Design & Access Statement Kindrochit Court Eco-homes, Braemar Stage 3 Report (FINAL) - (26.04.22) John Gilbert Architects, with Design Engineering Workshop, Raeburn Farquhar Bowen, NBM Cost Consultants, Premier Energy, Highland Passiv + WARM John Gilbert Architects Ltd 201 The White Studios Templeton on the Green 62 Templeton Street Glasgow G40 1DA Tel: 0141 551 8383 www.johngilbert.co.uk Kindrochit Court Eco-homes, Braemar Kindrochit Court Eco-homes, Braemar Stage 3 Report (FINAL) - (26.04.22) John Gilbert Architects, with Design Engineering Workshop, Raeburn Farquhar Bowen, NBM Cost Consultants, Premier Energy, Highland Passiv + WARM Contents 1. Introduction, Planning and Process 1 Introduction - The Story So Far - Planning Aspects - Our Design Process 2. Site Appraisal and Development 10 The Existing Site - Geography, Weather and Climate - Flood Risk - Landscape Considerations - Ground - Access, Roads and Parking - Utilities 3. House Design Aspects 30 Housing Layout - Housing Form and Arrangement - Responding to the Brief - Other Aspects 4. Works Phasing 46 Works Phasing 1 Kindrochit Court Eco-homes, Braemar 1.Introduction, Planning and Process John Gilbert Architects 1 Kindrochit Court Eco-homes, Braemar 1.1. Introduction This Report Authors The Project This document has been prepared by John Gilbert Architects (JGA) in collaboration with Raeburn Farquhar Bowen Landscape Consultants (RFB), Design Engineering Workshop (DEW) (Structural The project is to create community-led, climate resilient, affordable housing for social rent in Engineers) and NBM Cost Consultants. Braemar. The project is funded by Scottish Government and private finance and will enable the construction of fifteen homes, along with all associated access, services and landscaping. We have been supported in our work by an array of other consultants who have provided surveys and other documents as required by the process. These consultants include: The client for this project is Braemar Community Ltd who are described in more detail in the next section. From the outset, the aspirations of the community have been high with a brief that - Premier Energy (Specialists who have provided information on utilities) requires that the winning design team prepare proposals that take account of a number of - Fairhurst (Engineers who will provide information on ground conditions, drainage impact and important issues. contaminated land) - Envirocentre (provided the flood risk assessment) and the original topographical survey The site sits within the Cairngorm National Park, the Deeside and Lochnagar National Scenic - Tay Ecology provided the Protected Species Survey Area and the Braemar Conservation Area, so great care must be taken to ensure that the buildings are appropriate for such an important area. The site itself is surrounded by mature - PALS (now Treemeister) provided a tree survey and tree protection plan trees in what is scheduled as ‘Ancient Woodland’ with a variety of native species, and it is obviously important that the proposals both do as little damage to the nature of the area as possible, whilst also seeking to enhance the biodiversity of the immediate area The site is Purpose currently home to a couple of agricultural / storage sheds but the site is central to Braemar and This report was prepared to fulfil two distinct functions. used by many walkers - it is important that the social value of the site is not lost. An earlier draft acted as an explanation of the design decisions we had taken to reach Stage 2 The houses are to be highly energy efficient; this means that fuel bills will be small for those and the “Agreed Scheme” in order to be shown at a public exhibition carried out in December who live there, and carbon emissions will also be minimised. They should also be built with 2020. From this and an accompanying presentation online, and with the help of Rural Housing materials of low embodied energy and use resources such as water efficiently as well. Scotland, we were able to gather feedback from the client group and the wider local community. Above all, it is critical that we create a place that will be attractive, secure and vibrant for the 15 The second function is to fulfil the function of a ‘Design Statement’ to accompany this planning households for whom this will soon become home! submission. John Gilbert Architects 2 Kindrochit Court Eco-homes, Braemar 1.2. The Story So Far Housing Need and the Feasibility Study Braemar and Braemar Community Ltd (BCL) The Study Despite the site being granted planning permission in 2007, a lack of interest from potential or housing association partners has resulted in the land remaining vacant. Aware of the increasing Braemar need for affordable housing in Braemar, BCL commissioned Rural Housing Scotland in 2019 to Braemar lies about 58 miles West of the city of Aberdeen in the county of Aberdeenshire. undertake a preliminary study to establish the feasibility of community-led housing on the site. Braemar has a population of around 550 people. It is characterised by its scenic landscape setting and extensive royal connections, which make it an attractive destination for visitors. In broad terms the feasibility study looked into three issues: The village sits astride the Clunie Water at what was once a strategically important crossing on • Housing need in the village and wider area; an ancient trackway known as the Elsick Mounth. Before the 11th century there were two • The practical feasibility of a housing development on the site; separate hamlets on each bank of the Clunie, Auchendryne on the west and Castleton on the • How such a project could be financed and managed in the long term. east. Castleton referred to Kindrochit Castle on the eastern edge of the river, the ruins of which remain visible and protected within the village. Until the 20th century, Braemar was largely owned by one of the adjoining Mar Estates, with Housing Need Auchendryne and Invercauld on one side, Castleton on the other. Inter-estate rivalry was a factor Just over half of permanent households in Braemar (53.5%) own their own homes compared to in each side having its own pub, the Fife Arms Hotel in Auchendryne, and the Invercauld Arms an average over Aberdeenshire of 72.6%. This reflects the pressure in Braemar from tourism in Hotel in Castleton. This rivalry also accounted for 2 village halls. the form of holiday homes and holiday lets. At 28% it also has amongst the highest levels of empty and second home ownership in the National Park, exacerbating affordability pressures and limiting the amount of housing that is available to people working within the village and Along with many towns and villages in Scotland, an annual Highland Games Gathering is held on immediate surroundings. the first Saturday of each September. The Games in Braemar is unusual in that it was attended by Queen Victoria in 1844 and, since then, it has been traditionally attended by the Royal Family. This has made the Games, and Braemar itself, especially popular. The popularity of Braemar to Average and median house prices in Braemar are among the highest in the National Park. While visitors has also become one of its challenges, with more than a quarter of houses in the village affordability pressures vary over time, Braemar – like other settlements in the Cairngorms being empty or second homes. The issue of housing need is what has driven this project and is National Park including Aviemore, Ballater and Blair Atholl – has also consistently experienced discussed later in more detail. the highest house price to income ratios. Private lets comprise 17% of all permanently occupied homes in Braemar. These are mainly let Braemar Community Ltd. from local estates. The rents tend to be lower than the Aberdeenshire local housing allowance but are often in remote locations. BCL is a community owned and run company with charitable status. It was established in 2004 to undertake the development and operation of major projects on behalf of the Braemar Community, either independently or in association with local authorities and other agencies. Social housing in Braemar is provided by Aberdeenshire Council and Castlehill Housing Association. There are 44 homes for social rent, with 75% of these being 1 or 2 bedrooms and only eight 3-bed houses for rent in the village. When these 3-bed homes were made available, BCL has a strong track record of delivering major capital projects including renovation of there were 60 bids per property. There is almost no turnover and little chance of gaining a housing, restoration and management of Braemar Castle, development of a hydro power property in this way, so waiting lists almost certainly underestimate true need as most people scheme, and the development of bridges, car parks, and playparks. BCL currently employs four don’t see this as a realistic way of getting a property. In the housing needs survey, 18 of 20 staff and secures support from 60 volunteers. households in need indicated that they were not registered with the council or housing association which would support this supposition. BCL is acting as client for this project with the support of Rural Housing Scotland. John Gilbert Architects 3 Kindrochit Court Eco-homes, Braemar • The site should be developed in such a way as to suit Braemar’s character, rather than a ‘standard’ affordable housing design, arranged around a convenient road layout • Housing should be sited to minimise the effects of overshading from the large trees • Retaining and upgrading the existing access track was problematic and a new access road from Cluniebank Road should be considered. From this, a layout was prepared for 15 homes comprised of 6 x 2 bed flats, 5 x 2 bed terraced cottages and 4 x 3 bed terraced houses giving a total of 34 bedrooms reflecting the results of the housing needs assessment.