Background
The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR), to give its official, title is a new dual carriageway which is to be built on the west side of Aberdeen.
In 2005, Transport Scotland consulted on five possible routes for the new Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. Many feel this consultation was flawed as it didn’t offer sustainable transport alternatives. In December 2005, Tavish Scott, Transport Minister announced the new route for the bypass. This new route was never part of the original consultation.
A statutory public consultation period took place following publication of draft road orders in December 2006. This consultation period ended in February 2007.
In June 2007, the new Scottish Government confirmed their commitment to the route and confirmed a new programme fro the scheme which will see the road open towards the end of 2012. This represents a 1 year delay to the project which was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011.
In September 2007 further orders were published which show how the existing road network will tie in with the route at various junctions.
A public inquiry was held in late 2008. The Scottish Government recieved the public inquiry report on the 30th June 2009. On Monday 21 December the Scottish Government gave the goahead to the construction of the bypass.
Why is the AWPR being developed?
The AWPR is being developed to improve travel in and around the North East of Scotland. Backed by the Scottish Executive the road is being developed by Transport Scotland, Scotland’s national transport agency, in partnership with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Council.
The AWPR is one of a number of transport projects which is planned to help improve road safety and accessibility, reduce congestion and grow the local economy.
Why is the Woodland Trust objecting to the road?
Whilst the Woodland Trust believes there is a need to find transport solutions for the City Of Aberdeen, we do not consider the new 46Km dual carriageway consuming 500 hectares of countryside mostly designated greenbelt is the correct answer, particularly as it will serve only to generate additional traffic and create congestion at new locations.
Of the 24 woodlands that the Environmental Statement states will be damaged by the new road, 12 of these are listed on the Scottish Natural Heritage Inventory of Ancient Woodland. The extent of the potential damage varies from minor loss to serious fragmentation/loss of a habitat that is recognised by the Scottish executive commitment to the protection of ancient woodland within National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPG14) states:
"Planning authorities should seek to protect trees, groups of trees and areas of woodland where they have natural heritage value or contribute to the characters or amenity of a particular locality. Ancient and semi-natural woodlands have the greatest value for nature conservation.
Ancient woodland is, by definition, an irreplaceable natural resource and takes centuries, event millennia to evolve.
Woodland Trust Scotland will provide ancient woodland exemplars to demonstrate the environmental damage and loss that will be caused by the proposed road to this important habitat.
The Woods
The largest piece of ancient woodland in the line of the road is on the Kingcausie estate at Maryculter on the banks of the River Dee. The land once belonged to the Order of the Knights Templar and the Order of the Knights Hospitallers. Since 1535, the time of the reformation it has remained in the hands of one family - the Irvine Fortescues.
The Pont maps, which are evidence of ancient woodlands, confirm that the area has been wooded for many centuries.
An ecological survey in the wood in 2007 showed that there are more than 70 species of bids living in the ancient woodland at Kingcausie and sightings include raptors such as osprey, merlin and peregrine falcons. There are also badgers, foxes, roe deer and five species of bat. It's also one of the very few habitats in the north of Scotland for herb paris, one of 22 ancient woodland indicator plants found in our woods.
