The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Second housing proposal at quarry site thrown out
● Councillors go against advice from officials on £70m project
A£70 million project to build more than 200 flats on the edge of one of Aberdeen’s most famous sites has been rejected – for a second time.
Developers Carttera last night vowed to appeal Aberdeen City Council’s refusal of its plans for 245 build-to-rent flats on the northern side of Rubislaw Quarry.
Planning officers had recommended approval, despite more than 425 letters of objection.
Described by opponents as looking like a “prison block”, some parts of Carttera’s Rubislaw View development would have been nine storeys tall.
Proposals included a residents-only gym, function room, public bistro and promenade above the quarry, which has been out of public gaze for the last 40 years.
Planning committee member Councillor Martin Greig tabled the motion for refusal and later admitted being “relieved” his colleagues had backed it.
“The proposed building is completely unsuitable for the area as it would dominate the site and be visible from near and far,” he said last night.
“The chequerboard design is totally out of keeping with such a sensitive location.
“The striking appearance might be more acceptable in a more commercial area or somewhere that will cause less visual impact.”
The Hazlehead, Queen’s Cross and Countesswells councillor, whose ward includes the site, added that it was “unrealistic” for the potential tenants and visitors to rely on public transport links and there was “a serious lack of sufficient parking” in the proposals.
The emphatic rejection of the scheme marks a second time councillors have gone against officers’ recommendations for the site.
In 2018, Carttera’s first plans for nearly 300 flats were rejected.
Again, they were marked for approval but councillors backed the hundreds of objectors and rejected them.
The Scottish Government reporter upheld the council’s appeal.
Before its closure in the early 1970s, the quarry earned Aberdeen its Granite City nickname as millions of tonnes of the rock had been extracted.
Public objections were led by Hugh Black, who plans a heritage centre exploring the history of the granite industry on the opposite side of the quarry.
As the “absolutely brilliant” news of the council’s ruling broke, he told The Press and Journal: “Councillors have taken the right decision and we decision on
Picture from Carttera now have a few months to prepare for the appeal.
“The government reporter did favour some elements of the previous plans and some of the changes Carttera made were to satisfy their complaints.
“But they clearly did nothing to satisfy public opinion: categorically, a development of that size is not suitable for the site.”
Mr Greig added that the local authority must defend its decision “as robustly as possible”.
Planning permission remains for a smaller 116flat development at the site.