Campaigners against the construction of the Aberdeen bypass say they are to inform the courts they intend to launch a fresh legal challenge.

That's despite an earlier challenge to the already controversial £400m bypass being rejected by the Court of Session about two weeks ago.

Scottish ministers already approved the 28-mile Aberdeen western peripheral route (AWPR) in 2009 - after a four-month public inquiry - and despite a raft of local objections.

But builders are now left frustrated as work on the route was already delayed when the initial legal objections were lodged at the Appeal Court in Edinburgh earlier this year - and while this was not upheld - it now looks to be stymied again.


Pressure group Road Sense submitted a legal challenge in the name of the group's chairman William Walton. It argued that it was not given the opportunity to challenge the bypass plan during the public inquiry.

Concerns were also raised about the environmental impact of the development.

Road Sense has now instructed its legal team to start preparing a case.

Opponents criticise the cost and environmental impact of the plan, which is aimed at creating a fast link to the north, west and south of Aberdeen.

The earlier court outcome was greeted by Aberdeen Airport and Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future (ACSEF) as good news with Aberdeen Airport Managing Director Derek Provan commenting: "The AWPR, once open will make a dramatic improvement to the airport, to our passengers and to visitors to the north-east of Scotland."

But campaigners against the construction of the road are determined to halt the ambitious project and are not set to renew the legal challenge.

(BMcC/GK)