It may take decades before the conditions are met for a Travellers’ site to be legally required in a new North-east town.
The claim was made by Aberdeenshire Council’s gypsy-travellers sub-committee chairman Allan Hendry.
Councillor Hendry was talking about the £2 billion Chapelton of Elsick development, which has approval for 4,045 homes. But he made the point that under the terms of a section 75 agreement signed with the Elsick Development Company (EDC), a Travellers’ site will not be required until the 1,745th home is occupied.
This comes after a new report revealed Aberdeenshire had more illicit Traveller camps than anywhere else in Scotland last year.
The section 75 agreement also states that by paying £100,000 the EDC can do away with its obligation to build a Travellers’ site within the town, allowing the council to build one elsewhere.
But Cllr Mr Hendry said it may take “decades” for the 1,745th home to be built at Chapelton of Elsick. And he said the £100,000 payment was a “back door”, adding: “£100,000 is nothing now. I and the rest of the committee were unhappy with the terms of the section 75.”
He is seeking a special meeting of the council on the issue.
Director of the EDC the Duke of Fife said: “We believe we can find a site outwith the development or we will make the cash contribution.”