Residents of Newton Dee - birthplace of the Camphill movement that promotes village communities for people with learning disabilities - are fighting to save their homes from being destroyed to make way for a bypass.
Newton Dee, on the outskirts of Aberdeen, is a Rudolf Steiner village for 150 children and adults with special needs. It was established more than 60 years ago and inspired hundreds of similar communities, including Botton, featured in Society Guardian earlier this year.
Should the £120m Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) go ahead, it will bisect Newton Dee.
"If the road is not diverted, we know that our community won't survive," says Stefan Geider, a GP in the village. "This route will destroy the whole landscape and the tranquillity that is so important, not just for the quality of life, but for the therapeutic tools we use to work with the children. Our autistic children are highly sensitive to noise and this road could severely affect their sleep and behaviour."
Safety is also an issue. At present, many villagers wander freely around the village, but the development could mean some adults would need supervision. "Years of nurturing independence for our residents would be wiped away," says Geider.
The road forms part of north-east Scotland's long-term transport strategy to reduce congestion and traffic pollution, and to bring economic benefits to the region. The proposed route was agreed by Aberdeen city council and Aberdeenshire council in 1996. Since then, the Scottish executive has promised to fund over 80% of the cost of the road.
Work has already begun. Last month, 20 residents from Newton Dee stopped surveyors and AWPR representatives from entering the site. The AWPR management team is now seeking a court order.
Nicol Stephen, the Scottish minister for transport, points out that no decision on the final route has been made and that the executive is committed to paying special consideration to the circumstances of Newton Dee. A public consultation is set for later in the year.
· "http://www.savecamphill.org.uk" target="_new">www.savecamphill.org.uk
