The Lodge on the Loch hotel outside Aboyne could be turned into a huge home, an Aberdeen laser treatment clinic might soon be given a makeover as a house too and Gray and Adams needs to expand its Fraserburgh offices.
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.
First, we take a look at plans for a stunning new home out in the Aberdeenshire countryside.
Centuries-old Donside farm building could be given new lease of life
The owners of a 200-year-old stone outbuilding at Strathdon want to transform it into a modern home.
Kieran McGowan, who owns the nearby Bogforlea Farmhouse, has put in the plans for the building just off the A97 Huntly to Dinnet route.
He would keep the stone parts of the “historically important” outbuilding when carrying out the conversion.
Blueprints show it would come with a ground floor whisky room, to sample some malts while taking in the countryside views.
Aristocrat wants to build new home at Aberdeenshire farm
Meanwhile, Guy Linzee Gordon, whose family owns Cluny Castle, has lodged plans for a new home in nearby Sauchen.
He wants to build a spacious four-bedroom house on empty land at a nearby farm.
Cluny Home Farm is run by the applicant’s brother Cosmo Linzee Gordon and his wife Bronya.
The land has been in the family for generations.
Plans for Aberdeen guesthouse once leased by oil firm
In Aberdeen, a former guesthouse on Springbank Terrace could soon be turned into a block of nine flats.
The C-listed building off Crown Street dates back to the 1820s, and is recognised as a “good example of a simple, city centre granite terrace”.
It has some interesting history attached, as the former home of the “respected, loved and feared” Chief Constable Thomas Wyness.
In the 1980s, amid a rise in visitors connected to the oil industry, 1 and 2 Springbank Terrace were converted from two homes into a 14-bedroom guesthouse.
But following the downturn, and growth of hotels at the airport, many of these guesthouses – in an area once rife with them – have closed down.
And this one, which had been leased to an oil company on a long-term basis, has been empty since the start of 2023.
Documents say it was “repossessed by the lender” at this time, and has since fallen into some disrepair.
It subsequently went to auction and was purchased by the applicant.
Now, on behalf of developers Sovereign Properties Ltd, architect Deborah Anderson writes: “Change must happen to help preserve it for future generations.”
Sights set on new use for optician office in Aberdeen
And nearby, Aberdeen optician Duncan and Todd wants to offload a vacant building on the corner of Crown Terrace and St John’s Place.
The structure is to the rear of the company’s former base there, which is currently being offered to let.
You can see inside their 14 Crown Terrace building here:
At the moment, the building at the back is designated as an office, but it’s no longer needed.
And Duncan and Todd bosses need to adjust its use before they can seek a new taker for it.
They reckon it could, in the future, be used as a creche, art display space, a public hall, dance studio, yoga venue, or as a gym.
Bucksburn flats plan REFUSED
Plans to turn a Bucksburn nursing home into a new housing development have been binned by planning chiefs.
The scheme for the disgraced home was unveiled in 2021.
Bucksburn Care Home had to find emergency places for almost 20 residents when it shut down in 2015, months after serious failings were uncovered by inspectors.
While lying vacant, the Kepplehills Road building fell victim to some vandalism.
Developers later put in plans to demolish it for a block of six flats and 21 bungalows.
Why has the council now refused the plans?
The local authority said a wrangle over the ownership of the land, which is split between the Estate Of The Late Elliot Nichol and Healthcare Property Holdings, made it impossible to grant permission.
This means it would “not be possible” to secure the necessary developer obligations (the money required to compensate for the impact on local services).
Would extra homes have worsened school woes?
Meanwhile, education experts noted that the scheme would fall into the catchment area for Bucksburn Academy – which is “forecast to be over capacity within the next year”.
They add: “The proposed development would create additional pressure on space within the schools.
“A contribution from the developer would therefore be required, to assist with the cost of extending Bucksburn Academy.”
Dyce shop plan approved
Meanwhile, a few miles away in Dyce, plans to build a new shop on a long-vacant patch of land at Victoria Road have now been sealed.
The site next to Dyce Church Hall was once a block of public toilets, though these were demolished a few years ago.
Plans for the spot date back to 2017 when the idea for a shop there was rejected. The next year, plans for a takeaway met a similar fate.
These latest plans were first lodged last year, then withdrawn, and have now finally been rubber-stamped.
Dyce Community Council welcomed the idea of putting the eyesore site to good use.
Plans to welcome visitors to Muchalls
Visitors to the former fishing village of Muchalls, outside Stonehaven, could soon be given a nice, warm welcome.
The Newtonhill, Muchalls and Cammachmore Community Council wants to install a stone sign at the entrance, along with a “drawing representing the village”.
Gray and Adams needs extra office space at Broch base
Gray and Adams employs about 540 people at its 40 acre site in Fraserburgh.
The firm’s refrigerated trailers are a familiar sight on roads throughout the UK and beyond, used by many major supermarkets.
But now the decades-old outfit is in need of extra office space at the South Harbour Road depot.
Papers sent to Aberdeenshire Council explain that becoming “one of the major employers in the north-east” comes at a cost…
Namely, there can be a lot of paperwork to keep track of.
They explain: “In order to meet current legislation for retaining business and financial records, we need to create archiving space in the accountancy offices.”
This will require an extension at the building by forming a first floor over the existing ground floor office.
The documents add: “Gray and Adams have advised that they will not be employing additional staff as a result of these proposals.”
Braemar Gathering shed plea
The organisers of the world famous Braemar Gathering say they need more storage space for equipment needed at the Highland Games spectacle.
They have now put in plans for a new “games shed” at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park, just behind the main stands.
Lodge on the Loch at Aboyne could be converted into massive home
A few miles away, on the outskirts of Aboyne, the Lodge on the Loch hotel could be turned into a new home.
The premises was put up for sale last summer.
It remains on the market for £1.95 million.
And now owner Derek McCulloch has put in new plans for the 15-bedroom venue and spa.
Papers sent to Aberdeenshire Council explain how it could be converted into one of the most spectacular homes in Deeside.
Blueprints show how the large ground floor dining area could potentially be turned into a family room with an adjoining snug.
The spa room would become a home gym, and a first floor residents lounge could be a drawing room.
Meanwhile, two first floor bedrooms would become a games room and library.
Should the local authority consent to the change of use, this would open up the hotel to an entirely new market of potential purchasers.
Or, it would also give the current owner the permission to turn it into an abode of their own.
Laser treatment clinic could be turned into Aberdeen house
Over in Aberdeen’s west end, the Kirkwood Fyfe laser treatment clinic carried out its final eye surgery about a year ago.
The 12 Victoria Street premises was later put up for sale.
Now, Aberdeen-based Brick Lane Realty Ltd has put in plans to transform the building into a home.
It would have six bedrooms across three levels.
Have a look inside with this video released earlier this year:
Closure followed noise row
Plans for a children’s play centre at the building next door were approved in late 2022.
Kirkwood Fyfe led the crusade against the idea, with staff complaining that noise from rambunctious youngsters.
Do you think the building could make a good home? Let us know in our comments section below
Boss Robert Fyfe said: “Eye surgery procedures are intricate and are done under extremely high magnification.
“Any noise or vibration will disturb the confidence of the consultant and the patient, and of course, affect the accuracy of the procedure.”
However, councillors still voted the plans through.
Get a tattoo with a view…
Finally, plans for a tattoo parlour for folk with a head for heights have been approved…
The studio will open on the NINTH FLOOR of the Union Point tower block at Blaikie’s Quay.
Council officials acknowledged it may seem an unusual idea, but conceded that “the harbour no longer operates as it once did”.
They added: “There appears to be a number of vacant suites within this 11-storey building, demonstrating that there is no real demand at this time for such office space.”
Read about all of the items in this week’s round-up here:
Springbank Terrace guesthouse could be turned into flats
Lodge on the Loch Aboyne proposal
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