FORESTERHILL CAMPUS, W OF INST. OF MEDICAL SCIENCE, ASHGROVE ROAD WEST ERECTION OF A NEW RESEARCH FACILITY INCLUDING ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS FOR THE ROWETT INSTITUTE OF NUTRITION AND HEALTH For: University of Aberdeen Application Ref. : P101629 Advert : Section 34 -Proj. Pub. Application Date : 18/10/2010 Concern Officer : Matthew Easton Advertised on : 27/10/2010 Ward: Midstocket / Rosemount Committee Date : 17 February 2011 (B Cormie / J Laing / J Corall) Community Council : No response received 3 5 3 8 4 0 4 2 71.3m 5 4 73.7m C O R R N LB O H A D I L 6 6 75.7m L 78.4m 7 8 E S T A D W d y R O a r d B V E W G R O A S H 81.6m El Sub Sta n e e 83.6m e r d A b g s o f i n t y u i l d r s i l B i v e i c a U n e d g s M d i n u i l l B i c a e d M e n d e e r A b o f ty r s i i v e U n S M S M Foresterhill House Tennis Courts (c) Crown Copyright. Aberdeen City Council Licence No. 100023401 RECOMMENDATION: Approve subject to conditions DESCRIPTION The site is the car park to the west of the University of Aberdeen’s Institute of Medical Sciences in the northern part of the Foresterhill site, immediately to the south of Ashgrove Road West. The site slopes from north to south with a difference of approximately 3.5m between the north and south site boundaries. The site is currently used as a car park with four different parking areas terraced into the slope. There is a total of 128 spaces which are used by the University for its various buildings around the Foresterhill site. There are small areas of grass interspersed around the car park with a paved area outside the entrance to the Institute of Medical Sciences building. To the immediate east of the site is the Institute of Medical Sciences which is a modern four storey research facility, reaching a height of 26m on it highest side (30m including flues). To the south, the site drops steeply down by 3.8m to a hospital service road, beyond which is the University’s Suttie Centre for Teaching and Learning in Healthcare and other university related buildings. To the west of the site at the edge of the car park is a group of 61 sycamore trees, which are generally between 15m and 19m in height and between 30 to 40 years old. Beyond the tree belt is a walled garden and Foresterhill House. There is a group of seven Norway maple trees between 6m and 7m in height and 15 to 20 years old adjacent to the access road into the site from Ashgrove Road West and north of the car park outside the Institute of Medical Sciences. To the north of the site is a larger tree belt which comprises the northern boundary of the Foresterhill site with Ashgrove Road West. HISTORY The Rowett Institute merged with the University of Aberdeen to become the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health in July 2008, a key outcome of which was the relocation of the Institute to the Foresterhill Campus. Currently the Institute is located at a site on Greenburn Road, Bucksburn which is identified for employment land use in the Proposed Aberdeen Local Development Plan 2010. A 215 space car park was approved by delegated powers (091914) in June 2010 and is currently under construction at the eastern end of the Foresterhill Site, to the south of the Dental School. The parking spaces would be shared between the staff working at the Rowett Institute and staff from the other University buildings at Foresterhill. PROPOSAL It is proposed to erect a six storey research2 building on the site of the existing car park, which would provide 11,600m of floor space. The building would have the appearance of a five storey building from the north, but due to the difference in levels between the site and the service road immediately to the south, would be six storeys at this point. It would be rectangular in shape, being 40m wide and 52 in length. The main part of the building would reach a height of 31m, with stainless steel flue stacks creating an overall height of 34.5m from the service road to the south. It would be 25m (28.2 including flues) in height from the car park side of the site. The building would have a modern appearance and be finished largely in grey curtain walling, cladding panels and structural glazing. The top floor which would accommodate plant, would be finished in louvre panels. There would also be areas of timber cladding and facing block at lower level. Internally it would have a central atrium and would accommodate laboratories and offices with a service bay adjacent to the service road to the south of the site. There would be an underground corridor link between the building and the neighbouring Institute of Medical Sciences. It is anticipated that there would be no more than 200 staff at the building per day. In terms of car parking, 105 spaces would be lost from the existing car park and 24 replacement spaces would be provided (consisting of 15 general spaces, 10 dedicated to volunteers attending the Human Nutrition Unit and 9 reserved as disabled spaces) resulting in a net loss at the site of 81 spaces. 73 further spaces would still existing to the immediate north of the Institute of Medical Sciences and the previously mentioned car park currently under construction elsewhere at Foresterhill would provide 215 spaces, although this would be shared between all the University facilities at Foresterhill. Cycle storage would be provided for 25 bikes with further short stay parking available in the area between the new building and the Institute of Medical Science. It is proposed to remove a total of 40 trees to allow for the formation of a retaining wall and banked ground to the west of the proposed building. This would consist of 38 trees from the group of sycamores, with those remaining being 15m to 10m from the western elevation of the proposed building. One lime tree to the north of the building and one ash tree adjacent to the group of sycamores would also be removed. The Norway maples and the trees along the boundary with Ashgrove Road West would be unaffected. A programme of replanting has been submitted and a total of 45 trees and new sections of hedging around the university site. This would include comprise small native trees and hedging along the boundary with Cornhill Road and within the adjacent hospital grounds, a mixture of tree species along boundary with Ashgrove Road West, hedging and small trees along the access road into the site, hedging along the northern boundary of the application site and a mixture of trees in the area to the west of the new building. PUBLIC CONSULTATION The proposal falls into the major category of development and therefore the applicant was required to carry out public consultation prior to the submission of the application. Thisth consisted of twond public consultation events which took place at Foresterhill (29 June 2009 and 2 November 2009). Letters of invitation were sent to local residents, Councillors and other stakeholders, a webpage created and posters displayed around the Foresterhill area in public buildings and local shops advising of the proposal. REASON FOR REFERRAL TO SUB-COMMITTEE The application is before the Sub-Committee because the development is in excess of 20m in height and therefore a schedule 3 development (project of public concern). CONSULTATIONS ROADS SECTION – Satisfied that the traffic can generally be accommodated without any significant detriment to the capacity and operation of the road junctions in the area. It seems parking provision for the building could be provided at the University car park which is currently under construction at Foresterhill even though the car park is not exclusive to this proposal. The travel plan submitted in concise and robust and has the likelihood of achieving the stated targets. FLOOD PREVENTION TEAM – The drainage impact assessment submitted is acceptable. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH – To protect neighbouring residents from disturbance a condition should be attached which restricts the hours of construction work. Advice is provided on refuse storage and lighting. COMMUNITY COUNCIL – No response received. SCOTTISH ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY – Require clarification regarding the level of treatment which would be provided for surface water within the car park. Until this is provided SEPA object to the application. A condition should be attached requiring a site waste management plan. BAA (ABERDEEN AIRPORT) – The proposed development could conflict with safeguarding criteria unless conditions are attached requiring the submission of a bird hazard management plan and a landscaping scheme. Advice is provided on the use of cranes during construction. REPRESENTATIONS None received. PLANNING POLICY Aberdeen Local Plan (2008) Policy 1 (Design) – To ensure high standards of design, new development must be designed with due consideration for its context and make a positive contribution to its setting. Factors such as scale, massing, colour, materials, details the proportions of building elements and landscaping will be considered in assessing this. Policy 3 (Brownfield Development) – Development on brownfield sites will be encouraged. Policy 20 (Waste Facilities in New Development ) – Details of storage of facilities and means of collection must be included as part of any planning application which would generate waste.