12 affordable homes at Duthie Road, Tarves, Ellon

What was proposed

The application sought 12 affordable homes, changing the house types and layout and adding four homes to an earlier 113-home permission.

“Full Planning Permission is sought for the erection of 12 dwelling houses (change of house type, plot layout and additional dwelling houses to planning permission reference APP/2018/1262 for erection of 113 dwelling houses, formation of public open space and associated infrastructure). The 12 residential units proposed are to be affordable housing.”

“The applicant proposes to increase the number of dwelling houses in this area of the development from 8 units to 12. The application site incorporates the plots 102 to 109, as approved under application APP/2018/1262 and APP/2024/1347. The houses previously approved were a mix of detached, 3 and 4 bedroom, two storey houses. Due to the proposed change in house types and reconfiguration the plots are renumbered Plots 102 to 113. .”

Officer report

The site and earlier permission

The site forms part of an ongoing development on Tarves’s western side, where the earlier permission was granted in 2019 and homes are occupied.

“Willowburn” is an ongoing residential development that was granted planning permission on 27 August 2019, under application reference APP/2018/1262. This permission was approved for erection of 113 dwelling houses, formation of public open space and associated infrastructure, with homes within the development completed and occupied.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval, considering the proposal policy-compliant and finding no significant effect on residential amenity or the area’s character.

“In conclusion, the proposed amendments to the house types and layout of these plots do not significantly alter the overall development and does not result in any significant loss of residential amenity or impact on the character of the area.”

Officer report

What consultees said

Roads Development and Scottish Water raised no objections, while education identified capacity pressures and Tarves Community Council objected to parking, access, open space and developer obligations.

“Environment and Infrastructure Services (Affordable Housing) have advised that this proposal seeks to change the 8 open market units to 12 affordable units. We are happy that this proposal meets Housing need as identified by Aberdeenshire Council waiting list 2025 and the Housing Need and Demand Assessment 2023 and welcome the additional affordable housing units as an opportunity outwith the Local Development Plan 2023 Affordable Housing Policy.”

“The development site cannot accommodate all the necessary access, parking and open space requirements and as such is overdevelopment which does not conform with the ALDP 2023 • It is inappropriate to permit less than 28 parking spaces. Parking on narrow streets causes problems for both emergency and delivery vehicles as well as service vehicles in the form of bin lorries etc.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The Senior Planner introduced the application and read out the community council’s additional objection; the applicant’s planning consultant also addressed the committee.

What members debated

Members questioned visitor parking, wider-site open space, the masterplan, emergency and service access, drainage, and whether the design suited Tarves.

“Members asked questions about the car parking available for visitors; the green open space available for the wider site and whether this application reduced the open space available; for clarification on the original masterplan for this site in comparison with the current proposals; sought assurance that the current proposals would still allow access for emergency vehicles, refuse vehicles and delivery vehicles; queried the SUDS proposals; and asked why the revised proposals…”

“Following debate, Councillor Hassan, seconded by Councillor Ritchie, moved that the application be refused on the grounds that it was contrary to: Policy P2 of the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan due to the significant loss of open space; and Policy P1 due to the compact nature of the proposed development with small gardens and limited parking being considered to be overdevelopment of the site, which was not in-keeping with the wider Tarves settlement.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee refused permission because it found significant open-space loss and considered the compact layout, small gardens and limited parking overdevelopment that did not fit Tarves.

“Therefore, the Committee refused Full Planning Permission on the grounds that it was contrary to: Policy P2 of the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan due to the significant loss of open space; and Policy P1 due to the compact nature of the proposed development with small gardens and limited parking being considered to be overdevelopment of the site, which was not in-keeping with the wider Tarves settlement.”

Minutes