about 50 jobs are on the line. 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.

SEPA SERVES NOTICE ON DUNDAS BROTHERS

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.

The revocation notice follows a prohibition notice served the previous day. 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. Our duty is to protect and improve the environment and we are prepared to work with operators to achieve positive changes. However, Dundas Brothers Ltd has left us with no choice but to take this action."

The company has a history of criminal prosecutions for its poor environmental performance, most recently being fined £20,000 in 2002. SEPA has initiated a number of enforcement actions over the past months including the serving of three enforcement notices. SEPA is also reporting a number of  breaches of the company's authorisation to the procurator fiscal.

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.

BROADBAND LIVE ON AUGUST 18!

BT has allayed fears of a long wait for broadband, with the announcement that broadband in Kintore will be "in service" by August 18.


TARGET SMASHED, BUT A YEAR TO WAIT?

Nanette Milne MSP and Gordon Candidate, Philip Atkinson report that BT are to upgrade all exchanges with a trigger level to broadband "by summer 2005". They are calling on the Scottish Executive to come up with ‘hard cash’ to accelerate the process.

“It makes more sense to carry out these upgrades on an area by area basis than random exchange by exchange," says Nanette Milne. "It is particularly important for local businesses that they have access to broadband to allow them to compete effectively.

“It must be universally available and that means the Scottish Executive must come up with hard cash to deliver it in rural areas," Philip Atkinson adds. "That is what is happening in Wales and Northern Ireland and there is no reason why it should not happen here.”

POLICE STATION FOR POST OFFICES?

Nanette Milne, MSP for North-east Scotland and Philip Atkinson, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Gordon, are proposing a return of police offices to communities like Kintore. They are urging the Chief Constable of Grampian Police to investigate the possibility of importing a pioneering scheme by Fife Constabulary that has seen some rural post offices also become satellite police stations.

RADCLIFFE AND BRUCE URGE FINAL PUSH FOR BROADBAND

Gordon’s MP and MSP, Malcolm Bruce and Nora Radcliffe, are urging Kintore residents to register their interest in Broadband. The current number of registrations is sitting at 307 and the local exchange requires 350 to meet its ‘trigger level’ set for upgrading to ADSL capability.

“A further 200 people have registered their interest in Broadband for Kintore since last November and the local exchange is now on the brink of meeting its trigger level with only 43 further registrations required,” Mrs Radcliffe points out.

“The installation of a Broadband exchange would be a massive boost for the future of Kintore. Broadband would be a major asset in attracting new business to the town and would reduce costs and open up opportunities for existing firms.”

“Successful campaigns in Huntly, Turriff, Ellon and Inverurie, to name four, have alleviated fears that our area would become a ‘broadband black hole’ however there is no room for complacency," Malcolm Bruce added "Kintore is one of a number of exchanges in the North East where broadband capability is vital for local businesses and is demanded by domestic users.

“It is businesses in remote and rural areas, fighting to stay competitive, for whom broadband is most essential - and often least accessible. I intend to continue pressing both BT and the Government for enablement of these exchanges as quickly as possible and to ensure a number of broadband options are available to communities across the North East.”

Kintore Broadband Campaign More about broadband

 SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE REPLY REGARDING DUNDAS BROTHERS

Our MSP Nora Radcliffe has forwarded a reply she has received from Environment Minister Allan Wilson regarding the odour problems from Dundas Brothers rendering plant outside Kintore.

In his letter Mr Wilson says that SEPA have been carrying out daily enforcement inspections of the plant. On Nov 20 last year he confirms a prohibition order was served on the company requiring them to cease operations in part of the plant. Operations restarted on December 1, once repairs had been carried out.

A report on this is being prepared by SEPA and will be presented to the Procurator Fiscal. Mr Wilson confirms there are a number of other matters about the plant's operation that may also be reported to the fiscal for possible prosecution.

More recently an enforcement notice has been served because two of the three boilers have not been combusting properly. This required Dundas Brothers to take remedial action by January 19. However, those who experienced the odour problem over the weekend of January 24/25 will know this has not alleviated the problem. Mr Wilson has also confirmed the air lock doors required by mid June this year and the restrictions on external storage.

  • If you experience the noxious odours from Dundas Brothers, remember to phone SEPA immediately on 0800 807060. Without a complaint they cannot act.

 New housing applications for School Road and Northern Road

Stewart Milne Homes has submitted an application for 109 homes on Northern Road, Kintore (see message on Kintore Message Board). Meanwhile Tor Ecosse has submitted an application for eight homes on the site of the former Ashfield Filling Station on School Road.

  New Kintore primary school proposal goes to councilors

Plans for the new 420-pupil £5.7 million primary school on Castle Road in Kintore are to be considered by the Garioch Committee of Aberdeenshire Council at their meeting on January 13.

Action over smell problems

As a result of more than 150 complaints, Nora Radcliffe MSP informs us that SEPA (Scottish environmental Protection Agency) has been carrying out daily enforcement inspections at the Dundas Brothers plant outside Kintore. She reports that on November 20, SEPA served a prohibition notice on the plant requiring them to cease processing until roof repairs were completed.

According to Ms Radcliffe, two of the three boilers at the plant are not combusting effectively and SEPA were in the process of serving an enforcement order to have this addressed as a matter of urgency.

Other measures which SEPA will require to be in place by mid June 2004 are:

  • Improved incineration of process gases.
  • Installation of an air lock covering the reception bays.
  • No external storage of raw material (restricted to eight hours by March 2004 and will not be permitted after June 2004).

SEPA is also reviewing the operation of the biofilter at the plant to improve monitoring and recording. The environmental watchdog is also investigating reports that blood from the plant has been spread on fields in the area.

  • To report an odour problem from Dundas Brothers, call SEPA on 0800 807060. Call immediately so the cause can be investigated promptly.

NEWS ARCHIVE FOR 2003

 

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