Agenda item

Please note that Appendices 2 to 12 associated with this item can be viewed here.

 

 

The Council had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning which presented the Proposed Aberdeen Local Development Plan (the Proposed Plan) and Delivery Programme for approval.

 

The report recommended:-

that the Council –

(a)          approve the Aberdeen Local Development Plan – Proposed Plan and Delivery Programme;

(b)          instruct the Chief Officer of Strategic Place Planning to publish the Proposed Plan for a 12 week period for representations;

(c)          instruct the Chief Officer of Strategic Place Planning to publish the Delivery Programme, and other technical documents which support the Proposed Plan;

(d)          instruct the Chief Officer of Strategic Place Planning to complete the Environmental Report including Habitats Regulations Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment in consultation with Scottish Natural Heritage, and publish and consult on both of them alongside the Proposed Plan;

(e)          instruct the Chief Officer Strategic Place Planning to work with NHS Grampian public health to ensure that the Health in All policy approach was implemented in Aberdeen Planning Guidance and delivered through the development management process;

(f)           instruct the Chief Officer Strategic Place Planning to work with relevant stakeholders to prepare a Child Friendly version of the Plan when adopted; and

(g)          instruct the Chief Officer Strategic Place Planning to correct any drafting errors as might be necessary.

 

Councillor Boulton moved, seconded by Councillor Jennifer Stewart, the Depute Provost:-

            That the Council –

(i)               approves the Aberdeen Local Development Plan and Delivery Programme subject to the following changes as per the appended maps which can be viewed here:

a)  Remove Berryhill from OP2 Cloverhill and Berryhill and reduce the allocation to 550 houses;

b)  Rezone Berryhill from Residential to Business and Industry and identify as OP45 Berryhill (for Business and Industrial uses);

c)  Remove OP114 Milltimber South (60 houses) and re-zone from Mixed Use to Green Belt and Green Space Network;

d)  Identify B09/16 Craigton as opportunity site OP54 for 10 houses and rezone from Green Belt and Green Space Network to Residential;

e)  Identify B13/08 Royal Devenick Park as opportunity site OP46 for 150 houses and rezone from Green Belt and Green Space Network to Residential;

f)   Identify B09/48 Tillyoch as opportunity site OP53 for 250 houses and rezone from Green Belt and Green Space Network to Residential, but retain Green Space Network on the woodland in the south east of the site and rezone a remaining area of Green Belt to the south of the site to Residential; and

g)  Amend the HMO overprovision policy from a 15% to 12% threshold;

(ii)             instructs the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to make any further consequential changes to the Proposed Plan, Action Programme and other supporting documents as necessary to reflect the above;

(iii)            notes that urgent action, supported by large scale investment such as an Energy Transition Zone, was required if Aberdeen was to meet UK and Scottish government net zero targets by 2045;

(iv)            agrees the proposed Energy Transition Zone was developed as Scotland’s Energy Transition Zone and that failure to include this in the Local Development Plan could mean Aberdeen failing to maximise the offshore renewables opportunities the city had as a result of the Aberdeen Harbour Expansion, and losing jobs and status as the Energy Capital of Europe; agrees that the oil and gas industry had a key role to play as part of a sustainable secure and inclusive energy transition and by including the new Energy Transition Zone in the Local Development Plan, the Council, working with industry, would ensure it was supporting diversification and 53% of Scotland’s energy jobs (including renewables), or over 35,000 direct jobs, in the city and region and therefore Aberdeen continues to be a lead energy city in a sustainable net zero emission economy;

(v)             supports the comments of the Scottish Minister for Energy Paul Wheelhouse who said “Initiatives like the Energy Transition Zone could play a pivotal role in making that transition possible, by exploring how to develop renewable technologies related to technologies such as offshore wind, carbon capture utilisation and storage and development of hydrogen and derivatives of hydrogen in our energy system as well as increased investment in energy efficiency”;

(vi)            notes an Energy Transition Zone was supported by Opportunity North East, Scotland’s Minister for Energy Paul Wheelhouse, Aberdeen Harbour Board, Oil and Gas UK, The Oil and Gas Authority, The Oil and Gas Technology Centre, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Scottish Enterprise, Robert Gordon University, University of Aberdeen, and Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce;

(vii)           subject to the approval of the revised Committee Terms of Reference by Council later on today’s agenda (item 9.4 refers), notes that in line with the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (Commencement No. 3) Regulations 2019, the two planning applications (181224 – Inchgarth Road and 191771 – Cloverhill) which had been subject to a predetermination hearing would be considered by the Planning Development Management Committee; and

(viii)          approves recommendations (b) to (g) as detailed above.

 

Councillor Boulton in moving her motion provided a rationale for the proposals as detailed above.

 

 

 

 

Councillor Alex Nicoll moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Allard:-

            That this Council –

(1)       approves the Aberdeen Local Development Plan and Delivery Programme subject to the following changes:

a)    Remove Berryhill from OP2 Cloverhill and Berryhill and reduce the allocation to 650 houses;

b)    Rezone as necessary Berryhill from Residential to Business and Industry and identify as OP45 Berryhill (for Business and Industrial uses);

c)    Remove OP114 Milltimber South (60 houses) and re-zone from Mixed Use to Green Belt and Green Space Network;

d)    Identify B09/16 Craigton as opportunity site OP54 for 10 houses and rezone from Green Belt and Green Space Network to Residential;

e)    Identify B09/48 Tillyoch as opportunity site OP53 for 250 houses and rezone from Green Belt and Green Space Network to Residential, but retain Green Space Network on the woodland in the south east of the site and rezone a remaining area of Green Belt to the south of the site to Residential;

f)     Amend the HMO overprovision policy from a 15% to 12% threshold;

g)    the deletion of OP56 St Fitticks Park – Energy Transition Zone and retain as Green Belt and Green Space Network as its inclusion would be detrimental to the Landscape setting of the city and the Open Space Provision within the Local Development Plan; and

h)     the deletion of OP61 Doonies – Energy Transition Zone and retain as Green Belt and Green Space Network as its inclusion would be detrimental to the Landscape setting of the city and the Open Space Provision within the Local Development Plan;

 (2)      instructs the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to make any further consequential changes to the Proposed Plan, Action Programme and other supporting documents as necessary to reflect the above;

(3)       notes that urgent action, supported by large scale investment such as an Energy Transition Zone, was required if Aberdeen was to meet UK and Scottish government net zero targets by 2045;

(4)       supports the comments of the Scottish Minister for Energy Paul Wheelhouse who said “Initiatives like the Energy Transition Zone could play a pivotal role in making that transition possible, by exploring how to develop renewable technologies related to technologies such as offshore wind, carbon capture utilisation and storage and development of hydrogen and derivatives of hydrogen in our energy system as well as increased investment in energy efficiency”;

(5)       notes an Energy Transition Zone was supported by Opportunity North East, Scotland’s Minister for Energy Paul Wheelhouse, Aberdeen Harbour Board, Oil and Gas UK, The Oil and Gas Authority, The Oil and Gas Technology Centre, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Scottish Enterprise, Robert Gordon University, University of Aberdeen, and Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce;

(6)       subject to the approval of the revised Committee Terms of Reference by Council later on today’s agenda (item 9.4 refers), notes that in line with the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (Commencement No.3) Regulations  2019, the two planning applications(181224 – Inchgarth Road and 191771 – Cloverhill) which had been subject to a predetermination hearing would be considered by the Planning Development Management Committee; and

(7)       approves recommendations (b) to (g) as detailed above.

 

Councillor Nicoll in moving his amendment provided a rationale for the proposals as detailed above.

 

Councillor Greig moved as a further amendment, seconded by Councillor Delaney:-

            That Council -

(1)       approves the Aberdeen Local Development Plan and Delivery Programme subject to the following change:

(a)     the deletion of OP42 Hotel and equestrian centre at Hazlehead to reduce traffic impacts and protect the amenity of Hazlehead Park and its users;

(b)     remove OP114 Milttimber South (60 houses) and rezone from Mixed Use to Green Belt and Green Space Network;

(c)     identify B13/.08 Royal Devenick Park as opportunity site OP46 for 60 houses and rezone from Green Belt and Green Space Network to Residential; and

(d)     amend the HMO overprovision policy from a 15% to 12% threshold;

(2)       instructs the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to make any further consequential changes to the Proposed Plan, Action Programme and other supporting documents as necessary to reflect the above.

(3)       notes that urgent action, supported by large scale investment such as an Energy Transition Zone, was required if Aberdeen was to meet UK and Scottish government net zero targets by 2045.

(4)       agrees the proposed Energy Transition Zone was developed as Scotland’s Energy Transition Zone and that failure to include this in the Local Development Plan could mean Aberdeen failing to maximise the offshore renewables opportunities the city had as a result of the Aberdeen Harbour Expansion, and losing jobs and status as the Energy Capital of Europe;

(5)       agrees that the oil and gas industry had a key role to play as part of a sustainable secure and inclusive energy transition and by including the new Energy Transition Zone in the Local Development Plan, the Council, working with industry, would ensure it was supporting diversification and 53% of Scotland’s energy jobs (including renewables), or over 35,000 direct jobs, in the city and region and therefore Aberdeen continues to be a lead energy city in a sustainable net zero emission economy;

(6)       supports the comments of the Scottish Minister for Energy Paul Wheelhouse who said “Initiatives like the Energy Transition Zone could play a pivotal role in making that transition possible, by exploring how to develop renewable technologies related to technologies such as offshore wind, carbon capture utilisation and storage and development of hydrogen and derivatives of hydrogen in our energy system as well as increased investment in energy efficiency”;

(7)       notes an Energy Transition Zone was supported by Opportunity North East, Scotland’s Minister for Energy Paul Wheelhouse, Aberdeen Harbour Board, Oil and Gas UK, The Oil and Gas Authority, The Oil and Gas Technology Centre, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Scottish Enterprise, Robert Gordon University, University of Aberdeen, and Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce; and

(8)       subject to the approval of the revised Committee Terms of Reference by Council later on today’s agenda (item 9.4 refers), notes that in line with the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (Commencement No.3) Regulations 2019, the two planning applications (181224 – Inchgarth Road and 191771 – Cloverhill) which had been subject to a predetermination hearing would be considered by the Planning Development Management Committee; and

(9)       approves recommendations (b) to (g) as detailed above.

 

Councillor Greig in moving his amendment provided a rationale for the proposals as detailed above.

 

On a division, there voted:-

 

For the amendment by Councillor Nicoll (19) - Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Alex Nicoll, Audrey Nicoll, Noble and Townson.

 

For the amendment by Councillor Greig (3) - Councillors Delaney, Greig and Yuill.

 

Declined to vote  (23)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Bell, Boulton, Cross, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Duncan, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Imrie, John, Laing, Lumsden, Macdonald, MacKenzie, Malik, Mason MSP, Reynolds, Wheeler and Sellar .

 

The Council then divided between the motion by Councillor Boulton and the amendment by Councillor Alex Nicoll.

 

For the motion by Councillor Boulton  (23)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Bell, Boulton, Cross, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Duncan, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Imrie, John, Laing, Lumsden, Macdonald, MacKenzie, Malik, Mason MSP, Reynolds, Wheeler and Sellar .

 

For the amendment by Councillor Alex Nicoll (22) - Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Alex Nicoll, Audrey Nicoll, Noble, Townson and Yuill.

 

The Council resolved:-

(i)            to adopt the motion by Councillor Boulton; and

(ii)          instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to advise Members, by way of email, (1) whether a record of traditional gypsy traveller halting sites was held by the Council; (2) whether there was any representation made by the gypsy traveller community; and (3) the number of representation made in relation to OP56 St Fitticks Park and OP61 Doonies – Energy Transition Zone.

 

In accordance with Standing Order 31.7, Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Alex Nicoll, Audrey Nicoll, Noble, Townson and Yuill intimated their dissent at the foregoing decision.