Developers appeal after Aberdeen care home decision

The team behind plans for a 65-bed care home in Aberdeen have appealed to the Scottish Government to back it.

Plans for a new care home beside The Marcliffe Hotel were rejected by councillors last year, and now developers have lodged an appeal against the decision.

The hotel, on North Deeside Road, and Mealmore Ltd had applied to build a 65-bed care home on unused land adjacent the city’s  International School.

There had been five letters of objection, including from nearby medical practices – where staff raised concerns about an inability to cope with increased demand from the elderly patients.

Members were told that the developers had pledged more than £39,000 for Cults Medical Practice to help them expand and treat the rising number of patients.

But concerns were also raised over the potential felling of 54 mature trees to make way for the development.

Sarah Graham, senior planning consultant for agents Halliday Fraser Munro, said in the appeal letter that the project would help meet the needs of the area’s “growing elderly population”.

She said: “The scale, layout and design of the proposal is appropriate to the conservation and the character of the area.

“The loss of some trees is required to enable the development, but we would suggest their loss can be mitigated through replacement planting and the new landscape scheme which in addition to tree planting, creates outdoor amenity and garden areas.”