Month: October 2012

More than 250 people including local residents, businesses  and representatives from health, education and other community service providers participated in a two-day public consultation seeking local input into proposals for Grandhome.

The consultation took place as the Grandhome Trust work to finalise proposals for the development ahead of the submission of a planning application for Planning Permission in Principle in Summer 2013 followed by an application for Full Planning Permission for the first phase of development in autumn 2013.

Members of the Grandhome planning and design team discussed the plans with groups of locals, explaining components of the long-term vision that would eventually bring up to 7,000 homes, a vibrant town centre and a business park generating important employment opportunities.

Bruce Smith, a trustee of and spokesman for the Grandhome Trust, said feedback from the events had been “hugely constructive”.

“The consultation has allowed us to draw on the breadth of knowledge of local residents who are extremely passionate about their community. What is most clear is that we share the same vision – the area needs to see the creation of new facilities which will help to bind its communities even closer together,” said Mr Smith.

“The sessions allowed us to reinforce the fact that the development of Grandhome would be an uncompromised effort to deliver a truly special new community with something for everyone, and that it would be phased over a lengthy period, in line with the development plan for Aberdeen, rather than the entire site being developed within a short space of time as some had believed.

“We were able to reassure the community, who had concerns about traffic and the need for more local facilities, that the proposal will not see development outstretch local amenity or infrastructure.

“Grandhome will grow alongside delivery of new services and key infrastructure upgrades which specifically serve this local area. A range of detailed environmental studies are being carried out to help identify the phasing of infrastructure that is needed in support of the new community, including potential improvements to the local road network, most of which are already included in the local plan.

“What we will now do is further develop the masterplan, influenced by the thoughts of the community, and will hold a further consultation event early in the new year at which we will display the updated proposals we then intend to take forward to Aberdeen City Council.”