Agenda and minutes

The Forum had before it the procedure note and guidance for members on the operation of Forum meetings.

The Forum resolved:-

to note the procedure note and guidance for members

The Forum had before it the minute of the previous meeting of 9 February 2023, for approval.

The Forum resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

Planning Officer – Gavin Clark

The Forum had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, on a submission of a Proposal of Application Notice by Levelling Up Real Estate for a proposed major residential or quasi-residential (sui generis) use - potentially flats, build to rent private rented accommodation, student housing, serviced apartments or a mix of these plus supporting facilities and infrastructure, at 92-126 John Street Aberdeen, planning reference number 221511.

The report advised that the application site comprised a largely vacant plot of land at the western end of John Street, adjacent to the Woolmanhill Halls of Residence of Robert Gordon University. The site was previously occupied by now demolished tenement buildings, with commercial uses at ground floor and the former Ambassador Snooker Club. The site did not include the Lumsden Security Locksmith premises sited at the end of John Street. There was also a smaller separate part of the site adjacent to the turning area to the south of Woolmanhill Halls of Residence and the Inverness railway line, which sits at a lower level.

The surrounding area contained a mix of uses, with residential flats of mainly four storeys in height to the north and east, Woolmanhill Halls of Residence to the west (five storeys) and the Sandman Hotel located to the south. The southern edge of the application site borders the northern edge of the City Centre Conservation Area, but the site was largely out with it. The application site lies adjacent to the City Centre boundary as defined within the Aberdeen Local Development Plan, the northern boundary of which is defined by the northern edge of the John Street roadway.

The report also indicated that the Proposal of Application Notice was submitted on the 14 December 2022, with the content of the document agreed with the Planning Service on the 4 January 2023. The first public consultation event was undertaken by the applicant’s agents on 8 February 2023 within the Aberdeen Central Library Committee Room with the second consultation event taking place shortly afterwards. The details and results of this public consultation would require to be the subject of a Pre-Application Consultation Report to form part of any subsequent planning application.

The Committee heard from Mr Gavin Clark, Senior Planner, who addressed the Forum and provided details regarding the planning aspects of the application. 

Mr Clark provided details on the relevant planning policies noting that the following policies were relevant to the proposed application:-

Proposed Aberdeen Local Development Plan

·       WB2: Air Quality

·       WB3: Noise

·       D1: Quality Placemaking

·       D2: Amenity

·       D3: Big Buildings

·       D4: Landscape

·       D6: Historic Environment •

·       R2: Degraded and Contaminated Land

·       R5: Waste Management Requirements for New Development

·       R6: Low and Zero Carbon Buildings, and Water Efficiency

·       H2: Mixed Use Areas

·       H3: Density

·       H4: Housing Mix and Need

·       H5: Affordable Housing

·       H7: Student Accommodation Developments

·       I1: Infrastructure Delivery and Planning Obligations

·       T2: Sustainable Transport

·       T3: Parking

·       CI1: Digital Infrastructure

The Forum then heard from Mr Steve Crawford and Mr Richard Woods, Halliday Fraser  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.