Council planning chiefs are unhappy with proposals for a virtual consultation on the future of the site of a former Aberdeen hotel.
Demolition of the Hilton Treetops in the city’s Springfield Road began at the end of last year – with developers remaining silent on what was to be built in its place.
But now, Malcolm Allan Housebuilders has indicated plans could soon be submitted with the council to build 95 homes on the 6.75-acre plot.
The developer alongside consultants Halliday Fraser Munro had proposed an online consultation on the development.
But Aberdeen City Council has demanded that they change the virtual event and said the plans for it were ” insufficient.”
Replying to the company, the local authority said: “After consideration of your Proposal of Application Notice which was received on March 15, it is the opinion of the planning authority that the proposed consultation is insufficient for the development proposed.”
Aberdeen City Council’s planning service has set out a number of improvements it wants to be included in the consultation.
Their letter said: “A time period has not been specified for the online public consultation event. To capture a sufficient potential audience, including those who may be working
during the day, the public event should run for a minimum of 4 hours until at least 8pm on the chosen date.
“The dedicated website/virtual exhibition boards must be available for the public to
view and to comment on, no later than seven days prior to the online consultation
event and preferably by the time that the notifications of the event are sent out.
“The website must incorporate a function whereby questions and comments can
be made and responded to, as is proposed through the PoAN. The website must
also clearly include details of the date and time of the consultation event and how
it can be accessed.”
In total it makes six recommended changes to the consultation event including writing to residents who live near the former hotel site.
In a letter sent to the council last month, Halliday Fraser Munro said they had opted for an online consultation due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The document said: “Due to continuing restrictions on public gatherings the public consultation will take place online.
“The public consultation will take place late April using virtual exhibition boards. These will be available approximately one week prior to the event and two weeks after.
“An online interactive public event allowing live Q and A will take place to allow the public to ask follow up questions.”
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