DRUMOAK & DURRIS NEWSLETTER
.
I was
talking to a “newcomer to the district”
recently, and he mentioned how surprised he was that
such a small community is able to produce a
comprehensive newsletter that is so helpful for
newcomers getting to know the area and what is
going on. So I thought it might be useful to mention its
origins and highlight some of the issues.
Drumoak and Durris Newsletter
Shortly after Rev. Jim Scott came to the DrumoakDurris Church, he thought that a Church Newsletter
would be of benefit to the parish. Later, building on
the experience of the Church Newsletter, a quarterly
community newsletter covering a wider range of
features was introduced to complement the church
newsletter. This was made possible by the
sponsorship of two anonymous donors who have
supported the printing costs over the years, and
latterly the Community Council have also provided a
grant. The Friends of Durris Forest also have a
Newsletter which is frequently included
To keep production costs down, the compilation of the
newsletter is done by volunteers, as is the delivery to
every household in the parish, and the many and
varied articles published are also provided by
volunteers – all of whom have the undying thanks and
admiration of the editor. Thus it is that the newsletters
(Church, Community and Friends of Durris Forest)
arrive on your doorstep free of charge as part of the
Church’s service to the community.
These community efforts need to be sustained
especially as the circulation has grown from 500 to
1050 is now taxing the distribution network. So, Dear
Reader, if you could spare one hour of your valuable
time four times a year to help with the distribution of
the Newsletters please contact Nancy Jackson Tel
01330 811 264 and become a Delivery Volunteer.
You will be helping to foster the community spirit, and
letting Nancy and Jim Scott know in a very positive
way that you appreciate the work they do in bringing
the Newsletter to your door.
We are always on the lookout for new contributors, so
if you have a piece of news or an opinion you would
like to share with please contact the editor Tel 01330
811 763. This is especially important as the next
edition will be the 50th issue and we will be planning
some changes to the format. Our printers, Rainbow
Press, who have given us such sterling service right
from the first edition, are retiring, and we wish them
best wishes for the future.
Editor
December 2006
A Winter Forecast
As we get nearer to Christmas so thoughts turn to the
possibility of another White Christmas, and the
Country Loon has a few observations on the subject.
Most
of the swallows left on their migration journey
south on the 11th of September, the day the autumn
high tides started to subside. The morning before they
left, well over 250 were perched on the overhead
cables beside the pond with many more flying over
the water. It has been a good breading season for
them. A second flock of approximately 70 left on the
22nd of September, two weeks later yet another flock
of 22 arrived at the pond, stayed around for a week,
then left on the 15th of October. A brood from one of
the sheds fledged during the last week of September,
they were the third brood of the season from the same
nest.
It was reported at the beginning of the year that
Scotland could have a population of crossbill finches
that are endemic to Scotland. ‘Gweed news for sic a
sma countra as Scotland’. The report has now been
justified after a lengthy scientific study by the R.S.P.B.
‘It’s afa fine tae ken wi hae a species that is unique
thit belangs tae Scotland and naewye else’, Crossbills
have a most emphatic chip – chip - chip call which
they say has a distinct Scottish accent, I find them to
have other Scottish characteristics, they feed and
drink in family groups, when nest building they always
have a good foundation and they ‘hae a richt leal dour
look’. There is a good strong population on Deeside
including the Drum woods, the bulk of their feed being
the seeds from cones of the pine and other conifers.
The remains of the cone seeds scattered on the
ground are the best giveaway to locate a family group.
As over eighty countries have a bird as their national
symbol. M.S.P are to seek views on whether Scotland
should have a national bird and whether it should be
the golden eagle. ‘Wi aa the Scottish sett thit I hae jist
mintioned, foo nae hae oor verra ain crossbill as the
symbol’.
It is now mid November and there are still some
species of deciduous trees and shrubs to take on their
autumn colours, others have already shed there
leaves giving the countryside an autumn look for
much longer than normal, with signs of more mild
weather to come, autumn colours could still be with us
for some time. The lack of a real sharp drop in night
time temperatures over a continuous two to three
nights, being the main cause, some varieties require
lower temperatures over a longer period to shock the
plant into closing down the production of chlorophyll,
which gives the green colouring matter, leaving only
the carotene in the leaves, which gives the autumn
colours.
Drumoak & Durris Newsletter
Issue 49
Many of the rowan berries have already fallen from
the trees caused by the effects of the dry summer.
With signs of still more mild weather to come, it could
still be sometime until the Scandinavian thrushes
arrive. ‘A lang autumn, a langer winter’. With there
being heavier crops than normal on evergreen trees
and shrubs that keep their berries for most of the
winter, there will be an ample supply for the birds
when they do arrive. The rowan berries on the ground
will be much appreciated by the insects and grubs to
help them survive the winter ahead. ‘November mild,
February wild’.
The second half of the winter months will be
influenced very much by what older generations knew
as the southern under water current. In the past few
years, it became better known by its Latin name El
Nino. Fishermen always knew that the current occurs
every year around the New Year period depending on
the phase of the moon, most years it lasts a few
weeks some years a few months. Fishermen also
knew there were years when the southern current
could pull a cold arctic air over the Atlantic waters,
and history indicates that there have been times it has
lasted years. El Nino is the current that has the
greatest influence on global changes in the weather
patterns. Only in the past twenty years scientists have
found that under water currents determine the air
streams, (thanks to satellites). Migrating birds and
insects must have known for thousands of years. It is
their knowledge of air streams that means success or
failure to their flights.
Certain plants are indicating a late start to spring
especially the alder tree. ‘Fan the migrating thrushes
arrive late, they ey bring winter alang wi them’.
It would be pleasing if they would arrive just before full
moon on December the 20th.
Living in the Durris Drumoak area we are fortunate to
see more unusual bonnie sunsets than surrounding
areas. One such sunset occurred on Sunday 6th
November. When westerly winds hit the west side of
the Grampians it causes an air stream to lift high
above the hills to cloud level. On this occasion
altocumulus clouds were formed to the west and over
our area. Wind shear caused the clouds to become
arranged in rolls across the direction they were
moving, with the setting sun illuminating the high
billowing clouds, turning them to a bright yellow from
an area west of Banchory, to a deep gold over
Peterculter. Further west clouds were of a deep rich
red. ‘A sicht tae savour and a sure sign o mild wither
tae come’.
The country loon
December 2006
The Durris Estate
I am indebted to Mr James Reid of Woodend, Durris
for a fascinating insight into the history of the Durris
Estate as it was 1n 1890. That year, the estate was
auctioned at the Mart, Tokenhouse Yard, and Bank of
England at 12.o’clock on 24th June 1890 by the Land
Agents, Messrs J. Watson Lyall & Co, 15 Pall Mall.
The venue and the agent’s address indicate this
would have been a very prestigious occasion, and the
schedule ran to 16 pages.
Editor
The preamble gave a brief history of the estate:Durris (signifying “The Eminences on the Waters”) is
situated in the County of Kincardineshire and in the
Parishes of Durris and Banchory-Ternan, the larger
portion being in the former parish. With the exception
of one farm (Coresehill) the whole of Durris parish is
comprised in the Durris Estate, which held from the
13th century by a branch of the Fraser’s, went by
marriage to the celebrated Earl of Peterborough
(1658-1735). His daughter married the second Duke
of Gordon, and in 1824 the Estate devolved upon the
fourth Duke as heir-of-entail. In 1834 it was purchased
by Mr Antony Mactier, a Calcutta merchant, and in
1871, it was again sold to the father of the present
proprietors for £300,000.
Durris seems to have been a place of importance from
a very early period, as testified by the Castle Hill, with
its remains situated on a knoll, surrounded by what
had evidently been a ditch or moat. It seems to have
been a military post. In various parts of the estate are
the remains of cairns, tumuli, and stone circles, which
have excited the interest of antiquarians. Immediately
on the estate becoming the patrimony of the Gordon
family, a series of extensive improvements were
inaugurated, and have continued ever since. The wife
of the second Duke was noted for her intellectual
vigour, intelligence, and activity, and it was through
her influence that ploughs were first introduced from
England, along with men to work them, acquainted
with fallowing, a mode of husbandry previously
unknown in Scotland. Through her influence a great
deal of planting was undertaken all over the Gordon
country – a circumstance that accounts for the
splendid old hardwood timber to be found all over the
estate of Durris. By the policy of systematic planting
then inaugurated, and since continued, this portion of
Deeside is remarkably well wooded alike with
profitable timber and ornamental trees.
The estate is altogether about eight miles long by
about five miles broad. It is bounded to the north by
the River Dee whose windings afford five or six miles
of excellent salmon fishing. On the south and southeast, the estate is bounded by Netherly, the property
of Mr. W.N. Forbes; Urie, the property of Mr Alex
Baird; and Fetteresso, belonging to Mr R.W.Duff, M.P.
Altries, the property of Mr. A.J. Kinloch, forms the
eastern boundary, while the western boundaries are
formed by Fasque, the property of Sir John
Gladstone, Bart. and Tilquillie, the property of Mr John
Drumoak & Durris Newsletter
Issue 49
2
W.E.J. Douglas. All the western hills of Durris are
enclosed by wire sheep fence, and the marches on
the other hills consist of march stones. The lands form
a Barony, and are held of the Crown for the payment
of a nominal duty. The Teinds are valued and
exhausted.
commencing at 7.00pm. Everyone is welcome and
tickets priced £8.50 will be available from Committee
members shortly.
Jim Lyon, Secretary
Tel 811 475
The whole of the estate lies on the south side of the
Dee, and is reached from Park Station by crossing a
substantial Iron-girder Bridge with Granite Piers, built
by the Deeside Railway Company, and although a toll
is extracted from strangers, the Bridge is free to the
proprietor of Durris and his tenants. There is also a
very fine bridge across the river from Crathes Station
at the west end of the estate. It was built by a former
proprietor of Durris. Immediately on approaching the
bridge at Park Station, the nearest one from
Aberdeen, attention is attracted to a very fine
octagonal tower, 80 ft. high, occupying a knoll on
Durris Estate, close to the river, and thickly
surrounded by trees. The tower was built in 1825 by
the Duke of Gordon to commemorate his coming into
possession as heir–of-entail to the Earl of
Peterborough, after a protracted litigation. The tower
forms a very picturesque object in the landscape, and
commands an extensive view over one of the most
beautiful portions of Deeside.
Due
The estate’s revenues and outgoings were also listed
in great detail, with the tenants’ rents and the Sporting
income fishing and shooting.
Income
Outgoings
Farms
£6,489.8. 4 Ministers’ Stipends £ 83. 4. 4
Crofts
722.1. 6 Fishery Assessm’ts 50.11.0
Houses
244. 2. 8 Roads and Bridges 178. 5.3
Sporting
2,150
Crown Rents
0. 3.3
Registration Rates 226. 9.2
£9,605.12.6
£518.13.0
The profit on the estate
£9,056.19.6
(Today, using average earnings as an indicator this
would be worth some £4 million pounds.)
The Baird family, were the successful bidders in the
auction and held the Estate from 1890 to 1932, during
which time they built the Kirkton Hall. It was then
acquired by Alfred Johnstone a potteries magnate,
and later was purchased by the present owners, the
Cowdrays of Dunecht in 1960.
Crisis at Drumoak Brownies!
to a change in working hours and ill health,
Drumoak Brownies have lost 2 of their Leaders. The
girls have recently started meeting again thanks to the
support of the District and County Commissioners
who have been visiting the village to help the lone
Guider temporarily. They have been assisted by a
number of mums who have been helping out on a rota
basis.
However, County Commissioner Enid Blaikie says
that it is a real shame that the girls aren’t able to enjoy
the continuity that a regular team of leaders would
provide. Any female between 18 and 65 who is
prepared to go through the child protection disclosure
process is eligible to join Girlguiding. There is a
support network and local trainings are available. We
all have great fun and a sense of fulfilment.
Anyone who would like more details should contact
District Commissioner Lynn Murphy on 811500
The Over Sixties Club
If you qualify for a bus pass, and sometimes wonder
what to do with your self on a Monday afternoon, why
not pop along to the Over Sixties Club, meet a few
like-minded people, listen to a speaker, and have a
“news” over a cup of tea and a biscuit. The club meets
on the first Monday of each month in Drumoak Church
Hall at 2.00 pm. Over 30 people turn up for the talk
and discussion and you will be most welcome. The
speakers cover a wide range of subjects – recent
examples are the work of the RNLI, and the Life of the
Salmon.
The next meeting will be on Monday 4th December
when instead of a speaker, the club will host children
from Drumoak Primary School for carol singing.If you
want to know more about the club and its programme
phone Amy Wilson 01224 732 575
Making Durris Beautiful
Drumoak Durris Crathes Bowling Club
The
indoor season is well underway with most
sessions receiving excellent attendances. The
exception has been Sunday evenings and as a result
it has been decided to dispense with this session.
Meanwhile, our teams in the local leagues are
enjoying the contests and shortly we will be
commencing our domestic competitions.
Much of our attention is now focussed on our popular
Burns Supper to be held on Saturday 20th January
December 2006
Hats off to the Durris WRI!! One of their members has
left the area and given a farewell gift of £300 to the
branch. The ladies have thought long and hard about
making the most effective use of such a generous gift,
and decided that planting bulbs around all the Durris
signposts would enhance the environment and be a
long term reminder of their former much loved
member. So Council permission was obtained,
husbands were commandeered and vast quantities of
bulbs were planted. Durris should be miles brighter in
the Spring! Well done ladies!!
Drumoak & Durris Newsletter
Issue 49
3
Diana Robertson tells it as it is for a busy lady
frenetically juggling family and gardening as she
prepares for the Drum Castle Holly Fest Weekend and
will strike a familiar chord with many ladies in her
Notes from Drum Castle Gardens
I have 30 minutes of 'me' time before the onslaught of
taxi-driving, feeding, and life saving classes begin and
my evening disappears in a frenzy of teenage related
activity. Finding inspiration for writing garden notes is
difficult when 'me' time is condensed into these 30
minute slots, snatched here and there. However, my
very favourite 'me' time is spent with my nose in a
book. Nothing else gets done, until the final page is
read. Then I'll feel washed out, and vow not to pick
up another, until I have completed at least one
neglected job. The neglected job of the moment is
going through 17 years of accumulated 'life', turfed
temporarily into the Education Room, whilst the house
was rewired and redecorated. Three months later and
I am all too aware of the impending Holly Fest and the
need to clear the Education Room, ready for
processing holly. Twelve boxes have already gone to
the Red Cross shop, (though we also managed to
refill and return with one!) and I am only halfway
through the heap. What to keep, what to recycle, what
would the girls miss …decisions! decisions!
I am in a fairly ruthless mode. A visit to the Junior
Antiques Roadshow last week, has warned me
against sentimentality.
My precious gardening
volumes were dismissed with barely a blink of an eye,
discarded with disdain. OK, the eighteenth century
one has lost its covers and some historic gardener
has used it to stand his soup pot on, but the book
itself is 300years old, the prose is magical and the
content valuable to any gardener, seeking alternative
treatments. My other worthy volumes are a century
old Complete Gardener with colour pictures and in six
volumes, covers intact. Indeed the covers aroused
more eyebrow twitching on the part of the antique
expert, than the content, likened, vaguely to a Charles
Rennie Macintosh style . However our two hour wait
in a queue was over in just 80 seconds, our precious
books destined to obscurity in favour of a Sinclair
pedal car and Lamborghini toy race cars. That cliché
cropped up time and time again, "Keep them for your
family to love and cherish". In my case, I guess my
'family' at Drum extends to the garden staff so the
books will go back onto the shelves in the Education
Room for everyone to access and love, thumb through
and even stand their hot soup on!
It is hard to resist buying books and especially
gardening books. Bookshops are the only place in
town I am comfortable in. Those annual shopping trips
at Christmas always prove disastrous as once I am
weighted down with books, I don't have the energy to
do more shopping and the park and ride bus-stop is
right next to the bookshop and I can't wait to get home
to open my new acquisitions. I have long since
converted to Third World Christmas shopping and feel
totally vindicated for using this method of present
buying, after lumping all those boxes of barely
December 2006
touched toys to the charity shop. What a wasteful
society we are - full of needs and wants, but rarely
do's! The final straw for me was reading that if the 225
richest families in the world gave up 4% of their
wealth, it would be enough to supply basic housing,
water, food ,medicine and education for the entire
world population. It is a sobering thought.
Sobering too, is the fact that second hand books are
valuable to someone or some charity, and that we can
all help reduce the trees that are wasted in paper
production by putting old books to charity shops, and
by browsing their shelves and making a habit of
buying paperbacks only from these shops. What a
long way round to introduce you all to the second
hand bookshop at Drum Castle! It was started just
this season by the castle staff and already is providing
a very useful source of small amounts of income, that
are being used on 'luxuries', such as heaters for the
Brewhouse Cellar and fluorescent quilted jackets for
our elderly volunteer car-parkers. Every little helps!
In the gardens, we have seen a flurry of new
volunteers, despite the colder weather. These folk are
really welcome as extra pairs of hands to gather
leaves or do minor repair jobs that would otherwise be
neglected, and it is great to see one or two coming
from the village at last. Our more usual volunteers are
townsers escaping for a day oot in the country, but
where ever you come from and whatever your skills,
you will be most welcome. For those not endeared to
outside work in winter, we start on November 28th with
the Holly Fest preparations which includes a lot of
processing in a warm room with convivial company.
For newcomers to Drumoak, there will be a 'Holly'
good welcome - just make your way to the Education
Room at the Stables anytime between November 28th
and December 8th, 9am until late. Even an hour is
useful and it is a great way to catch up on the local
goings ons!
Or support the conservation work of the National Trust
for Scotland, by attending the Holly Fest Weekend
on the 9th and 10th of December, 11am until 4pm.
Wreaths, foliage sprays and DIY. Kits will be
available, all made from sustainable materials
cropped on the estate. Reduce your carbon footprint,
by supporting too our German style Christmas market
in the courtyard, renown for its pleasant, friendly
atmosphere. Imagine Christmas shopping without the
noise, the frenzy, the razamatazz of town! There are
carol singers in the afternoon and storytelling and craft
activities for children, hot roast chestnuts courtesy of
the SSPCA stall, a log fire, mulled wine and mince
pies, Christmas floral demonstrations and much more.
Please bring your friends and relatives and contribute
to this major fundraiser for the Trust's work. Free
admission for children, all adults £3.50 (includes a
refreshment)
This year we are also taking orders for wreaths in
advance of the Holly Fest for delivery the week after
the Fest. That way, the wreaths will be even fresher
for Christmas and will stay fresh well into the New
Drumoak & Durris Newsletter
Issue 49
4
Year. The full choice is displayed on the notice board
at Drum and orders can be picked up from the 11th
December. Buying your wreath at Drum, supports the
conservation work of the National Trust for Scotland
and you will get a very high quality wreath made from
locally sourced sustainable materials and made up by
a dedicated team of volunteers.
Go one step further to support the Trust, by giving an
N.T.S. membership as a Christmas gift to your friends
and family. With all the new construction going on
everywhere, it becomes even more critical to make
sure that enclaves, like the Drum estate, survive and
thrive. We all need green spaces to stretch in!
Wishing you all a holly good Christmas from all the
gardeners, the castle staff and the volunteers at Drum
Castle.
Diana Robertson
Head Gardener
Meanwhile at Crathes Castle there will be a series of
Carol Concerts - but early booking essential
Tel: 01330 844757
15th December at 19.00 Children’s Carol Concert :A carol concert especially for children - be prepared to
join in and sing along! Suitable for 5 - 15 year olds
(under 8's must be accompanied by an adult).
The NTS shop will remain open for those wishing to
do some Christmas shopping.
16th and 17th December at 17.00 and 19.30
Carols in the Castle :An ever popular series of
carol concerts.
Marathon Man Returns
Last issue the Newsletter reported on Local Councillor
Sandy Wallace’s plans to run in the New York
Marathon. Here is his report:As you will recall, I asked for your support as I ran the
New York Marathon in aid of charities supporting
children with special needs;
 Linn Moor, Peterculter, a residential school run by
Voluntary Service Aberdeen
 Beannachar, Banchory Devenick, residential
sheltered employment run by Rudolph Steiner
 Carronhill School, Stonehaven, run by
Aberdeenshire
 Kids, a national charity whose patrons include Elton
John, David Cameron and Cherie Booth.
Well I got round, the relevant numbers are 5 hours, 43
minutes, 34 seconds, 35,018th place out of 40,000
starters, 2 stones off my waistline and £5,600 raised
for charity.
December 2006
On behalf of these charities I would just like to say,
a huge thank you for your support!
If you still have any money to hand in, can you please
get it to me so that I can finalise the account and hand
the money over before Christmas. Any remaining
cheques can be made payable to Sandy Wallace New
York Marathon account and sent to me at Spyhill
Cottage, Durris, Banchory, AB31 6DH
Well Done Sandy – a great effort.
Talking to Sandy, he tells me it was a fantastic
experience, with an almost carnival-like atmosphere
with live music at every street corner, and, he could
chart his progress by the changes in the style and
content of the music as he ran along. The music gave
tremendous encouragement all along the 26 miles.
Now that he’s back he hopes that the residual
sponsorship will take his total to £6000, so it’s not too
late for readers to add to his total.
Editor
Woodend Farm Shop
After many trials and tribulations Pat and Alex Watson
have finally opened their new farm shop, and
customers will find it a joy to shop in compared with
the cramped old one. The opening was by way of a
double celebration as the couple were also
celebrating their golden wedding. We wish them
continuing success – on both fronts.
Drumoak School
The Drumoak School Board have stepped up their
campaign for a new school after the Director of
Education resigned causing some discontinuity in the
Education Authority’s management. They have written
a letter to Mr McKenzie, the Acting Director of
Education, asking 12 questions relating to the current
unacceptable state of the school for the education of
some 100 primary school pupils and their teachers.
They have demanded an answer to these questions
by 30th Nov, and also provided him with draft copy of a
letter the Board intends to send to Mr Hendry the
Minister for Education for his comment. Mr McKenzie
will meet with the Head Teacher and the Chairman of
the School Board at the end of this term. It is hoped
that some progress might be initiated thereafter.
Here are a few of the facts readers might like to
know:
Since 1999, the Government’s School Inspector’s
have noted that the school building were “unfit for
purpose”. For seven long years nothing has been
done.

As there is no space for games, gym, and cultural
activities the school has had to rent Drumoak
Church Hall for these activities.
Drumoak & Durris Newsletter
Issue 49
5

There is insufficient space for some of the
school’s computers, and consequently 8 of them
take up considerable space in the hall/dininghall.

The office and staff room consists of a single
office 3,3m X 3.8m – (scarcely the size of double
bedroom) - and has to cope with up to 15 adults –
Head Teacher, teachers, classroom assistants
and secretarial staff. This facility is served by one
toilet and wash hand basin for both male and
female staff.



The only private facility for staff discussion is the
outside store – and that was constructed by the
PTA!
The temporary classrooms have reduced the
playground area by 27% leading to playground
congestion.
For the past 10 years Head Teachers and the
School Board have been voicing concerns about
the sub standard accommodation of the school.
To date, all that they have received from all levels
of the Education Authority are mealy mouthed
platitudes.
Readers who no longer have children at the school
might wonder what all the fuss is about; they might
like to visit the new Netherley School Designed for
120 pupils complete with a sports hall and a nursery
section, then ask whether they think the Local
Authority is dealing fairly with the Drumoak Primary
Children.
If you are concerned about the welfare of our children
and our teachers you could write to
The Acting Director of Education
Aberdeenshire Council
Woodhill House
ABERDEEN
Or you could try
Minister for Education and Young People - Hugh
Henry MSP
Education Department
Scottish Executive
Victoria Quay
EDINBURGH
EH6 6QQ
Photograph Wanted!
The North East of Scotland Family History Society
has completed a directory of the Drumoak Burial
Grounds and is looking for an old photograph
(1920 or earlier) to put on the cover for publishing.
If you have a picture of the Kirk and/or Graveyard
which you could loan for copying please contact:
Morag Keith tel., 01330 811 763
December 2006
Crathes Drumoak & Durris
Community Council (CDDCC)
Important Notice As advertised in the local press
Crathes Drumoak & Durris
Community Council
Annual General Meeting
Will be held on
TUESDAY 12th DECEMBER 2005
In Drumoak Church Hall At 7.30 pm
Please come along and find out
what the Community Council does
Cheese and wine will be served after the meeting
Things stirring at Geordies Byre?
Neighbourhood notices have been delivered in
connection with the demolition of the Irvine Arms and
its replacement by 12 two-bedroom flats, and planning
application (APP/2006/4338) has been made. The
flats will be three stories high and occupy the same
area of the site as the existing Irvine arms and run
almost the entire length of the site along the A93. Car
parking for 18 cars occupies the existing car park.
The flats consist of a north facing sitting room,
kitchen, two south facing bedrooms, one with an ensuite shower room, a bathroom and an entrance hall.
The layout of the flats is compact and the gross area
of each flat is 68, 70, and 64 square metres for the
ground, middle, and top floors respectively.
There has obviously been some concern over their
visual impact. A roof level has been specified that is
practically the same as the surrounding houses and
the elevation from the A93 just looks like a two storey
row of terraced houses, however this elevation is
achieved at the expense of the ground floor flats
whose windows face directly onto the stonework of
the A93 retaining wall –rooms without much view.
Meanwhile, the Planning Application for the new Irvine
Arms was approved on the 2nd of November. Patrons
can relax. With some careful scheduling, we will all be
able to have a pint in the new pub before the
bulldozers demolish the old one.
Drumoak Housing Development
The last of the 69 Stuart Milne Homes are well
advanced and hopefully it will soon be time for the
community to reap the benefits of the Section 75
Agreement. This is a Planning Gain agreement
between Aberdeenshire Council and SMH that details
what funds will accrue to AC for the benefit of the
community. Enquiries with the AC Planning Gain
Drumoak & Durris Newsletter
Issue 49
6
officer have confirmed that SMH have been paying in
the funds as per the agreement, and only the funds
for the last 15 houses are outstanding. This should
mean that shortly the School Board should be able to
apply to the Education Department for the £60,000
contribution for school improvements and CDDCC to
the Recreational Department for £16,000 for the all
weather sports court.
inevitable, and we will have to rely heavily on the
representations of FDF to influence FCS and AC
Planning Services and minimize the impact of any
such development as this tale unfolds. For FDF to be
most effective they need to demonstrate as large a
membership as possible. You can start right now by
joining them. Their annual membership is a very
modest £3.00 and they deserve the support of the
entire community.
Crathes 50 houses
Mid Hill Wind Farm
Little has progressed since the last Newsletter.
However the Crathes community have formed a sub
group under the aegis of CDDCC to examine the
Planning Brief prepared by Dunecht Estates, and to
plan their influencing strategy to ensure the final
development satisfies the community’s needs. Their
first meeting is immanent.
Back in 2004, Fred Olsen Renewables Ltd obtained
planning permission for a 25 tower Wind Farm at Mid
Hill (5 miles south of Banchory). This would be
capable of generating 50 megawatts when the wind is
blowing hard enough. The generators are to be up to
410 feet (125 metres) high at the rotor tip. As a result,
the Wind Farm will partially visible from most of the
Crathes, Drumoak and Durris area, except where
trees screen the view.Recently, a further application
has been made to Aberdeenshire Council to increase
the output of the Wind Farm to 75 megawatts. Most
of this increase (70 megawatts) can be obtained
simply by substituting the original 2 megawatt turbines
by 3 megawatt models on 20 of the 25 towers, without
any significant environmental impact. That is the
good news.
Woodlands of Durris 30 Houses
Dunecht Estates has lodged a Planning Application
(APP/2006/3585) for the development of 30 houses
behind the Kirkton of Durris School. It is understood
that the Local Plan originally carried 20 with a sports
field for the school as a planning gain. The layout of
the new development has a slightly smaller
recreational area, but also indicates a specific road
layout that would allow access to subsequent
expansion.
30 represents a significant demand on the existing
infrastructure water sewage, roads, and of course the
school. It is to be hoped that all these aspects will be
fully assessed prior to any decision. Meanwhile, the
Durris School Board, are hoping to arrange meetings
with the relevant Aberdeenshire Council officials to
ensure that the school infrastructure is able to meet
the additional demands made on it and avoid another
Drumoak School mistake where Planning and
Educational Authorities did not talk to each other.
Potential Housing Development at Kirkton
The Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) have
announced that they Will be closing the Kirkton of
Durris office and site, and that their future plan for the
site will be to secure outline planning permission and
sell it for development. Friends of Durris Forest
(FDF), who have a Joint Management Agreement with
FCS for the environmental well-being of the forest, are
opposed to such a plan and have proposed an
alternative plan. You can read all about it in the FDF
newsletter enclosed. FDF are a very active pressure
group with a considerable track record in
environmental preservation of the Durris Forest, and
their newsletter also describes their current project
activities.
Of course FCS is a business and is charged with
maximising its assets. However it is also a state
owned commission and as such has a duty to the
taxpayer. It might well be that development is
December 2006
However, it is also proposed to up-rate the turbines on
the other five towers. Under the existing plan, the
height of these towers was deliberately reduced, in
order to limit the visual impact of their more prominent
locations. Unfortunately, bigger turbines on these
particular towers would require them to increase in
height from 328 feet (100 metres) feet to 361 feet (110
metres) at the rotor tip. Meanwhile unplanned
difficulties in connecting the Wind Farm to the grid
now mean that it will not be operational before 2010.
CDDCC are on the case and have lodged an
objection. They have also found out that the increase
in generation take the consent out of the council’s
powers and into the Scottish Executive, so it will be
interesting to see what if any importance the SE will
place on the CDDCC comments.
Congratulations to Durris Hall Committee!
On Saturday 24th November, a capacity crowd in the
hall were treated to a fabulous display of local talent in
a fund raising concert. It was a splendid example of
community spirit and “can do” attitude – well rewarded
by the size of the audience attending and their
enthusiastic participation. Well done – and thank you
to all those who took part on and off the stage!!
Finally, to all our readers the compliments of the
season; health and happiness to you and yours
for 2007, and my grateful thanks to all who
contribute to the Newsletters through out the year.
Editor
Drumoak & Durris Newsletter
Issue 49
7
Drumoak & Durris Newsletter
Diary Dates
Editor Donald Keith
Tel/fax 01330 811 763
e-mail: don.keith@which.net
Date
Local Websites
Event
Time
Location
04 Dec Over 60s Advent Service 14.00 Drumoak Church Hall
Crathes
www.scotgold.com/crathes
Durris
09 Dec Holly Fest
www.durris.net
10 Dec
Drumoak
www.drumoak.com
Peterculter
www.culter.net
Aberdeenshire Council Planning
www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/planning
Drumoak - Durris Church
www.drumoak-durrischurch.com
Community Council CDDCC
www.durris.net
Useful Telephone Numbers
Banchory Police Station* 0845600 5700
Crime Stoppers
0800 555 111
Church Service &
presentation to organist
11.00Drum Castle
1600
10.00 Drumoak Church
09 Dec Holly Fest
11.00Drum Castle
1600
10 Dec Christingle Service
18.00 Drumoak Church
12 Dec CDDCC AGM
19.30 Drumoak Church Hall
15 Dec Children’s Carol Concert
19.00
16 Dec Carols in the Castle
17.00 Crathes Castle booking
19.30 01330 844 757
Crathes Castle booking
01330 844 757
17 Dec Christmas Family Service 10.00 Durris Church
17 Dec Carols in the Castle
*Banchory
17.00 CrathesCastle booking
19.30 01330844 757
Station is now accessed from Grampian
Police Call Centre which can also be accessed by email
24Dec
Service of Readings &
Carols
10.00 Drumoak Church
servicecentre@grampian.pnn.police.uk
24Dec
Christmas Eve Service
20.00 Drumoak Church
Neighbourhood Watch Wardens
24Dec
Watchnight Service
23.30 Durris Church
Drumoak
Sunnyside
Coalford
Denside of Durris
Woodlands of Durris
01330 811 176
01330 811 639
01224 733 981
01330 811 576
01330 810 030
08 Jan Durris WRI meeting
19.00 Kirkton Hall Durris
20 Jan Burns Supper
19.00 Bowling Club Pavillion
06 Feb CDDCC Meeting
19.30 Irvine Arms
05 Feb Over 60s Club
14.00 Drumoak Church Hall
12 Feb Durris WRI meeting
19.00 Kirkton Hall Durris
Ward Councillor
Sandy Wallace
01330 844 679
Community Council CDDCC
Chairman David Morrish 01330 844 763
Secretary Jill Gow
01330 811 495
Treasurer John Hopkins 01330 811 698
CDDCC Planning Matters
Crathes Tony Butcher 01330 844 747
Drumoak Molly Aitkinson 01330 811 363
Durris
Jean Downie 01330 811 833
Hall Bookings
Drumoak Church Hall Andy Coutts
Drumoak Public Hall Ian Pirie
Durris Kirkton Hall
Eric Melvin
Local Numbers
Drumoak Post Office
01330
Park Shop
01330
Woodside Farm Shop
01330
Irvine Arms
01330
December 2006
20 Feb
Contributions for next
Newsletter required
05 Mar Over 60s Club
14.00 Drumoak Church Hall
14 Mar Church Social
19.00` Drumoak Church Hall
811 418
811 348
811 352
811 201
811 463
811 081
811 423
The Drumoak & Durris Newsletter is published
four times per year as part of the Parish
Newsletter (Dec. Feb. May and Sep.) The
Drumoak & Durris Newsletter is produced as a
community service by the Parish Church.
Drumoak & Durris Newsletter
Issue 49
8