Councils’ plan for 72,000 homes

Planners unveil hopes for the future

By Neil Evans political reporter

Published:

TARGET: The shaded area shows where the majority of homes could be built.

A WISH-LIST for the future of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire was revealed today.

It included building 72,000 homes across the North-east.

The plan, bound to be controversial, will see thousands of homes built on greenfield sites in Aberdeen.

Aberdeenshire will be expected to find room for 36,000 homes.

The Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Structure Plan, which was launched today at the city’s Beach Ballroom, sets out how planners want the region to develop over the next two decades.

It provides an overview of what is to come by 2030, although separate studies and reviews will have to be carried out to give more detail on how this can be achieved.

The ambitious plans aim to boost the population by more than 40,000 to as much as 500,000.

The rate of house-building would increase from an average of 2,200 a year to at least 3,000 a year.

A total of 19,100 homes, more than half those being built in Aberdeen, would be on greenfield sites.

The plans revealed development would concentrate around three areas.

The main focus will be the city and, although preference will be given to brownfield sites – land that has previously been developed – there will be a large amount on greenfield sites, which have not been built on in the past.

The plan aims to reduce the need for people to travel long distances to work and stop the current trend of people working in the city moving out to rural areas.

There will also be a “significant” development around the 66 mile road and rail corridor between Huntly and Laurencekirk and the gap between Aberdeen and Peterhead.

The plan calls for increased frequency of public transport for commuters, students, shoppers and visitors and also additional rail and bus stations.

There will be development in coastal communities between Peterhead and Fraserburgh and from the Angus border to Inverbervie, as well as within the city.

As well as attracting more people to the area, the report calls for efforts to attract more people of a working age.

New homes would be built for this predicted rise in population, as well as providing new homes for people already living in the area.

Aberdeen city planning convener Cllr Scott Cassie said: “We are planning for future generations.

“By 2030 the city and shire will have had to adapted to a different world.

“A population decline is incompatible with what we want to do.”

Peter Argyle, head of Aberdeenshire’s infrastructure services committee said: “This is a fantastic area to live and work.

“We have to remember this.

“We have to be ambitious.”

The plan does not set out how the various projects would be paid for, although it is likely developers would have to contribute to the building of infrastructure.

Although it sets out the number of homes allocated to various areas, it does not specify precisely where they would be.

Also included are the regeneration of Aberdeen City Centre, which is already under way, and the pedestrianisation of Union Street.

Rail improvements, including new stations and more frequent services, and a new community stadium which will be potentially a home for Aberdeen FC, are also on the list.

nevans@ajl.co.uk