The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Developer appeals refusal of care home bid
The team behind a planned 65-bed care home in Aberdeen have appealed to the Scottish Government.
The proposed home next to the Marcliffe Hotel was rejected by councillors last year, and now developers have lodged an appeal to have that ruling overturned.
The North Deeside Road hotel, and Mealmore Ltd applied for the 65-bed care home on unused land adjacent to the city’s International School.
There had been five letters of objection, including from nearby medical practices, whose staff raised concerns about their ability to cope with increased demand from the elderly patients.
Councillors were told that the developers had pledged more than £39,000 for Cults Medical Practice to help them expand in order to treat the influx of patients.
But concerns were also raised over the potential felling of 54 mature trees to clear the 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.”