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Exclusive: Council blunder delays decision on housing plans at Aberdeen’s Treetops hotel

Planning officers have made an oversight which means councillors can't vote on the scheme as hoped.

The proposal has sparked controversy in the area.
The proposal has sparked controversy in the area. Image: Halliday Fraser Munro

A paperwork bungle has waylaid crunch talks on plans to build homes on the site of Aberdeen’s former Treetops hotel.

The future of the Springfield Road site was due to be decided on Thursday, May 25.

It has been a long time in the making, with the plans first unveiled in October 2021.

Just days away from the summit, concerned locals have piped up to point out a major problem…

The Treetops Hotel closed in 2020 and was demolished that year. Image: DC Thomson

What’s the blunder that has waylaid Treetops hotel housing plans?

Craigiebuckler and Seafield Community Council’s views will be essential in reaching a verdict.

But it transpired that nobody had notified them of important changes to the application, which warranted their input.

And now officials have been left scrambling to right that wrong.

This is how the scheme would be built. Image: by Halliday Fraser Munro

It’s understood that the community leaders were initially offered a five-day window to submit a response, which they balked at considering there’s normally a 21-day timeframe.

Instead the talks have been cancelled, with the meeting shifted a week forward to Thursday, June 1.

The site of the former Treetops Hotel, where housing plans have fallen foul of a council blunder.

Community champions aren’t fans of the plans

The community council commented on the plans shortly after they were formed in 2021, raising an official objection.

Chairman William Sell listed several gripes, warning of an impact on roads, schools and the local medical practice.

He also slammed the “retrograde architecture” of the “too tall” buildings.

William Sell is the chairman of the group, whose views on the Hilton Treetops were not sought following a paperwork blunder.

In November 2022, developers Malcolm Allan made some “major changes” to the blueprint… Which sparked another round of consultations.

Under the revised scheme, the 30 affordable homes originally included on the footprint of the hotel would instead be built about a mile away on the former site of Braeside Primary School.

The issue at Braeside is another controversy altogether, with many locals against affordable housing being built in the leafy area. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

The change brought the number of homes planned for the Springfield Road hotel plot down from 89 to 77.

The community council should have been consulted again, but weren’t.


Are you for or against the proposal? Let us know in our comments section below


‘Public spirited volunteers should not be disregarded’

Local councillor Martin Greig told us of his relief that the community council will now be able to inform the process.

He explained why their views are paramount.

Councillor Martin Greig, spoke out against the Hilton Treetops housing blunder by officials. Image: DC Thomson

Mr Greig said: “Community councils have an important role to play in the planning process.

“There is not an option to ignore them.

“Others were notified of the major changes, but not the community council.

“These are public spirited volunteers who should be supported and encouraged. Their contribution should not be disregarded.”

Councillors have been urged to back the proposal when they eventually meet.

You can see the plans here.

Conversation