Agenda item
Former Banks O' Dee Nursing Home, Abbotswell Road, Aberdeen - 230685
Planning Reference – 230685
All documents associated with this application can be found at the following link and enter the refence number above:-
Planning Officer: Alex Ferguson
Minutes:
The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, which recommended:-
That the application for Detailed Planning Permission for the change of use of from class 8 (residential institutions) to form 24no. affordable flats, including formation/replacement of doors and windows; installation of cladding, and alterations to the car park and garden ground with associated works, at the former Banks O' Dee Nursing Home, Abbotswell Road, Aberdeen, be approved conditionally with a legal agreement.
Conditions
(1) DURATION OF PERMISSION
The development to which this notice relates must be begun not later than the expiration of 3 years beginning with the date of this notice. If development has not begun at the expiration of the 3-year period, the planning permission lapses.
Reason - in accordance with section 58 (duration of planning permission) of the 1997 act.
(2) SCHEME FOR SAFE MEANS OF PEDESTRIAN ACCESS
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied unless a scheme for the safe means of pedestrian and wheelchair access to and from the site from Abbotswell Road has been submitted to and agreed in writing by the Planning Authority and thereafter the approved scheme has been implemented in accordance with the agreed details, prior to the occupation of the development.
Reason: In order to ensure that the development can be accessed safely by walking and wheeling.
(3) NOISE MITIGATION
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied unless the critical noise mitigation measures set out in the ‘Mitigation’ section on Pages 17-20 of the approved Noise Impact Assessment (Couper Acoustics - Ref: 1029212314 – V1, Date: 8 June 2022) have been implemented in full.
Reason: In order to protect the residents of the development from external sources of noise and to protect the operations and viability of neighbouring commercial uses.
(4) EXTERNAL FINISHING MATERIALS
No development shall take place unless a scheme detailing all external finishing materials to the roof and walls of the development hereby approved has been submitted to, and approved in writing by, the planning authority and thereafter the development shall be carried out in accordance with the details so agreed.
Reason: In the interests of visual amenity.
(5) SOFT LANDSCAPING AND TREE PLANTING
No works in connection with the development hereby approved shall take place unless a scheme of soft landscaping works has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority.
Details of the scheme shall include:
(i) Existing landscape features and vegetation to be retained;
(ii) The location of new trees, shrubs, hedges, grassed areas;
(iii) A schedule of planting to comprise species, plant sizes and proposed numbers and density;
(iv) An indication of existing trees, shrubs and hedges to be removed;
(v) A programme for the completion and subsequent maintenance of the proposed landscaping.
All soft landscaping proposals shall be carried out in accordance with the approved scheme and shall be completed no later than the planting season immediately following the commencement of the development or such other date as may be agreed in writing with the Planning Authority. Any planting which, within a period of 5 years from the completion of the development, in the opinion of the Planning Authority is dying, being severely damaged or becoming seriously diseased, shall be replaced by plants of similar size and species to those originally required to be planted. In addition, prior to the commencement of the implementation of the approved scheme, detailed proposals for a programme for the long term management and maintenance of all the approved landscaped and open space areas within the development shall be submitted for the further written approval of the Planning Authority. Thereafter, all management and maintenance of the landscaped and open space areas shall be implemented, in perpetuity, in accordance with the approved programme.
Reason: To ensure the implementation of a satisfactory scheme of landscaping which will help to integrate the proposed development into the local landscape in the interests of the visual amenity of the area and to ensure that the landscaping is managed and maintained in perpetuity.
(6) HARD LANDSCAPING MATERIALS
No works in connection with the development hereby approved shall take place unless a scheme of hard landscaping works, including the surface materials to be used for all roads, car parking areas, footpaths and other areas of hard landscaping, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority. Thereafter no flat shall be occupied unless the works have taken place in accordance with the agreed details.
Reason: To ensure the use of satisfactory materials for the hard-landscaped aspects of the development.
(7) CAR PARKING
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied unless the car parking area has been laid out in accordance with the details shown on approved Bradley Craig Architects drawing D(0-)01 Revision H (Proposed Site Plan), or other such drawing as may be agreed in writing with the Planning Authority.
Reason: In order to ensure that sufficient car parking is provided for the development.
(8) BOUNDARIES
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied unless a detailed scheme of site and plot boundary enclosures (including all fences and walls) for the entire development has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority. Thereafter the boundary treatments shall be installed in accordance with the agreed details prior to occupation.
Reason: in order to preserve the character and amenity of the area.
(9) ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied unless details of all electric vehicle charging points to be installed in the car parking area have been submitted to, agreed in writing with, the Planning Authority and the charge points have thereafter been installed in accordance with the agreed details.
Reason: In order to ensure that sufficient electric vehicle charging points would be provided, thus encouraging the use of sustainably powered vehicles.
(10) TREE PROTECTION
No development in relation to the extension of the car park shall take place unless a detailed cross section and construction methodology for the areas of the extended car parking area that would be formed within the root protection areas of trees to be retained, as shown on the approved Tree Survey Site Plan drawing (Struan Dalgleish Arboriculture – March 2023 - Appendix 1), has been submitted to and agreed in writing with the Planning Authority. Thereafter the works shall not take place other than in accordance with the agreed details. All other works within the site shall not take place other than in accordance with the tree protection details set out in sections 4.3 and 4.4 of the approved Tree Survey.
Reason: in order to ensure adequate protection for the trees on site during the construction of the development.
(11) DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE
No development shall take place unless a scheme of all new drainage infrastructure, designed to meet the requirements of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority and thereafter no part of the development shall be occupied unless the drainage has been installed in complete accordance with the agreed scheme.
Reason: in order to safeguard water qualities in adjacent watercourses and to ensure that the development can be adequately drained.
(12) WASTE MANAGEMENT
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied unless the bin store area shown on approved drawings D(0-)01 Revision H (Proposed Site Plan) and D(0-)05 Revision B (Proposed Elevations) has been constructed and the required bins (2 x 1280l general waste, 2 x 1280l mixed recycling and 1 x food waste container) have been installed and are made available for use by residents upon occupation.
Reason: In order to ensure that waste and recyclables generated by the development would be securely and hygienically stored pending collection.
(13) CYCLE PARKING
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied unless details of the cycle racks to be installed within the Ground Floor cycle store have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority. Thereafter the cycle storage facility shall be provided as shown on approved drawing D(0-)02 Revision G (Proposed Ground Floor Plan) and with the approved racks installed prior to occupation.
Reason: In the interests of encouraging more sustainable and active modes of travel.
(14) RESIDENTIAL TRAVEL PACK
No unit shall be occupied unless a residential travel pack has been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority. Each residential travel pack shall identify details of different travel options available in the area in order to discourage the use of the private car. The approved travel pack shall be supplied to the occupants of every residential unit on occupation.
Reason - In order to reduce dependency on the private car for travel.
(15) BROADBAND CONNECTION
No unit shall be occupied unless a scheme for the provision of a full fibre broadband connection to each flat has been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority. Thereafter the scheme shall be implemented as approved and no flat shall be occupied unless provided with a full fibre broadband connection.
Reason: In order to provide all flats with access to high-speed communications infrastructure, in accordance with the requirements of Policy CI1 (Digital Infrastructure) of the Aberdeen Local Development Plan 2023.
(16) EXTERNAL LIGHTING
The development hereby approved shall not be occupied unless a scheme for all external lighting within the development has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Planning Authority, and thereafter implemented in full accordance with said scheme.
Reason: In the interests of public safety.
The Committee heard from Alex Ferguson, Senior Planner, who spoke in furtherance of the application and answered various questions from Members.
During the course of discussion of the application, Councillor Cooke advised that he was the Chairperson for the Integrated Joint Board (IJB). However he did not consider the connection required a declaration of interest, and indicated that he would remain in the meeting for consideration of the item.
Councillor Greig also advised that he was a member on the IJB. However he did not consider the connection required a declaration of interest, and indicated that he would remain in the meeting for consideration of the item.
Councillors Macdonald and Radley also advised that they were substitute members on the IJB. However they did not consider the connection required a declaration of interest, and indicated that they would remain in the meeting for consideration of the item.
The Convener also advised that he was employed with the Scottish Ambulance Service, however did not consider the connection required a declaration of interest, and indicated that he would remain in the meeting for consideration of the item.
The Committee then heard from Brian Winton, Iain Watson and Hazel Noble who all objected to the application.
The Committee then heard from Bradley Craig, agent for the application who spoke in support of the application.
The Convener moved, seconded by Councillor Greig:-
That the application be approved in line with the officer’s recommendation.
Councillor Boulton moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Macdonald:-
That the application be refused for the following reasons.
In relation to T2 of the Aberdeen Local Development Plan (ALDP) 2023, the access road to the current site did not meet current guidelines for pedestrian footway width and segregation from the road carriageway and it does not guarantee a safe means of pedestrian access to the development. It would be contrary to Policy D2 (Amenity) of the ALDP 2023 and the associated interim Aberdeen Planning Guidance on Amenity and Space Standards due to the rooms in the building not providing an acceptable level of amenity to residents. Occupants of the development would be adversely affected by noise emissions from the neighbouring commercial uses, contrary to Policy WB3 of the ALDP and Policy 23 of NPF4.
On a division, there voted – for the motion (7) – the Convener and Councillors Alphonse, Cooke, Copland, Clark, Greig and Radley – for the amendment (6) – Councillors Boulton, Farquhar, Lawrence, Macdonald, Thomson and Tissera.
The Committee resolved:-
to adopt the motion and therefore approve the application conditionally with a legal agreement.
Supporting documents:
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