Agenda and minutes

The agenda and reports associated with this minute can be found  here.

Please note that if any changes are made to this minute at the point of approval, these will be outlined in the subsequent minute and this document will not be retrospectively altered.

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 its previous meeting of 15 August 2019, for approval. 

The Forum resolved:-

to approve the minute as a correct record.

The Forum had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, on a submission of a Proposal of Application Notice by Halliday Fraser Munro, on behalf of their client, Mrs S Buyers & Donald Farms Ltd, for a mixed use major development incorporating a new retirement community, the extension to and conversion of Binghill House to a care home, new purpose built retirement and residential accommodation and other supporting uses and community allotments, at Binghill house, Binghill Road Aberdeen, 190857.

The report advised that the application site sat to the north of Milltimber and was allocated as both Greenbelt and Green Space Network in the adopted Local Development Plan.  The site contained Binghill House which was a category C listed building, its grounds and adjacent land to the east at Binghill Farm.

The report advised that this proposal would constitute a major development.

The Forum heard from Mr Steve Crawford, Halliday Fraser Munro, agent for the proposal, who explained that the proposal was for age specific active retirement accommodation and to also open up the grounds of the house for public use.  Mr Crawford also noted that a Local Development Plan bid had been lodged for the proposal.

Mr Crawford explained that a Proposal of Application Notice had been submitted on 28 May 2019 and a public consultation event was held on 20 June 2019. The public consultation event was attended by 85 individuals with 50 written responses received.  Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber Community Council had been consulted on the proposals and were currently seeking comments from the community via their website.  Mr Crawford advised that since the public consultation event, the proposal had been reduced in scale and would be for the house and grounds only, there would be no mainstream housing but all retirement/age-specific properties and a potential to shift the housing northwards away from the southern site boundary.  The proposal would retain the following:-

1. Retirement flats
2. Retirements cottages
3. Care home
4. Community allotments
5. Small on-site shop/café
6. Public access

Mr Crawford advised that the key features would be a low rise, low impact development, low energy homes with low running costs, high quality modern kitchens and appliances, high speed broadband, video entry system for apartments, communal garden areas, pet friendly, discrete care and community allotments.

The Forum also heard from Shona Buyers, site owner and applicant.  Mrs Buyers explained that she had inherited Binghill House and had previously leased it out however was now looking at other uses for it.  She explained that when her father was ill, he wished to remain living in Milltimber but found it difficult to find a suitable bungalow in the area.  As a result, Mrs Buyers felt that there was a need for housing for people over 65 and for people to maintain an active lifestyle.  Mrs Buyers noted that they were proposing 50 to 60 low density bungalows or flats and hoped to get the tennis court re-established.  There were also extensive woodlands walks.

The Forum then heard from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

The Forum had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, on a submission of a Proposal of Application Notice by Space Solutions, on behalf of their client, Parklands View LLP per CTL Estates, for a proposed major development with around 100 to 150 units, potentially including facilities consisting of approximately 1000-3000 sqm of class 1, 2 and 3 at Silverburn House, Claymore Drive Aberdeen, 191150.

The report advised that Silverburn House was a recently demolished office building located in a prominent position on a main route into Aberdeen from the north and the site had recently been cleared.  The site formed part of the Aberdeen Energy Park, which lay north of the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre and on the eastern side of Ellon Road.  Silverburn House and the surrounding land to the north and east was identified in the Aberdeen Local Development Plan as “Specialist Employment Areas” with a focus on Class 4 (business) uses.

The report further explained that to the south of the site lay the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, which was zoned within a mixed use area and identified as Opportunity Site OP13 in the Local Development Plan.

The Forum heard from Angus Smith, Architect for Space Solutions and Alex Robb, AB Robb, Property Agent and client representative, in regard to the proposed application.  Mr Smith explained that they had recently met with Bridge of Don Community Council in regard to the proposal and were not looking at the proposals on their own, but in line with the other planning applications in the area, such as the former Aberdeen and Exhibition and Conference Centre site, which was located close to the site.  Mr Smith advised that they submitted a bid through Aurora Planning Consultants for the new Local Development Plan in order to ask for the site to be considered as a development opportunity site for residential use of 100 units.  Currently the site was classed as employment land, but due to the downturn in the Oil and Gas sector, it was felt that this was not required as employment land.  Mr Smith noted that a notice was published in the Press and Journal and Evening Express on 18 September 2019 advertising the public exhibition and consultation event, which was due to be held on 8 October 2019 at the Sports Centre on Claymore Drive.

Mr Smith explained that within the proposals and site they hoped to have a local store, a dental practice, medical practice and a coffee shop, as well as a community green, landscaped areas, pedestrian links and also the retention of the existing sports centre which could potentially be a new operator.

The Forum then heard from Mr Gavin Evans, Case Officer, who addressed the Forum and provided details regarding the planning aspects of the application and responded to questions from members.

Mr Evans explained that the site was now a cleared site, following the demolition of Silverburn House, with the retention of the local sports  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.