Bid to build houses on former site of primary

Abertay Housing Association is priming itself to build 43 new homes on the site of Charleston Primary School, at South Road.

It has submitted plans detailing the proposal to Dundee City Council’s planning department.

According to diagrams included with the application, the homes — directly north of the Tesco Extra store nearby — will be a mix of terraced, semi-detached and detached homes with two or three bedrooms.

There will also be cottage flats with ground-floor wheelchair provision, to ensure that those with additional needs are adequately supported.

The 43 homes — which will have “affordable” rents — will be built by contractor CCG Scotland should the scheme be approved by city planners.

Abertay has already completed similar developments to the east and north of the site, with the brief of creating an array of attractive and affordable homes in the area.

Staff from the housing association held a consultation on the latest plans in November last year and said the proposals had been warmly received.

In a report included with the application, the firm said the new homes would be a good fit for the area due to its proximity to Charleston Community Centre and nearby shops and schools.

The report reads: “The development will provide 43 affordable dwellings of differing size and needs suitable for a varying demographic.

“The close relationship of community centre, library, shops, play areas and primary school all increase and justify the sustainability of the proposal.

“The proposals were met positively, with no objections raised by any visitors. The community generally welcomed the redevelopment of the site.”

Stella Carrington, chairwoman of the Charleston Residents and Tenants Association, said locals are “crying out” for more affordable homes and welcomed the new plans.

She said: “The rents in these homes must be reasonable as people are always keen to move in as soon as they’re announced.

“The only thing I would say is that they could have been up sooner, as that site has been empty for some time. But I am absolutely delighted.”

Pupils were relocated from Charleston Primary School in 2013, joining those from Lochee Primary at the new Camperdown campus.

The building was later demolished at a cost of £150,000.

A HOUSING association has drawn up plans to build a fresh batch of affordable properties on the former site of a primary school.

Drawings have been submitted with the plans for the new houses at a former primary school site.

The former Charleston Primary.