Welcome to Planning Ahead – our weekly round-up of the latest proposals lodged across the north-east.
This week’s instalment comes as north-east foodies tuck into Aberdeen Restaurant Week – and features plans for a new bistro a short drive away in Stonehaven.
The popular tourist town is often bustling with visitors from near and far, and getting a seat at a diner can be tricky even on a rainy day.
So developers must think they’re onto something by opening a new venue in a former printer and stationer between the town centre and the harbour.
Elsewhere, a personal trainer from Torphins wants to open a new gym in nearby Banchory and an Aberdeen comedy club needs official consent to stage shows at a church building.
But first, we look at some property plans that would be the envy of any tennis enthusiast…
Private tennis court planned for million-pound mansion
It’s something that every Wimbledon-watching aspiring Carlos Alcatraz might aspire to…
The owners of Mansefield House, to the west of the Ardoe House Hotel on the outskirts of Aberdeen, want to create their own private tennis court in the garden of their property.
Alasdair and Victoria Buchanan, both company directors, bought the stunning 19th century mansion about six years ago for £1.44 million.
It has a spacious ground floor, and four bedrooms upstairs.
Now, the Buchanans want to enhance it further with the full-size court in the spacious garden grounds.
Papers sent to Aberdeenshire Council explain that the addition would come with its own 2.75m fence, access gates and drainage.
Newmachar field could become football pitches as team expands
Meanwhile, Newmachar United FC want to turn a farmer’s field outside the village into two new pitches.
Club officials say the 11-a-side pitches for Newmachar Juveniles would come with changing facilities and car parking.
The team dates back 40 years, and has exploded in popularity recently.
Documents state: “The Juveniles are growing every year – not just with children from the village, but from the surrounding communities.
“At present, there are 10 age groups from 2005s to 2016s, with the club having more than 250 members.”
They further explain that the organisation’s 12 teams place such demand on the existing pitches at Charles Gordon Park and Reisque Park that they “require a high level of maintenance to keep them in a safe state”.
Meanwhile, training grounds beside Charles Gordon Park are “becoming increasingly unsuitable”.
Having exhausted all other options, bosses say the spot at Goval would be best to help the club grow.
However, with the AWPR a few yards away, players will have to be careful to keep their shots on target…
Aberdeenshire farmer’s pig plans
Whitecairns farmer Graeme Laird is seeking permission for a new barn to house pigs.
The “finishing shed” would be for porkers who are being fed until they reach market weight.
Bridge of Don Starbucks progress
Plans for a new Starbucks next to the KFC just off Ellon Road in Bridge of Don were endorsed by the council last year.
The Seattle-based coffee giant is now steaming ahead with work on the site.
And fresh proposals have been submitted, detailing how the drive-thru would look.
It comes after similar plans for a drive-thru Starbucks at Aberdeen Beach were recently rejected.
Makeover for ruined house as Ballater beautician expands
The Beauty Hub salon in Ballater is looking to create extra treatment rooms by expanding into a disused building.
The salon itself is on the prominent Bridge Street, which forms part of the A93 road between Aberdeen and Braemar.
But the expansion would be to the rear, taking over a derelict site on Deebank Road.
Documents submitted by architects state: “The remains of the building at 4 Deebank Road are in quite an advanced stage of dilapidation.
“This application will make them safe, and moreover improve the appearance from the road.
“The established business of The Beauty Hub wishes to extend its operations, and this has to be encouraged.”
Church could swap choirs for chortles as home of comedy club
Aberdeen’s Breakneck Comedy has had a few homes over its laugh-packed existence.
Fans attended shows at the Blue Lamp for years, then it moved to its own premises on King Street (now operating as a pair of restaurants).
It’s latterly been hosting comedians nearby at 28 King Street, just down the lane next to St Andrew’s Cathedral.
Shows have already been taking place at the John Skinner Centre building, with Breakneck Comedy signs attached.
But only now is permission being sought for the change of use.
Reverend Dr Isaac Poobalan, the rector of St Andrew’s Cathedral, has lodged papers seeking the council’s blessing for comedy shows to take place there.
The John Skinner Centre is named after the Bishop of Aberdeen from 1786 to 1816.
On the wall of the building, there is a plaque explaining his significance.
North-east woman cooking up plans to train chefs in Turriff
Esther McGowan, from Aberchirder, wants to train the next generation of north-east chefs from a long-empty unit in Turriff town centre.
The 33 Main Street premises, next to the Premier store, would be known as Esther’s Manna House.
Under the changes, six cookers would be positioned across the former shop – with space for people to buy cooking equipment too.
Could new bistro open in Stonehaven?
The James A Bruce printers and stationers was something of a Stonehaven institution for years.
When the Cameron Street building went on the market recently, estate agents hailed it as a “truly wonderful blank canvas”.
And now, Aberdeen-based real estate firm Beachdaze Ltd wants to turn it into a licensed bistro.
The newly formed company is run by 60-year-old Catherine Armstrong,
Blueprints show that the intimate ground floor would have a servery and six tables, with another six on the first floor offering room for 12 more diners.
The second floor would be used as an office and for storage space.
The premises is located just around the corner from the famous Carron chip shop, between the town centre and the picturesque port.
It comes as owners Greene King are seeking a new operator for the adjacent Queens Hotel.
Do you think Stonehaven could do with more food options? Let us know in our comments section below
New summerhouse planned at plush pad
The owners of a “prestigious home” outside Inverurie have lodged plans to enhance their historic property.
Scottish Field described The Walled Garden in the Daviot Estate as an “outstanding executive home” when it was put on the market for offers of over £620,000.
The owners are now seeking permission for a log cabin-style summer house in their garden.
Personal trainer sets sights on new Banchory gym
Paul Duncan has overcome a lot in his life…
The fitness fanatic shared his organ donation story in 2020, telling how his friend saved his life by giving him her kidney.
The Torphins native, who has cystic fibrosis, later launched a career as a personal trainer.
He has been working from a base in Aberdeen’s Fit Room for three years, but has recently packed it up.
Sharing a video on social media, he explained that he would be relocating to the gym at Robert Gordon University…
Where does Paul Duncan want to open new gym in Banchory?
But the trainer appears to have ambitions beyond that, with fresh plans submitted to Aberdeenshire Council seeking permission to open his own gym.
Paul has earmarked a workshop at the Tillybrake Industrial Estate for the development.
Planning documents show how the floorspace would be filled with exercise equipment.
Advertising the unit, Aberdeenshire Council has been offering it for rent of £6,800 per year.
It’s located to the east of the Deeside town, opposite the Banchory Academy playing fields.
You can see this week’s plans for yourself using these links:
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