Cala Homes has received planning permission from Aberdeenshire Council for the first phase of a significant residential development in Newmachar, which will see the construction of 158 new properties.
The decision, made by the Garioch area committee on Tuesday (June 23), also grants planning permission in principle for two subsequent phases, potentially adding a further 160 homes to the Hillbrae Way site. This multi-phase project follows previous approval for the land granted to developer Scotia Homes in 2022.
The initial phase of the Cala Homes development will include 34 affordable homes, forming part of a diverse offering of 16 different house types, ranging from one-bedroom flats to five-bedroom family residences.
Robert Grant, development manager for Cala Homes, articulated the company’s commitment during the committee meeting, stating: “Cala are committed to delivering a mix of two, three, four and five bed family, private and affordable homes, much needed for the town and region. One-bed flats and two-bed bungalows make up the remainder to provide a range of houses.”
Infrastructure plans for the first phase detail the creation of two new access points along Hillbrae Way, complemented by footpaths to integrate the new residential area with the existing village. Two footbridges are also planned to connect pathways across a burn within the site.
Concerns were raised during the committee’s debate, primarily regarding the capacity of local health services. NHS Grampian had indicated that future residents of the development would likely be served by General Practitioners (GPs) in Aberdeen, noting that the medical practice in Dyce is “operating well beyond capacity” and that “staffing of NHS services is very challenging”.
Councillor David Keating acknowledged the issue, stating: “I do think we are putting houses up where we’re putting more and more pressure on GPs, which is not helping the retention of GPs.” However, he ultimately expressed contentment with other aspects of the application, particularly the provision of affordable housing.
In Case You Missed it:
Major site acquisition enables more capacity in North-east
Aberdeen World Cup fanzone approved despite admission that 1,200 tickets sold without licence
Historic Aberdeen hospital building blaze reignites derelict property concerns
Former Aberdeen RBS Union Street building approved for residential conversion
Councillor Judy Whyte echoed concerns about infrastructure, specifically mentioning healthcare and secondary schooling capacity, and the reliance on transport for residents to access facilities. Nevertheless, she concluded that the arguments against approval were not strong enough to warrant rejection.
Originally, a portion of the site had been designated for a new primary school. However, Aberdeenshire Council’s education department determined that existing school facilities could accommodate pupils from the new development, negating the need for a new institution and allowing the land to be reallocated for housing.
Cala Homes has also pledged nearly £400,000 in developer contributions towards community infrastructure, including health provision. The overall project is expected to inject more than £32 million into the regional construction supply chain and generate approximately £350,000 annually in council tax revenue for Aberdeenshire Council.
