Plans for new council offices on the site of the bulldozed Ellon Academy could be given the go-ahead next week.
If approved, Aberdeenshire Council would also create a new library and family resource centre as part of the complex on Schoolhill.
It could also be good news for couples looking to tie the knot in Ellon, with a ceremony room and registrar’s office pencilled in for the large building.
The local authority has said the proposal would help to create a “civic hub” in the town, next to the police and fire stations.
What would be in new council offices at old Ellon Academy?
The school was demolished in 2016 following decades in the heart of the town, with a replacement opening on the outskirts of Ellon.
The proposed two-storey building would have enough office space to accommodate 163 workers – with council staff from across the town merging under one roof.
By moving staff to the one site, Aberdeenshire Council’s existing offices in the town would be vacated and made available for other uses.
Library could form part of the old Ellon Academy site’s next chapter
The new family resource centre would allow the children’s services department to work with larger groups of children, parents and carers.
Meanwhile the proposed new library will feature “flexible spaces” ensuring it can be used for a wider range of events.
The site will have 41 standard car parking spaces, three disabled bays and five spaces for electric vehicles.
And there will also be spaces for motorcycles and bikes.
Officers urge councillors to back plans
The application received two objections from local residents who have raised concerns about overlooking on nearby properties, the design of the building and layout of the site.
However, council planners have recommended that the scheme be approved.
Members of the Formartine Area Committee will consider the application on Tuesday.
