Development Bid Supporting Statement

Binside, Cairnie, Huntly, Aberdeenshire

On behalf of Strathdee Properties Ltd

April 2013

Halliday Fraser Munro Chartered Architects & Planning Consultants

Carden Church 6 Carden Place Aberdeen AB10 1UR Tel: 01224 388700 Fax: 01224 388777

Aberdeen - Belfast - Dundee - Edinburgh - Glasgow

e-mail: [email protected]

H a l l i d a y F r a s e r M u n r o Planning

1.0 INTRODUCTION This supporting statement is to be read in conjunction with a development bid submitted to Aberdeenshire Council proposing the allocation of 3 ha of land for residential use on land at Binside, Cairnie, Huntly. The bid is submitted on behalf of Strathdee Properties Ltd, the owners of the land. The site is believed to be suitable for the development of up to 30 houses as an allocation in the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan 2016. The following statement is structured around the Council’s bid pro-forma.

2.0 SITE DESCRIPTION Cairnie is defined as a settlement in the Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan 2012. Cairnie lies 4 km north west of Huntly. The village consists of around 40 houses, a primary school, village hall and parish church. Site H1 was allocated in the 2012 LDP for eight houses and this is now in the process of receiving detailed planning permission and being built out. This bid site comprises land on the south side of Cruickshank Terrace and Bin Avenue. This is around existing housing on Cruickshank Terrace and the proposed housing on the H1 site. The eastern section of the bid site is directly opposite existing housing on Bin Avenue. The land is south facing and slopes gently downwards to the Burn Of Cairnie. The land proposed for development sits above the level of the burn.

Figures 1—3: Various views of the bid site and existing housing on Bin Avenue.

Development Bid Supporting Statement — Binside, Cairnie, Huntly (April 2013)

H a l l i d a y F r a s e r M u n r o Planning

Figure 4: Context plan showing bid area in red.

3.0 DELIVERABILITY We believe that the proposed bid site at Cairnie is deliverable, with no constraints being identified.

3.1 Constraints The proposed bid site is not subject to any technical, environmental or planning constraints. It comprises grazing land immediately adjacent to the current settlement boundary. The adjacent watercourse sits at a lower level than where development is proposed, therefore no flood risk is anticipated. 3.2 Access Access will be taken from two appropriate points on Bin Avenue, one serving the western section of the site, the other serving the eastern area. There are no junction visibility issues with these proposals.

Development Bid Supporting Statement — Binside, Cairnie, Huntly (April 2013)

H a l l i d a y F r a s e r M u n r o Planning

3.3 Residual Value The site owner / proposer considers that the site is entirely viable, taking into account the development costs and market demand for the proposed housing. The fact that the proposer already owns the site strengthens the anticipated residual value. 3.4 Risks No risks have been identified with the delivery of the proposed development site.

4.0 THE PROPOSAL 3 ha of land at Binside, Cairnie are proposed to be allocated for up to 30 houses. This development would represent the measured expansion of the village of Cairnie and support the existing primary school and other community facilities. The market demand for housing in Cairnie is strong, given its close links to the A96 and further services in Huntly.

5.0 PHASING Up to 30 houses are proposed, and these are anticipated to be delivered in three phases of ten units per year, between 2016— 2018. Infrastructure such as roads and drainage would be upgraded in line with each phase.

6.0 MIX OF USES Housing is proposed on the site, along with appropriate open space and landscape provision.

7.0 CONTEXT—THE WIDER AREA The following section considers how the proposed development site will integrate with the existing settlement.

7.1 Relationship to Existing Settlement The proposed residential development represents the further expansion of Cairnie on the southern side of Bin Avenue. Cairnie already has development on this side of the road which will be further expanded when site H1 is built out. The proposal will consolidate the settlement pattern and provide a defensible boundary to the southern edge of Cairnie. 7.2 Connectivity The proposed bid site is directly adjacent to Bin Avenue, the main street in Cairnie. The development will therefore have direct links with existing services and housing. Adequate pedestrian, cycling and vehicular links will be provided within the development site in accordance with ‘Designing Streets’ and relevant Council policy. Cairnie is well served by public transport through regular bus services on the A96.

Development Bid Supporting Statement — Binside, Cairnie, Huntly (April 2013)

H a l l i d a y F r a s e r M u n r o Planning

7.3 Landscape Fit The bid site sits at a lower level than existing housing and other development in Cairnie, the majority of which is on the northern side of Bin Avenue. This arrangement ensures that development on the bid site will have a minimal landscape impact, sitting ’in front’ of and ’below’ existing buildings. 7.4 Character Cairnie is characterised by a number of building styles, from terraced council housing to newer detached bungalows. The development proposed on site H1 is of a more contemporary style, adding a further dimension. This provides flexibility for any future development proposals, providing that the development can demonstrate appropriate layout, siting and design in keeping with the existing built environment. 7.5 Cumulative Impacts No absolute capacity constraints have been identified. Upgrades to infrastructure such as the WWTP or primary school will be consider an progressed should they be necessary. 7.6 Setting The development bid site is entirely south facing. This presents opportunities for housing to take advantage of passive solar gain.

8.0 COMMUNITY BENEFITS The proposed development has the potential to bring community benefits through increasing the population of Cairnie in order to support the existing primary school and community facilities.

9.0 ACCESSIBILITY The development bid site is within 400m of the primary school, community hall, church and bus stop, all the existing services in Cairnie. The site is also within 400m of all the existing housing in the settlement. Further services are available in Huntly, a short distance along the A96.

10.0 CONCLUSION The foregoing sections have considered various aspects of the residential development bid proposed at Binside, Cairnie, Huntly. It has been shown that the site is deliverable, represents the measured expansion of a defined settlement and will bring benefits to the community through expansion of housing provision and supporting local services and facilities. It is respectfully requested that the land is allocated in the forthcoming Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan 2016 for up to 30 houses.

Development bid Supporting Statement — Binside, Cairnie, Huntly (April 2013)