Aberdeen’s Archibald Simpson Wetherspoon building is in line for changes, the Newburgh Inn has been fighting plans for an Airbnb nearby and a quirky Deeside statue could soon be in the spotlight…
All these and more feature in this week’s Planning Ahead, our weekly round-up of the latest proposals being pondered across the north-east.
Every week we bring readers a selection of the most interesting applications submitted to our councils to form changes big and small in our communities.
But first, let’s see what’s happening with that statue…
Brighten up the Braemar bucket!
We start with a trip to Braemar, and an effort to spotlight one of the Royal Deeside village’s most unusual attractions.
Last summer, the wealthy art dealer owners of the Fife Arms Hotel unveiled an eye-catching, rather giant sculpture of a bucket.
Contemporary artist Subodh Gupta’s made the stainless steel art piece, called When Soak Becomes Spill.
Now, its owners want to make sure it’s noticeable even in the dark.
They want to add two “directional lights”, which would cast a glow up towards the unique pail.
It comes as efforts to reopen the Invercauld Arms ramp up.
In April, we revealed that the revamp would cost bucket loads…
Pizza plans heat up as name for Dinnet diner revealed
A few miles away, a new pizzeria is on the way to Dinnet.
We have covered the mouth-watering plans before in Planning Ahead, most recently revealing that construction would cost £236,000.
And now, we can reveal its name.
It will be known as Kite.
Architect Ben Addy (who is behind the Invercauld Arms revamp nearby), told us that the moniker is both a nod to a resurgent local bird species – and it sister venue.
Mr Addy said: “The restoration and refurbishment of the former Dinnet General Store (latterly ‘Auld Alliance Antiques’) will safeguard this beautiful and locally prominent building for the future.
“Kite will be the sister business of Tarmachan café in Crathie.
“Just as Tarmachan is named after the Ptarmigan, Kite is named after the locally native Red Kite, which in recent years has become re-established on Upper Deeside after a long period of absence. ”
Extra space as Stoneywood school bursts at the seams
On the outskirts of Aberdeen, near Dyce, plans to erect a temporary classroom at Stoneywood School have been rubber-stamped after education chiefs revealed how the roll is set to spiral.
The £320,000 Portakabin will be erected in the playground for three years, to ensure there’s enough space for pupils.
It will be divided into two classrooms.
Figures reveal that the total number of children was just 285 in 2020.
But it’s now 434, and it’s set to surge to more than 500 by next year.
Documents sent to Aberdeen City Council say some additional capacity in has already been created in the school, which only opened in 2018.
‘We need to manage numbers’
Education chiefs add: “Longer term, we are looking at options for altering the catchment area for the school to reduce the number pupils who would be eligible to attend the school.”
This, they explain, would “manage pupil numbers and bring the school’s pupil roll back within its available capacity”.
It comes amid an ongoing tussle over a derelict building nearby…
Rural steading could become dream homes under new plan
Meanwhile, there are plans to transform steadings into three homes out at Lyne of Skene, near Westhill.
The proposal has been submitted by Jilly Arbuthnott, who owns the land.
Under the scheme, disused farm buildings would be converted into homes “combining old and new to create a grouping of homes which are modern in spirit and yet rooted in tradition”.
Turriff pavillion plans revealed
Aberdeenshire Council wants to replace an old pavilion at the Haughs in Turriff with an “attractive” new building.
It will include changing rooms and toilets with direct access to the all-weather pitch, including an accessible changing room and toilet.
The council says this will “enhance accessibility for people using The Haughs and encourage more usage”.
The area is known for flooding, and the design has taken this into account.
Hydrogen plans lodged at First bus depot on King Street
Now, First wants to create its own hydrogen fuelling station at its depot on King Street, for its fleet of hydrogen buses.
The Aberdeen hydrogen double-deckers were a world first when they were launched in 2021.
It is thought each vehicle saves around 80 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year as the exhausts only emit water.
Each 60-seater vehicle cost around £500,000.
What about the noise?
In the past, First has faced complaints from its neighbours up along The Spital when trying to install eco improvements.
Several complained about the potential hum from the equipment.
Perhaps anxious about another round of debate over the hydrogen fuelling plan, bosses have drafted in noise experts to advise on mitigation measures.
With the nearest houses 40m away, they reckon an “acoustic barrier” should be installed.
This could be a timber fence, lined with special material designed to “absorb” sound.
New signs planned amid upgrades at Archibald Simpson Wetherspoon
The famous Archibald Simpson Wetherspoon building at Aberdeen’s Castlegate dates back to the late 1830s, when it was created for the North of Scotland Banking Company.
It was later a Clydesdale branch from the 1950s, but has been a pub named after its legendary designer, known as the Architect of Aberdeen, since the late 1990s.
Now, Spoons wants to add a few extra touches to the A-listed Corinthian columned landmark.
However, the popular chain said it was “keenly aware” of the “history of the site” as it crafted the planned signage.
Papers sent to the council say they have therefore tried to make sure they “fit in with the building, to enhance the appearance of the site”.
Wetherspoon designers add: “The need for the signs is so that the building can be seen from down the road on both elevations.
“Overall, we feel that our proposed scheme is sympathetic and will enhance/protect the building for many years to come.”
What else is happening at the Aberdeen pub?
The plans to replace the signs come as the Archibald Simpson Wetherspoon undergoes some major upgrades inside too.
There are plans to spend £214,000 rewiring the kitchen, providing new electrical outlets and making new internal linings.
Meanwhile, new extract duct work is being lined up too – at a cost of about £66,000.
The investment in the Aberdeen venue comes as Wetherspoon closes several bars elsewhere, with 61 to shut by the end of this year.
The group, which has an estate of 801 pubs, said was shuttering venues which are “smaller and older”, or where it has another site in close proximity.
That’s not the case for either Aberdeen city centre venue, though.
A few weeks ago, Planning Ahead detailed some repairs taking place at the recently refurbished Justice Mill branch of Wetherspoon at the other end of Union Street.
What do you think about the changes to the historic building? Let us know in our comments section below
It comes days after the owners of a Union Street vape shop were ordered to take down an unauthorised sign deemed to be out of place on the Granite Mile.
Read more about that one here.
Newburgh Inn loses fight against holiday let next to hotel
The Newburgh Inn, on the southern entrance to the seaside village, is a popular spot for some hearty grub after a trip to see the nearby seal colony.
It has a busy restaurant at the front, a bar at the back, and 11 rooms upstairs for guests.
Recently, the venue has faced competition from a neighbouring short-term let, built just south of the hotel in the back garden of 4 Bridge Gardens.
The Airbnb-style self-catering venue has a lounge, kitchen and bedroom.
Why is Newburgh Inn against new short-term let?
In a letter to Aberdeenshire Council, hotel boss Martin Garton-Spence urged decision-makers to reject the proposal for the holiday let.
He said: “The proposed plan shows that the holiday let will be accessed via land which we lease.
“The roadway and parking spaces proposed would result in a loss of parking for our guests and staff.
“No agreement for the use of the land has been made with ourselves or our landlord.”
Mr Garton-Spence also claimed the holiday let “currently uses the hotel’s septic tank without agreement”.
Neighbour complains too…
Nicola Fraser and Kenny Robertson, who live nearby in the village, also wrote to the local authority to express their dismay.
She said: “I do not want a commercial business (holiday let) bordering my family home.
“I already live next to a hotel and do not want my privacy compromised further.”
The email continues: “I also enjoy the peace and quiet of my property, particularly
in my back garden, and the privacy afforded by being bordered on two sides by residential gardens.
“I do not want to jeopardise this by a steady stream of holiday makers visiting.
“I suspect this will bring increased noise levels. I also think this would devalue my property should I decide to sell in the future.”
So what did the council say?
More than a year after the plans were lodged, Aberdeenshire Council has now made its decision.
Planning chiefs say the site would “would benefit from the services, facilities and local visitor attractions … including the Newburgh seals and Hackley Bay”.
And they determined that there would be “no significant impact” on the privacy of neighbours as they gave the new tourist spot their blessing.
You can see this week’s plans here:
Dinnet pizza parlour reveals name
Hydrogen fuelling at bus depot
Archibald Simpson Wetherspoon: New signs for Aberdeen venue
Newburgh Inn fighting plans for holiday let next door
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