Welcome to Planning Ahead – our weekly round-up of the latest proposals lodged across the north-east.
Anyone who has travelled through rural Donside will have noticed its abundance of castles, with towering reminders of the region’s rich past around almost every corner.
While some are abandoned ruins, Balfluig Castle stands out as a home of the blue-blooded Tennant family – who are battling to protect its surroundings.
Elsewhere, we have proposals for a new Aberdeen fishmonger and a Fraserburgh beauty therapist aims to open her own business.
Slainte! Aberdeenshire distillery extension approved
We start this week’s round-up by raising a glass to improvement plans at a Mearns malthouse.
Global whisky giant Whyte and Mackay own Fettercairn Distillery, and have been given permission to extend the visitor centre to create a bigger store and new accessible toilets.
The operation dates back to 1824, when the owner of the Fasque estate converted a corn mill to start producing Scotland’s national drink.
It even has links to a former prime minister, and his controversial father…
The estate was sold to John Gladstone in 1829, whose son William went on to lead the country – and pass various reforms on whisky.
It’s stories like these that visitors to the cenre are able to enjoy – along with a dram or two.
Earlier this month the same area took centre stage in our round-up, with plans to incorporate a brewery in a new Mearns wedding venue.
Milltimber extension plans
A modern extension is being planned at a four-bedroom property reckoned to be worth about £670,000 in Milltimber.
Steven Wood is eyeing up the changes at his Bloomfield home off Culter House Road.
The two-storey extension will have an open-plan living area on the ground floor along with another bedroom and bathroom on the first floor.
New fish shop could open in Bridge of Don
The AGD Duff and Partners seafood wholesalers want to open up a small fishmonger unit at their Bridge of Don building.
Plans submitted to Aberdeen City Council show how the Broadfold Road premises would be altered to include a retail element for the first time.
The business was established by Mary And Alexander Duff in 1973, who worked split shifts smoking and filleting haddock.
The new plans have been lodged by their son Paul Duff, who took over the firm with brother Zander in 1990.
It would be similar to the fish shop the company has been operating from its Stell Road base near the harbour for the past 10 years.
Karate kids to take over industrial unit in Inverurie
An Inverurie sensei has lodged plans to teach martial arts classes from a new unit at Blackhall Industrial Estate.
Head instructor Eric Birkett says his tuition helps instill youngsters with “confidence, discipline, humility and respect” as well as self-defence skills.
Blackbelt Mr Birkett runs the academy with wife Fiona, and is a former Double ICO European Champion.
The Burghmuir Circle unit was last occupied by the Magpie thrift store.
Torry neighbours at odds over disability ramp
An Aberdeen man has been given permission to install a new ramp to allow wheelchair access to his Torry property.
A Mr D McLellan lodged the plans for 77 Glenbervie Road.
But he shares the building with four other flats, and the garden space is communal.
And the proposed addition left his next door neighbour fearful for her own safety.
She wrote to the council objecting, saying: “I am not willing to walk over a metal ramp for access for my garden.
“They are slippy when wet, so it’s a safety issue for myself.”
Planning officials have now approved the measure, but insist that “anti-slip decking” should be fitted to the 8m structure.
New operators take over closed nursery in Aberdeen
The Kingswellies Nursery group has signalled its intent to take over the closed Abacus centre on Queens Road in Aberdeen.
They hope to have it open again by the end of August.
Letting agents Shepherds showed off the site while seeking a taker for it:
The former gatehouse to Woodend Hospital was offered to rent for about £50,000 per year.
Now, plans recently lodged with Aberdeen City Council seek permission for new illuminated signage there.
Keeping the royal theme alive, the outfit will name their Queens Road venue “Queenswellies Nursery“.
Fraserburgh beautician could give old hairdresser a makeover
Broch beautician Ailidh Summers has formed plans to spruce up a former hairdresser in the heart of Fraserburgh.
Miss Summers currently works out of a beauty salon on Manse Road but now wants to transform the 69 Cross Street premises, formerly run as Maureen’s, into a place of her own.
Blueprints show how there would be a beauty treatment area, nail salon and spray tan booth.
Aberdeenshire Council’s environment team has already backed the idea.
The experts say the downtrodden post-war Maureen’s shopfront “contributes little to the appearance of the commercial premises or the street”.
They add: “The proposed replacement shopfront is consequently to be welcomed as a positive development.”
Family battle to save historic Balfluig Castle from ‘suburban’ development
Balfluig Castle dates back to the 1550s, when it was built by Lord Forbes.
It remained in the clan for 200 years, before becoming a farmhouse and eventually being left to fall into ruin for decades.
Mark Tennant led its restoration after buying the crumbling landmark in 1966.
The A-listed asset became the first uninhabitable building in Scotland to be restored with a Historic Buildings Council grant.
It was just one achievement in a remarkable life that saw the blue-blooded London barrister become Master of the Supreme Court.
And his name is now etched in history alongside that of the Donside structure.
More than 50 years after taking it on, Mr Tennant died aged 87 in 2020.
But his family have since taken up the fight to protect the “national asset”…
What were the plans that Balfluig Castle owners took up arms against?
Late last year, Fintray-based N & MLD Ltd lodged plans to build five new homes at the Meikle Endovie spot, while converting a bothy and stables into another property.
They said the “dilapidated” 19th century farmstead off the A944 had been lying vacant for about 10 years.
Forms submitted by architect Colin Thompson state: “The condition of the buildings
appears to have since deteriorated considerably.”
He added: “The site in its current state (within walking distance of a settlement) is an increasingly dangerous eye-sore.”
They’re in such a rickety state, designers say, that previous hopes to convert them into homes had to be abandoned.
Would Balfluig Castle be ‘adversely affected’?
Mr Tennant’s daugher Sophia, son Lysander (who now owns Balfluig Castle) and widow Harriot all reacted with dismay.
Sophia argued that the site, on higher land overlooking Balfluig Castle, would result in unwelcome light pollution.
She also said the setting of the A-listed landmark would be “adversely affected” if surrounded by the “suburban” sprawl.
Her objection concluded: “The agricultural nature of the site should be preserved.”
Balfluig Castle near Alford, taken with my quadcopter at a height of 150 feet. Takes video as well! pic.twitter.com/6h9sFiTKvv
— Brad Hobson 🇺🇦 (@alfordbrad) February 12, 2014
Brother Lysander said: “The proposed development does not respect the predominantly traditional character of the architecture of the area; it is not rural in style.”
And widow Harriot said the “new village” would have a dire impact on the tranquil spot.
Lady Harriot, now in her late 80s, is the daughter of 7th Earl of Radnor and has been chairwoman of the Chelsea Physic Garden – London’s oldest botanic garden.
The Queen made her an MBE in 2010, alongside national treasures such as Coronation Street’s Barbara Knox.
Do you think the homes should have been permitted? Let us know in our comments section below
What did Aberdeenshire Council say?
Council planning officials took heed of the complaints from the aristocrats, but pointed out that the “new village” would be 700m away.
They therefore ruled out any impact on Balfluig Castle, due to the “sufficient distance”.
However, they still threw the plans out.
Officers said the development, deemed “very suburban in appearance”, would be “completely out of character with the traditional rural vernacular of the area”.
You can see this week’s plans for yourself using these links:
Fettercairn distillery expansion
Torry neighbours at odds over ramp
Balfluig Castle owners fighting housing plan
Conversation