The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Hundreds of council houses to take shape
Work starts on huge £30m project
Construction began yesterday on Aberdeen’s biggest council housing project in 50 years.
The £30 million development on Wellheads Road in Dyce, will eventually comprise 283 properties.
Ogilvie Construction are building the homes on behalf of the city council, which has pledged to build 2,000 additional homes over the next four years.
Demand is such that there is currently a need for more than 6,000 new council homes within the city.
“Local people have worries about congestion and parking”
Aberdeen City Council co-leader, Councillor Jenny Laing, said: “The work at Wellheads Road accelerates our ambitious council housing programme.
“Improving the quality of life for residents is fundamental to everything this council does and the provision of high-quality, affordable housing, offering a range of tenancies, is central to that.”
Ms Laing said she hoped the new development would create an “inclusive community” where people “feel connected and valued”.
The project has not been without its detractors, with a significant number of Dyce residents opposing it.
They have previously expressed concerns that the plans represent overdevelopment and that the scale was not appropriate for an elevated part of the village.
SNP councillor for Dyce, Bucksburn and Danestone, Neil MacGregor, said he too still has concerns.
“Local people have worries about congestion and parking.
“Dyce is a great location for families and we do need more council housing, but it would be better to build a mixture of two-storey homes with gardens, while blocks of flats that are three storeys high would also be more appropriate for this site.”
Ogilvie Construction’s managing director, Donald MacDonald, said: “We are proud to be working with Aberdeen City Council to deliver new housing.
“It will provide a quality environment for future residents and the local community.”
Last year, 99 council homes were built at Smithfield, while a further 80 are nearing completion at Manor Walk. An additional 369 are earmarked for the former Summerhill Academy site and there are plans for more new homes at Tillydrone, Kincorth, Craighill and Greenferns.