Welcome to Planning Ahead – our weekly round-up of the latest proposals lodged across the north-east.
Every Monday we bring you a detailed look at some of the most interesting ideas submitted to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire councils.
This time new CCTV equipment in the garden of a west end home in Aberdeen has sparked a row about privacy – while peeling back the curtains on a bitter decade-long feud between neighbours.
Our latest instalment also features a boxing club’s plans to take over empty industrial units in Bridge of Don and the demolition of a dilapidated north-east church hall.
Improvements proposed for huge Mearns home
The new owners of a Stonehaven villa sold for £700,000 two years ago are planning some upgrades.
The A-listed Carronbank House, set in two acres of land, was built by renowned Aberdeen architect John Smith in 1835.
When it went on sale, we said the secluded five-bedroom Cameron Street home “wouldn’t look out of place in a period drama”.
And when previous owner Magnus Wardle decided to part with it, he said it would be perfect for someone “passionate about gardening”.
But he was honest about it being a “big undertaking”.
Fresh plans lodged with Aberdeenshire Council seem to support both statements.
Owners Pippa Robertson, Philip Hall and Ann Robertson want to carry out a string of external repairs and erect two new greenhouses in the huge garden.
Reports say that the roof needs fully re-tiled, chimney pots are described as cracked and covered in “heavy vegetation growth” while gutters need replaced.
Specialist architect David Chouman adds: “A programme of targeted works is now required … to assist in the long-term safeguarding and integrity of this significant historic property.”
Separate plans have been submitted for a pair of greenhouses, measuring 4x6m and 3x6m.
Historic Environment Scotland has already signalled support for the locations chosen, saying they won’t impact on the villa itself.
Another west end office could become new Aberdeen home
More and more plans are being drawn up to revert unwanted office buildings in Aberdeen’s west end back into houses.
Just two weeks ago, our round-up featured proposals for unused workplaces on Rubislaw Terrace and Carden Place.
The latest application has been lodged by Westhill-based Diamond Property Developments for the Norwell engineering base at 78 Queens Road.
Blueprints show how the building would be changed, with the offices making way for three spacious apartments.
Norwell moved into the Queens Road building in 2000, with Olympic rower Katherine Grainger the guest of honour at an official opening.
Bosses soon found something of an unusual, and strangely fitting, surprise feature…
The firm, responsible for drilling oil wells across the planet, found an old well at the front of the building – which had been covered up for decades.
Could new homes be built behind former Aberdeen offices?
On a similar theme, developers were last year granted permission to turn the nearby 31-32 Albyn Place office premises into two five-bedroom homes.
Since then, some work has been taking place there.
And now owners Albyn Court Ltd want to create a “mews development” of four new homes in what was the rear car park.
Crumbling church hall to be torn down
Plans to demolish a dangerously derelict church hall have been given Aberdeenshire Council’s blessing.
The scheme for the rear of the Congregational Church on Cruden Bay’s Main Street was lodged earlier this year.
Owners, Cruden Congregational Church, say it would cost £75,000 to 90,000 to restore the dilapidated 1950s building – with demolition priced at a fraction of that.
Agreeing that it has “no significant historic or architectural merit”, the authority has now approved its demolition.
Parts of Hilton church to become offices
Meanwhile, Aberdeen City Council has given the go-ahead for parts of the Jesus House church at Hilton Convention Centre to be used for business.
Under the changes, “a number of rooms on the ground, first and second floors” will be offices.
The building, just off Clifton Road, dates back to 1935 and was formerly the All Saints Episcopal Church.
It’s latterly been known as the City of the Great King Jesus House Aberdeen, part of a body with its roots in Africa.
Deeside church becoming antique shop despite traffic worries
Plans to turn the former Kincardine O’Neil Parish Church into an antiques shop have now been rubber-stamped.
The building dates back to the 1860s, but has recently been lying empty.
But the proposals lodged by Simon Kane from Aboyne met some opposition from villager Ria Tonks.
She railed against the idea of customers parking in the grounds when popping in to peruse the trinkets on offer.
Ms Tonks also voiced fears about motorists exiting into traffic along the A93 Aberdeen to Braemar road.
And she added: “The entrance gates to Kincardine Castle are next to the church. Customers may be tempted to park here and block the entrance.”
But planning officials said the proposal was “acceptable”, praising it as a way to bring a “currently vacant listed building back into use”.
Plans for new pizza takeaway in Inverurie withdrawn after complaint
Inverurie pizza fans could be in for some disappointment…
Fireway Pizza, hot off the heels of a successful launch in Mastrick, last year set its sights on the Aberdeenshire town.
The “designer” food firm earmarked the closed down Vanilla Cafe at 17 West High Street for the new branch.
But Alister Milne, who lives above the unit, was quick to raise an objection.
He said rats could be attracted by the food waste left in bins, “cooking smells” would invade his home and suggested his insurance would go up due to the “increased risk of fire”.
Mr Milne added: “If I were to try and sell my property, fast food outlet would decrease the value.
“There are already eight takeaway/food outlets on West Hight St!!!”
And the council’s environmental health team agreed that he could be “detrimentally impacted” by the waft of bubbling mozzarella and sizzling pepperoni.
Officials demanded more studies take place. And a letter recently sent to the authority confirms that the plans have been dropped.
Bridge of Don boxing club wants to take over industrial units
An Aberdeen boxing club wants to take over a pair of empty industrial units on Scotstown Road.
They’ve been vacant since oilfield equipment firm MCM O’Drill moved out, and have recently been refurbished.
The plans have been submitted by ex-amateur international boxer Tom McPherson, who runs the Bodbox group in Bridge of Don.
The fitness trainer offers one-to-one sessions along with other forms of boxing-based exercise for youngsters.
St Cyrus cafe latest as another new home could be built
A few weeks ago, we revealed plans to transform the Old Bakery coffee shop in St Cyrus into a home.
Owners Cabella Properties, which is based nearby and run by Wayne and Salinee Cabrelli, want to turn the Beach Road building into a three-bedroom house.
Now they are also proposing building another three-bedroom house in the car park to the east of the building as well.
Ashley Road CCTV installed amid dispute in Aberdeen’s west end
A decade-long spat between neighbours in Aberdeen’s west end has gone before the local authority after it worsened to the point that an elderly couple installed CCTV.
Diane Londragan lives in an upstairs flat on Ashley Road, above Edna and Charles Chalmers.
They both share parts of the garden, which is where much of the tension stems from.
In the wake of a civil court case last year, Mr and Mrs Chalmers installed new CCTV in their back garden – with one device placed 35 inches above their shed.
The pair, who have lived there since 1966, were acting “on police instruction” after several visits and a “campaign of harassment”.
In February they applied retrospectively for permission to keep it there.
But the camera, which is capable of recording images and sound, has been proving contentious in the community.
And the matter has now been debated in the Aberdeen City Council chambers.
Is Aberdeen west end CCTV ‘overly intrusive’?
Ms Londragan attended the talks to have her say, explaining how the garden is divided between the properties.
Despite a court case going against her, and the police advising the camera be installed as a deterrent, Ms Londragan claimed to have no idea why it had been put up.
She says the camera’s presence there is a “breach of her human rights” that’s left her “a prisoner in her own home”.
The west end resident added: “It’s overly intrusive.
“I’m no longer comfortable enjoying my own back garden.
“I find it very disturbing, all my activities are being recorded, and my conversations in my own garden can be recorded.”
Claims pensioners ‘have made life hell’
Ms Londragan also insisted she wasn’t aware of any security issues, such as any attempted break-ins, that have prompted the step.
Councillor Jennifer Stewart asked about the background to the dispute.
Ms Longragan told her the Chalmers “don’t like her”, and “have gone out their way for many years to make her life hell”.
She later claimed to be a “prisoner in her own home”, as she has been not been to her garden for five months due to the cameras.
These claims were later strongly disputed.
Theatre veteran has his say on drama playing out in back garden
She was backed by Sandy McRobbie, who lives on Union Grove and worries the CCTV impacts on his privacy too.
Mr McRobbie is a veteran of the theatre sector, and says he knows what he is talking about when it comes to such equipment.
He told the recent meeting that it “would be able to pick up audio” from his back door, with “resolution allowing the identification of people at the rear of his property”.
But Mr McRobbie said that, after relaying his concerns to the Chalmers, he was “visited by the police within hours claiming harassment”.
And Jody Robertson, who lives next door, wrote a letter of objection saying the CCTV “looks directly” into her garden.
She says this means her children “are being recorded without permission any time they step out the back door”.
Son-in-law says elderly pair have been ‘abused and harassed’
But the Chalmers’s son-in-law told councillors that the pensioners have been victimised by Ms Londragan for years.
Scott Glennie explained that Mrs Chalmers is “recovering from a severe stroke”, while her husband has “COPD, depression, diabetes and is in the late stages of Parkinsons”.
He said the “virtually housebound” pair installed the CCTV on their shed roof after “suffering a decade-long campaign of abuse and harassment” from their upstairs neighbour.
Mr Glennie added: “This culminated in a civil court case last year, where she was given an interdict for physical and verbal abuse, with a number of those events occurring in the garden.
“Since the first assault 10 years ago, police have consistently recommended installing CCTV. They said this would inhibit the abusive behaviour.”
Do you think the CCTV should have been approved? Let us know in our comments section below
Couple at heart of Aberdeen west end CCTV row ‘deserve better’
Appealing to councillors to back the scheme, Mr Glennie insisted it had “little impact” on the historic area.
“It’s elevated to prevent physical interference, the upstairs neighbour has tried interfering with it,” the senior project engineer noted.
“This needs to be brought to a close, and they deserve better.”
Councillors unanimously approved the application, despite some concerns on how it might impact the privacy of others.
Watch the meeting here.
The issue reflects wider concerns on how certain home security systems, such as doorbells fitted with cameras, can infringe on people’s right to privacy.
In October 2021, a judge ruled that security cameras and a Ring doorbell at a house in Oxfordshire “unjustifiably invaded” the privacy of a neighbour.
Read more about the rules here.
You can see this week’s plans for yourself using these links:
Carronbank House in Stonehaven
Kincardine O’Neil church to become antique shop
Inverurie pizza plans withdrawn
Aberdeen west end CCTV planning row
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