Car park at Bellwood closed due to asbestos fears
A car park at a popular Deeside woodland has been closed down amid fears it is contaminated with asbestos.
BBC Scotland has learned that Aberdeenshire Council has ordered the owners of the land at Bellwood near Aboyne to prevent access to the area.
The site is a former Aboyne landfill tip.
Planning permission for the car park was granted in 2009 on condition the developer notified the council if waste materials were found.
A local resident raised concerns with the council about finding glass and other old rubbish in early January.
Earlier this week an official from the local authority's environmental health service examined the site.
He found contaminated soils, what is thought to be asbestos fibres and broken glass.
The official said there was a possibility of harm to human health.
He recommended access to the area be restricted and that warning signs be erected by the developer.
The developer of the car park is the community-run Mid Deeside Limited.
Aberdeenshire Council said remedial works to resolve the contamination problem will be carried out.