Welcome to Planning Ahead – our weekly round-up of the latest proposals lodged across the north-east.
This week’s instalment comes after a bruising week for Aberdeen – with six libraries, Bucksburn Swimming Pool and the Beach Leisure Centre all poised to close amid council cuts.
So let’s have a break from the gloom with a look forward towards some new developments that might be coming to the north-east.
Fans of Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons will be pleased to see plans for an Aberdeen drive-thru begin to accelerate, while Union Street could get a much-needed boost with new student flats.
But first, we have a few proposals lodged by those enjoying life in the picturesque north-east countyside…
New family room planned at stunning steading near castle
The owners of a large former steading next to Crathes Castle have lodged plans to do it up.
Emma Wood wants to extend the five-bedroom home with a new entrance porch.
And a 1.5 storey extension to the rear could form a new family room and two extra bedrooms.
The 19th-century property on the outskirts of Banchory was said to offer “stunning views across the River Dee valley and Crathes Castle Estate” when put on the market.
It was sold for £515,000 in 2021.
Deeside home needed for family timber firm as business grows
Meanwhile, Aboyne-based Craig Nicoll Timber wants to build a huge new home at Broomfield, betweeen Kincardine O’Neil and Aboyne.
The family-run business, formed in 2006, is based nearby and the new home is needed as it expands.
Planning papers explain that the company has branched out into the renewables market, with log-chopping areas for customers who use wood-burning stoves.
John Wink architects explains: “The business works long hours including evenings and weekends, as this is the only suitable time many of their customers can collect or get their order delivered.
“Biomass is a fast growing market and the business has tried to set themselves up as the lead supplier in the area.
“This is extremely labour intensive and requires long hours on site which the whole family is involved in to ensure its viability.”
The documents explain that the new four-bedroom home is needed to “fulfil the demand” and ensure its future.
There would be four double bedrooms on the first floor, along with a guest bedroom, office and plentiful living space downstairs (and two wood-burning stoves).
Inverurie chicken sheds could make way for property
Parts of a former poultry farm near Inverurie could be turned into a new house.
Fetternear Poultry Farm, at Blairdaff, now belongs to New Zealander Alistair Nieuwenhuyse.Â
And the Reflex Subsea director is seeking permission to proceed with work on the land.
Papers submitted to the council explain that it was previously an “extensive poultry farm”, which ceased operations five years ago.
Mr Nieuwenhuyse has demolished several of the old sheds that were there, to start the “greening” of the landscape.
But it’s the largest and most modern poultry shed that he now aims to convert it into a home – while retaining some of the structure to help with his rewilding efforts.
Crumbling cottage could become Rothienorman home
Joiner James Hall wants to demolish a derelict farm building at Rothienorman to make way for a modern two-bedroom home.
The two-storey property would have a gallery/snug on the first floor overlooking the surrounding Mid-Lenshie Farm.
Their design also takes into account the prospect of future inhabitants becoming less mobile – with a bedroom and an accessible bathroom on the ground floor, along with “all of the essential living accommodation”.
Westhill guesthouse to become home
The “longest established” guesthouse in Westhill looks set to welcome its final visitors.
Kirkside Guesthouse, owned by Graeme and Sandra Henderson, could soon be converted into a home.
Papers sent to Aberdeenshire Council explain that the couple have made their “best efforts” to sell it as a business for more than a year – with no buyers coming forward.
The asking price was even dropped from £500,000 to £475,000, to no avail.
Kirkside was turned into a guesthouse in 2000, and enjoyed many successful years with workers due to its proximity to Westhill Business Park and Aberdeen airport.
Now the owners want to retire, and move to a smaller property.
They believe their best chance of selling Kirkside is as a home, and say there would remain sufficient alternative visitor accommodation in the town.
Good news for Ellon fitness fans!
Plans for a new gym in the heart of Ellon have been approved, after being delayed when councillors raised concerns about road safety.
Glenshire Developments has now been given permission to turn storage space to the rear of Greens of Ellon into a new fitness facility.
The unit will be run by Arena Strength and Fitness, which currently operates a 24-hour venue in Peterhead.
Braemar hydration plans on tap
Scottish Water wants to install a new top-up water tap in Braemar, just weeks after similar plans were formed for Aboyne.
The tap would be installed outside the Mews, just opposite the luxury Fife Arms Hotel.
Popular Aberdeen Tim Hortons plans progressing
Drivers heading along Aberdeen’s Craigshaw Road might soon see a giant red coffee cup looming before them.
Canadian chain Tim Hortons was given permission to build a new branch at the site of the former Craigshaw House last year.
Now, as the plans ramp up, a new application has been submitted for the various signs required as part of the East Tullos development.
Tim Hortons – named after its co-founder, a former ice hockey star – has opened a number of stores across Scotland in recent years.
And the prospect of getting their hands on the firm’s famous doughnuts has had Aberdonians salivating for some time.
Newtonhill telescope to offer scenic sea views
Two years ago, a nautical sculpture by the elusive “Stonehaven Banksy” helped draw attention to the stunning coastal scenery at Newtonhill.
The Isabella artwork was placed at the scene of the historic shipwreck that inspired it.
Now, at the same spot off Skateraw Road, local volunteers are hoping to install a new telescope so that people can enjoy gazing out to the horizon.
The device, to be placed on a pedestal and pointed east, will be identical to the one a few miles away along the Stonehaven boardwalk.
Leader of the volunteer group, Alan Jones, says it will “complement the ‘Isabella’ schooner model given planning permission in 2021”.
Sculptor Jim Malcolm got the “Banksy” nickname because he installed the originals under cover of darkness – and the ship artwork was the first created outside Stonehaven.
Holburn Street take-away plans revived
Last year, plans for a new pizza and kebab shop on Aberdeen’s Holburn Street left upstairs neighbours worried about unwelcome wafts reaching their rooftop garden.
In November, we revealed how the scheme was withdrawn after the backlash.
Now applicants have returned the planning application to the table, hoping for more luck this time.
Could dozens of students soon be living on Aberdeen’s Granite Mile?
The former offices of the commercial property firm DM Hall could be turned into a new block of student flats on Aberdeen’s Union Street.
The firm relocated from its longstanding home to a spot overlooking the nearby Union Terrace Gardens in 2019.
Since then, there has been little interest in taking over the offices at Victoria House.
Blueprints for the space above the Amarone Italian restaurant and Sk:n cosmetic treatment clinic have been submitted by Simon Flame of Edinburgh-based Inspired City Living.
The transformation would see the first, second and third floor offices become 25 student flats.
It also comes as Union Street’s declining state reaches crisis point.
At a recent summit, one of the many ideas tabled to bring life back to the central thoroughfare was getting more students to live in the city centre.
The Union Street student flats scheme comes after the former Travelodge nearby on Justice Mill Lane was turned into student flats, along with the Bauhaus hotel nearby.
And just off George Street, a former Hilton will become student accommodation too.
Would you like to see more student accommodation in the city centre? Let us know in our comments section below
Earl of Kintore wants to knock down derelict farm building on estate
The Earl of Kintore has lodged plans to build two new homes on his Keithhall House Estate near Inverurie.
He wants to knock down a 1950s building used to shelter bulls for the pair of houses.
Have a look at the old farm and the shed planned for demolition in this aerial footage:
The peer needs permission due to the historic nature of the site, which has been in his family since 1663.
Papers submitted to Aberdeenshire Council explain how the estate has evolved over the years, with each earl since its first 17th century owner “extending and adding” to it.
The main A-listed Keithhall House, for example, was converted into 14 flats in the 1980s.
The building and accompanying bull pens were added near the home farm on the estate.
But the 1950s bull house poised for demolition has now fallen into disrepair.
Planning papers state: “If the building is neglected further, the roof will further decay with the danger of collapse in the future.”
“Due to the building no longer being in use as an agricultural purpose, consideration has been given to a new appropriate use of the site.”
The current 14th Earl of Kintore – also known as Lord Keith of Inverurie and Keithhall, Viscount Stonehaven and Baron Stonehaven – is James William Falconer Keith.
The 46-year-old, who attended Gordonstoun, succeeded his father in 2004.
Here are how the new houses would look:
You can see this week’s plans for yourself using these links:
Coy Steading West in Crathes Castle
Craig Nicoll Timber family homeÂ
Crumbling Rothienorman cottage
Newtonhill telescope proposalÂ
Union Street student flats proposal
Conversation