Architects who saw plans to knock down a former Aberdeen printworks rejected last year have vowed to leave the granite building standing.
Councillors threw out Aberdeen Capital Investment’s proposals to demolish the Scottaspress premises at 15 Maberly Street in December.
Their designers, Neil Rothnie Architecture, have now lodged new plans promising to retain as much of the printworks as is “practically possible”.
Matching their previous aspirations, the scheme would include 17 flats over four storeys, requiring a modern extension to the east of the main block.
New additions would be finished in light grey to tie in with the traditional granite front of the older part of the development, the designers said.
Use the slider to see how the proposed flats will fit into Maberly Street.
Pledge to use as much of existing building as is ‘practically possible’
A spokesman for Neil Rothnie Architecture, in a statement submitted to the council, said: “Due to previous refused planning applications the decision has been taken to retain the granite walls of the existing printworks as much as is practically possible.
“Extensions from this building are mainly found at the front elevation to complete frontage and to allow for a generous area of inner city amenity ground to the rear of the development.
“There is also a roof extension across the bulk of the roof space in order to make the most of the development potential of the site whilst keeping the eaves level lower.
“Our aspiration is to create a scheme which in harmony with the eclectic nature of it’s surrounding contrast whilst achieving a high quality of city centre living, an aspiration of the councils local development plan.”
The flats would be marketed as a “car-free” development and would not be expected to contribute to the city’s affordable housing stock due to the council’s waiver brought in to encourage redevelopment.
Government backed council in rejecting demolition plans
City planners had objected to the lack of reused granite in the design of the previous proposals due to the “unsatisfactory design”.
Aberdeen Capital Investments and their team took the matter to the Scottish Government, whose independent reporter dismissed the appeal and backed up the council’s refusal of planning permission last month.
Set on a usually busy and quite narrow road off George Street, residents also complained the new build would be too tall, was not in keeping with the area and would amount to overdevelopment of the site.
The stretch, between the Sainsbury’s supermarket and Charlotte Street, is currently one-way due to physical distancing Spaces For People work.
Urging the local authority to back their plans this time, the developer pointed to the recent redevelopment of 34 Maberly Street, just across the road, for 12 flats in 2008.
Various plans – including an ‘urban village’ – have been backed by officials at the historic Broadford Works, despite the listing of some of the buildings in line to be bulldozed.