Relief for Peterculter campaigners as council rules out any future housing bids at controversial Tillyoch site

Campaigners can breathe a sigh of relief as a site previously earmarked for 250 homes in Peterculter has been axed from council planning guides.

As the ground at Tillyoch has been removed from the local development plan, no future developments will be allowed to take place there.

First Endeavour LLP had previously submitted plans to build 250 new houses on the site last year.

What happened at Peterculter?

Almost 300 people wrote to Aberdeen City Council calling for the plan to be rejected.

They believed the location was “inappropriate” and raised concerns about it causing damage to the ancient woodland.

Conservation charity the Woodland Trust also “strongly” objected to the plan.

The group was worried about the loss of woodland and the impact it would have on “irreplaceable” habitats.

But following a tense debate councillors only narrowly voted to refuse the proposal in September.

Councillor Dell Henrickson, who is convener of the planning committee, said it was “the wrong development at the wrong time”.

But fellow councillor Ryan Houghton called for the proposal to be approved and urged the committee to “look ahead to the future of the city”.

What is a Local Development Plan?

A Local Development Plan (LDP) sets out the “ambitious framework” where future developments in the city should go until 2027.

It helps to guide important planning decisions from housing developments to leisure and industrial spaces.

The local authority must submit a new plan every five years.

Extra housing site added to LDP

Scottish ministers examined the proposed LDP earlier this year and made modifications before sending it back to the council.

Only two changes had been made to proposed sites for future housing developments.

The Tillyoch site was removed while a site for 60 homes and retail unit in the plan at Milltimber South was added.

Planning consent has already been granted for the Milltimber South development.

The modified LDP was approved at a meeting of full council on Wednesday and it is expected to be formally adopted early next year.

Councillor Henrickson welcomed the plan.

He said: “It should help to shape the future of the city by encouraging growth and including important changes such as the City Centre Masterplan interventions.”