Regeneration is boldly going into outer city space

By Heather Rose
Posted: 2008/05/09

PLANS for major residential developments in the north of Scotland - designed to broaden home-ownership in the Aberdeen and Inverness areas - have been unveiled.

One is a former Donside paper mill site set to become an urban village featuring affordable homes.

And outline proposals have been put forward for a multi-million-pound mixed tenure housing development for Inverness waterfront which will include what could be the tallest building in the Highlands.

The paper mill site is in the Tillydrone area of Aberdeen.

Planning approval has been granted to give the 25-acre site a new role as the setting for 278 new homes, the largest affordable home development in the area.

It is being carried out by Devanha for Tenants First Housing Co-operative, Aberdeenshire Housing Partnership, Grampian Housing Association, and Langstane Housing Association.

Sandy Murray, chief executive of Tenants First, said: "The village is a flagship development for the Tillydrone area and we believe it will be a catalyst for further regeneration.

"It will make a big contribution to providing much-needed high-quality, affordable homes in the city and create employment through the offices, shops and business units which will be built alongside the new homes."

The Donside urban village will include flats and two, three and four-bedroom family homes with adaptable layouts to suit residents over many years. It will create a community identity with gardens, offices, business start-up units and shops.

In Inverness the proposed development by the Caledonian Property Partnership is for a four-acre site at the edge of the South Kessock area in the city's north-west.

The plans feature 190 new homes created over five years. It includes a mix of social, key worker and private housing with a link to the city centre formed by a waterside walkway.

A Caledonian Property Partnership spokesman said: "At the heart of this outline planning proposal is a wide mix of social, key worker and private properties in an area that has only ever seen industrial and commercial use. We also expect a small number of commercial units to be created."

Donald Lockhart, of Albyn Housing Society, added: "This waterside development, based on principles of quality, innovation and integration, has the potential to continue this momentum. Many cities are developing their traditional harbourside areas for housing and Inverness has an opportunity with this proposed development to create something special."

INFORMATION:

For more details, visit http://www.prpartnership.co.uk/home/default_press.asp?pageid=215