Kingseat Community Action Plan March 2014 Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan Community Action Plan Kingseat Key Planning Objectives for the Settlement • Preserve the amenity of the settlement. Existing Site • Site Bus1 is safeguarded for employment uses. Protected Land • The Kingseat Conservation Area is shown as hatched on the Plan. 2 Introduction Community Action Plan Kingseat: Origins and air for patient rehabilitation, including Hospital was closed at the end of Development opportunities to work the land, was the March 1995. The buildings served first of its kind in Britain. The concept briefly as a fire brigade and police Located 7kms north of the Dyce area became internationally recognised and anti-terrorist training ground. In recent of Aberdeen, 1km east of Newmachar was exported in 1929 to New Zealand years the site has been reinvigorated village, and with pedestrian access where there was a mental hospital near through significant housing, and latterly to the Formartine & Buchan Way, Auckland established with the same business development, and has seen the Kingseat is a mixed residential and name. population rise from 72 in 2001 to 688 business settlement situated on a ridge in 2011. between Garioch and Formartine. The foundation stone was laid on 14 With views across Aberdeenshire and September 1901, and while it opened A renewed community spirit is growing to the Grampian mountains, Kingseat to its first patients in 1904, first stage with the establishment of the Kingseat is accessed by the B979.Covering over building continued for 25 years, with Community Association and the 43 hectares, the majority of the site ten villas named after very prominent production of this community action is designated as a conservation area, professors of the day. While Nether plan. to preserve and enhance the assets Kingseat continued to function as a of Kingseat and to maintain the area’s farm, Kingseat and Cockairn were Things We Like About Kingseat architectural and historic character. subsumed within the development. The (as given by various members of the facility was extended during WWII, community via the Kingseat Matters The settlement is reputedly named when it was temporarily requisitioned Facebook page) after King Malcolm Canmore, who, by the Admiralty as a Navy Hospital for • I can walk the dog in any direction and following the slaying of Macbeth at casualties from the Atlantic and Arctic get great views!! Lumphanan in 1053, is said to have convoys, becoming the largest naval • I have great neighbours rested on a stone at a vantage point on hospital in the then Empire. Handed • It’s so peaceful, safe for the kids to the original Kingseat farm. The name back to Aberdeen Town Council in play and lovely walks too appears in Sir Robert Gordon’s map 1946, patients eventually returned to • Peace and quiet while surrounded by of c.1637, which suggests there may Kingseat. nature be more to the story than mere local • I love that my children have a lovely legend. Approximately 810 patients plus staff safe place to play! resided at Kingseat in its heyday. From The Kingseat estate previously the early days they enjoyed physical What Could Be Better? (as given comprised of three farms, Kingseat, standards of living in advance of the by various members of the community Nether Kingseat and Cockairn, and times. The facility had its own water of different ages at the community was held under various ownerships supply, telephones and electricity, a engagement events) from 1746, including a renowned local workforce, staff housing and • Why haven’t the developers completed Aberdeen Lord Provost. In 1859, the inside bathrooms. It developed into a what they promised originally? Aberdeen District Lunacy Board thriving, self-contained community, in • What is happening to the buildings required a new mental health facility comparison to the adjacent and longer that are not developed? for paupers and acquired the site. established settlement of Newmachar. • When will the whole scheme be Inspired by Leipzig architecture and Newmachar did benefit though from finished, e.g. roads and verges, etc.? designed by the architect responsible Kingseat’s facilities, including chiropody • What can be done as we feel so for Marischal College and Greyfriars and baby care clinics. From the football isolated? Church in Aberdeen, and Deeside’s Mar and cricket fields, bowling green, and • Is this (consultation) pointless or will it Lodge, E. Marshall Mackenzie created badminton courts to the drama group, make a difference? a distinctively peaceful and sheltered choirs, social groups and the famous • A seasonal ice cream van would get settlement, with low density granite dances, there was a strong community lots of trade as there are lots of kids in villas and buildings laid out within spirit. the area. a planned parkland landscape and • We need somewhere safe for the kids tree belts with recreational facilities. Changes in the provision of mental to play and more for them to do Considered revolutionary at the time, health services in the 1990s led to a • What is happening to the the provision of open space and fresh decline in patient numbers and Kingseat development of the hall? 3 Kingseat Matters Community Action Plan In November 2012, the Garioch So What Does Matter To Local Community Planning The Residents Of Kingseat? Group and Grampian Housing Association organised an It was clear from the community informal community engagement consultations that there were session as part of the Christmas four main areas of concern Fayre being held in Newmachar namely: Business Centre at Kingseat. • No sign of the promised play This was followed up in park February 2013 by two more structured engagement sessions, • The unfinished state of the one in the morning with a development, in particular the crèche and one in the evening. future of the derelict buildings Over 60 people participated from a population of 688 (2011 • Poor public transport to and census); that is about 10% of the from the village Publicity leaflet. residents • Lack of community facilities A number of issues were raised and other local services at these sessions where actions were required to make Kingseat These main issues and the other a better place to live and work. outcomes of the consultation Volunteers were sought to set have been used to create up a steering group to produce this Action Plan to help the a community action plan take community to focus and develop these actions forward. Some their future goals and to inform 28 people came forward at the the Garioch Local Community Consultation time! February meetings, which by Plan so that it reflects local June had become a core of 10. needs and aspirations. The project remained in touch with the wider community through the Kingseat Matters Facebook page which has over 170 “likes”. The steering group has now been replaced by a new organisation, Kingseat Community Association (KCA), which will take forward this community action plan, along with other partners. Good links have been made to Newmachar Community Council as this statutory body covers Kingseat. Kingseat Matters. 4 The Garioch Community Plan Community Action Plan The Garioch Community safe communities, and early Plan 2013 - 2016 intervention. Currently there is one specific action for Kingseat, The Garioch Local Community action 3.1 which is: Plan brings together the key actions and projects of a number To work with the community of public agencies. It also includes of Kingseat for the benefit actions based on consultation of residents, fostering Kingseat Avenue. with the local communities and community spirit and local community groups. The encouraging civic pride plan can be accessed on the following link: Many of the other actions in this plan are high level and http://www.ouraberdeenshire.org. Garioch-wide, and are intended uk/images/media/document_library/ to improve the quality of life lcp/gariochcomplan2013-16.pdf and have an impact across the whole area. It is pleasing to see The plan is a live document that the actions in the Kingseat that is updated every six Community Action Plan are weeks to allow new actions entirely complementary to those to be added and completed in the local community plan. ones to be removed. The main priority outcomes are around the themes of social inclusion, welfare reform, strong, resilient, The Business Centre. Earlier Kingseat. 5 Other Issues Community Action Plan Many issues were raised through Activities For Children And consultation process, and these, Young People as well as the four main areas of As noted above there is no play concern already mentioned are park in the village, nor is there described in more detail below any community meeting space. under a series of headings. There have been some issues with mild anti-social behaviour Leisure over the summer months Home zone. last year. KCA will look at a Playpark partnership with Community There are no public play Learning & Development and facilities in Kingseat. There is Sports & Leisure staff within land which is designated as a the Council in order to provide play area in the development, some youth work and leisure where the developers have a opportunities e.g. street football. legal obligation as part of the Longer term a small community planning conditions to provide facility, perhaps utilising the a play park for the children in changing facilities mentioned the community. Unfortunately above, could provide a meeting the planning conditions do not space. Another option could be a have a prescribed timescale for teenage shelter. this. There are no other obvious places in the development Transport to situate a play park. KCA will raise this issue with the Improved Bus Service developers, Bett Homes, and Public transport to and from the seek an early resolution to the village is very limited.