Ballater Riverside Path

Thanks mainly to the efforts of the Ballater golf club volunteer group the riverside path has been largely resurfaced and is now fully open. However, the section immediately adjacent to the Hesco Box bund has suffered erosion from frequent small floods of the river Dee. The surface of this section is currently very uneven.

Rather than risk wasting funds and repairing this section just for it to be damaged again in the next flood, the Community Council and the Community Trust have decided in conjunction with Ballater golf club to evaluate the option of displacing this section of the path to the golf course side of the bund. This would also involve installing a new bridge over the golf club drainage channel.

 Moxon architecture practice from Crathes have kindly developed a concept for the re-routing of the path. Having presented this concept to the golf club, the Trust and the Community Council, Moxon have now submitted a pre planning request to Aberdeenshire council .

Assuming no showstoppers from the Council the next phase (RIBA 3) would be for Moxon to make a planning submission. This will involve some detailed work. a full set of drawings and supporting Design and Access statement and other documentation.

On obtaining planning consent the next phase (RIBA 4) would be the detail and specification required to accurately tender and construct the new path and bridge.

Each phase will require funding which as of today has not been identified however the Trust is optimistic on this front and has initiated a dialogue with the Cairngorm National Park Authority.

Ultimately the aim is to have this Ballater core path reinstated and to reach an agreement for ongoing maintenance with the main stakeholders.