ABERDEENSHIRE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FINALISED RESPONSE TO PROPOSED PLAN CONSULTATION FORMARTINE – ELLON TO BLACKDOG STRATEGIC GROWTH AREA Issue 56 Spatial Strategy – Ellon to Blackdog Section 4, The Spatial Strategy (p6 - 7) Reporter: Section 6, The Proposals Maps (p21) Schedule 1 Table 4, (p27) Schedule 2 Table 4, (p31) Development plan Schedule 3 (p34 - 41) reference: Schedule 4 (p42) Volume 3F Supplementary Guidance, Settlement Statements Formartine Body or person(s) submitting a representation raising the issue (including reference number): 561 Belhelvie Community Council 924, 925, 926, Knight Frank LLP on behalf of Kirkwood Homes Ltd 1416, 1417, 1422, 1428, 1448 Bancon Developments 1483, 1486, 1511 Halliday Fraser Munro on behalf of Harper and Cochrane 1637, 1944 Archial Planning on behalf of Stewart Milne Homes 1794 Paull & Williamsons LLP on behalf of Scotia Homes Ltd 1816, 1817, 1821 Knight Frank LLP on behalf of Colin and Esther Tawse 1896, 1897 Ryden LLP on behalf of Mr & Mrs Buchan 2674 PPCA Ltd on behalf of Tor Ecosse Ltd Provision of the development plan to Distribution of development within the Ellon which the issue relates: to Blackdog strategic growth corridor. Planning Authority’s summary of the representation(s): Overall approach and phasing Respondents 924, 925, 926, 927 and 1794 support the proposed spatial strategy, which focuses the majority of development in the early phase of the plan to Ellon. 1794 further comments that this will support the school roll at the academy and help produce a solution to traffic congestion in the town centre. 1422 also supports this approach, but questions whether the target of around 150 homes per annum is deliverable. Blackdog 1816, 1817, 1821: Part of the housing proposed at Blackdog should be included within the first phase of the plan and in advance of the completion of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. There is capacity in the existing infrastructure and it would help address shortages in housing land supply. An early start will provide a catalyst for the wider development and the economic benefits that flow from that, as well as supporting the Energetica Framework.. Alternative strategies Respondent 561 comments that the Blackdog proposal has little merit and the community would be better served by allocating development to Potterton and Balmedie, to help deliver improvements to existing facilities and to secure some existing facilities that may be threatened. They further suggest that West Balmedie should be identified as the prime development area, as it will offer a more amenable site for new primary school; a site for a new academy; a park and ride facility; employment land; and would integrate well with the existing village through new linkages. 1428, 1448: Proposes that Balmedie West offers a better development proposal as it lies outwith both the Green Belt and Coastal Zone. It would create a sustainable mixed-use expansion of the village of Balmedie on the west side of the A90 and provide the infrastructure and framework to facilitate that growth. 1896, 1897: The plan strategy should focus on existing communities, particularly given the importance attached to this area by the Structure Plan in terms of a Strategic Growth Area Page 1 and Energetica framework. Development will help to support and sustain services and facilities. These respondents suggest that a large allocation to the west of Balmedie is a more appropriate alternative to expansion of the community to the south east or at Blackdog. Respondents 1637, 1944, 2674 comment that Potterton is within the Strategic Growth Area. 2674 suggests that a strategic allocation at Potterton would enable the existing settlement to become a well planned, desirable and attractive place. They also suggest that it has a strategic advantage over Blackdog in that there is existing infrastructure and it is easier to get to the critical mass where access, services and facilities become viable and deliverable. Whilst respondents 1416, 1417, 1422, 1428, 1448 seek clarification on the role of Potterton as part of the Strategic Growth Area, they suggest that it should remain as protected, due to land use conflict and community opposition to major development in the village. 1637 and 1944 also comment on the education strategy for this area, suggesting that there should be provision for a new secondary in South Formartine, as this is not included in either Blackdog or Balmedie. It is further suggested that Potterton is the most suitable location for such an academy, as there would be opportunities for children to walk to school. Foveran 1483, 1486, 1511: Additional land should be identified at Foveran, split equally between the phases of the plan. Suggests that it is a key location on the Energetica corridor that should be considered for future development. Modifications sought by those submitting representations: 1637, 1944: Land allocations should be transferred from Blackdog to Potterton to include 600 dwellinghouses, 4 hectares of employment land and 7 hectares of strategic reserve land. 1637, 1944: Land for a new academy should be identified within Potterton. 2674: The Blackdog allocation should be removed and a mixed use allocation be made at Potterton. 1428, 1448: Reduce the housing allocation at Cromleybank in the first plan period to 545 units; delete the allocation on any development land at Blackdog and substitute a Green Belt and Coastal protection zone; delete the allocations at H1 and M1 in Balmedie East and substitute a Coastal protection zoning; clarify the role of Potterton as part of the Strategic Growth Area but as a protected settlement in the Green Belt; and allocate land at Balmedie West to accommodate the Masterplan proposals illustrated in the submitted masterplan. Summary of responses (including reasons) by Planning Authority: Overview The allocations proposed build on the delivery of a new replacement academy at Ellon, and in the period beyond 2016, on the provision of a major junction associated with the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. The strategy proposed is consistent with paragraph 77 of Scottish Planning Policy, as it coordinates land releases with programmed investment in infrastructure on a scale which is deliverable given the infrastructure constraints that must be overcome. While the strategy generally promotes development opportunities according to the scale of existing settlements, at Blackdog it allows for a significant village to be created with supporting employment opportunities. Within the corridor large employment land allocations have been made specifically to support the development of the “Energetica framework” (referred to in paragraph 204 of the National Planning Framework 2). Allocations made at Rashierieve, Foveran and Westfield have been made in support of this initiative, either as distinct employment land allocations or as part of mixed use developments. Access to all these locations will be facilitated by the approved dual carriageway improvements to the Balmedie to Tipperty section of the A90. The settlement strategy for the Ellon to Blackdog corridor is an appropriate and sufficient response to the land requirements set out in figure 3 (p14) and figure 8 (p17) in the structure Page 2 plan. Overall approach The support for this strategy is noted. While 750 houses are proposed at Ellon for the period 2011 to 2016, the structure plan is clear at paragraph 4.17 that we cannot expect all the new homes to be built in the relevant plan period. The development will contribute to the effective land supply and can expect to deliver completions over a 10 year period. Blackdog Development at Blackdog is dependant on the provision of a major new junction on the A90 and the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. Development at this location could not be contemplated in advance of those major engineering works, despite limited existing capacity. Development that requires crossing of the dual carriageway at grade is not something that should be promoted on road safety grounds, despite potential short term economic benefits. These benefits can be realised elsewhere in the interim. Development at Blackdog capitalises on the opportunity for a regionally significant economic development opportunity (a regional food market) and will provide key facilities for the existing community Alternative strategies- Balmedie and Potterton Development of this scale at Potterton would be out of character with the existing community, while development at West Balmedie would be separated from the limited services in that village by the dual carriageway itself. Substantial development in the West Balmedie / Potterton / Belhelvie triangle, to create a sustainable mixed use community, may need to be considered in the context of additional school capacity that may be required post 2023. But this is likely to be substantially bigger than either the Blackdog proposal or indeed Balmedie itself (622 households in the 2001 Census). The structure plan strategy anticipates further allocations of 1500 houses in this corridor post 2023 (Schedule 1, p27). Development at West Balmedie would presume the provision of infrastructure (a secondary school), over which decisions are not required for at least 10 years. Development of 175 houses and employment land is promoted in Balmedie, and this is sufficient to sustain and safeguard existing facilities. Neither Balmedie nor Potterton has the levels of infrastructure or services necessary to accommodate the scale of development proposed at Blackdog, and arguments that doubling or tripling the size of these communities (as would be the case in Potterton - 330 households recorded in the 2001 census) would achieve these benefits, are spurious. Expansion of Ellon Academy and existing capacity in Aberdeen City Council Schools (notably Bridge of Don Academy; at 74% of capacity in 2016) cater for senior schooling needs in the corridor during the plan period, but as noted above additional provision may be necessary to cater for future growth. The structure plan (para. 3.7) notes that it is a function of the Local Development Plan to decide which settlements and sites are within the strategic growth area.