Agenda item

The Forum had before it a report by the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, on a submission of a Proposal of Application Notice by JLL (Glasgow) on behalf of their client Aberdeen City Council, for a major residential development of approximately 105 units, associated streets, parking and external amenity at the land of the former Craighill Primary School, Hetherwick Road Aberdeen, 200850.

The report advised that the site was previously occupied by Craighill Primary School in Kincorth and was a brownfield site.  All buildings had been removed from the site, and it was now vacant. It had an irregular shape and extended to 1.61 hectares. The site was bounded by Hetherwick Road to the north, Gardner Road to the east and south, and Gardner Drive to the west.  A block of three storey flats was located immediately to the south west, with a single bungalow set in the school grounds along the southern boundary. There was a cluster of mature trees in the south east corner.  The western half of the site, excluding the area of playing fields to the east, was allocated as Opportunity Site 57 in the 2017 Aberdeen Local Development Plan for residential use and this allocation was proposed to be the same in the 2020 Proposed Aberdeen Local Development Plan. The remainder of the site was shown as residential zoning.

The report also explained that full details of the proposals were still being prepared, although an indicative site layout showed a total of 99 units, split into 15 terraced houses and 74 flats. The flatted blocks would be 3 and 4 storeys in height, with the terraced properties being 2 storeys. Vehicular access would be taken from Gardner Road to the south and Hetherwick Road to the north, with additional pedestrian entrances into the site from Gardner Drive to the west. The proposals include a walled garden with community orchard, external amenity areas serving the flats and parking courts.

The Forum heard from Dineke Brasier, Senior Planner who addressed the Forum and provided details regarding the planning aspects of the application. 

Ms Brasier explained that as part of the application, the applicant had been advised that the following information would need to accompany the formal submission:-

• Pre Application Consultation Report;
• Design and Access Statement, including visualisations;
• Planning Statement;
• Transport Assessment/ transport Statement;
• Travel plan
• Drainage Impact Assessment
• Tree Survey and Arboricultural Impact Assessment;
• Landscape Strategy

The Forum then heard from the applicant/agent and the presenters were as follows:-

• Mark Thompson – JM Architects
• Henry McKeown – JM Architects
• Andrew Low – Faithful and Gould
• Ewan Scott – Ramsay and Chalmers
• Colin Doig – Aberdeen City Council

Mr Thompson began the presentation and advised that they aimed to make the development a pedestrian focused neighbourhood with placemaking at the heart of their ideas and vision.  There would be apartment blocks with courtyard space for amenity, community led amenity space, an orchard within the walled garden and the existing tree cluster would remain.

Mr Thompson explained there would a real emphasis on design and some of the key design criteria being used to ensure quality habitable spaces for residents included (a) Housing for Varying Needs standards applied throughout; (b) dementia friendly design which would utilise dual-aspect internal layouts; (c) large windows to flood internal spaces with natural light and ventilation; (d) gold standard level of energy efficiency; and (e) large provision of wheelchair accessible units which would be 29% of site total, with the target 15%.

The 99 proposed units would be made up of 18 wheelchair accessible one bedroom flats, 48 one bedroom flats, 6 three bedroom wheelchair accessible properties and 12 three bedroom flats, as well as 5 three bedroom terraced houses which would be wheelchair accessible and 10 three bedroom terraced properties.

Mr Thompson advised that the principles underlying the approach for the applicant and design quality objectives were:-

·        Incorporate the latest design principles of good practice as promoted by Scottish Government and Architecture and Design Scotland;

·        Be energy and cost efficient and sustainable for both Aberdeen City Council maintenance and tenants’ living costs;

·        To develop sites that require minimal Aberdeen City Council maintenance requirements and reduce whole life cost; and

·        To develop a uniform and standardised approach to new housing to aid maintenance, repair, and future refurbishment, whilst enhancing place making and the social environment.

Mr Thompson also indicated that the aim was for the residential streets to provide an environment in which people can safely interact with each other and take pleasure in their surroundings. The combination of buildings, street, and open space would create local identity and positively contribute to the character of the community.

Mr Ewan Scott also provided information on the principles of the road designs and how they hoped to have changes in surfaces, sharp corners to keep drivers thinking and also a design which would not encourage extra traffic, however it would be an accessible site for residents. 

Members then asked a number of questions of both the applicant and the case officer and the following information was noted:-

• In regard to the proposed balconies, the applicant/agent were communicating with Police Scotland about design and safety and the standards and minimums that were to be adhered to;
• There would be general clusters for bike storage and also driveways for the terraced houses;
• There would be capacity in 50% of the parking spaces for electric charging points, with the infrastructure in place to increase this in the future;
• There was no provision on site for a local shop as shopping facilities were within walking distance of the development;
• Every apartment block would be private so the amenity space could only be used by the residents;
• The proposed open space would be low maintenance and a flexibility with resident involvement in the walled garden;
• Aberdeen City Council were working with community teams in order to hold discussions around resident involvement with amenity projects; and
• A play park would form part of the next design stage with the landscape architect.

The report recommended:-

That the Forum –

(a)             Note the key issues identified;

(b)             If necessary, seek clarification on any particular matters; and

(c)       Identify relevant issues which they would like the applicant to consider and address in any future application.

The Forum resolved:-

(i)               to request that the applicant consider the key points above; and

(ii)              to thank the presenters for their informative presentation.