The Dee Valley has been designated a Special Landscape Area (SLA). It includes the River Dee and its associated landscapes and covers the settings of the riverside towns such as Aboyne and Banchory.
Aberdeenshire Council stated in their pa023-21 planning advice that developments associated with onshore renewables, while having cognisance of wider climate change and carbon reduction targets, Aberdeenshire Council will endeavour to conserve, enhance and manage the landscape change over time to protect against development that might adversely impact on these landscapes, sense of place and quality of life.
The northern boundary of the Dee Valley SLA lies at the foot of the Hill of Fare, along the A980, which runs between Raemoir and Torphins. It excludes the Hill of Fare. What’s curious is that the surrounding hillsides are what define the valley, but this one is outside its boundaries.
