Welcome to Planning Ahead – our weekly round-up of the latest proposals across the north-east.
This week’s instalment features plans for a new Inverurie crematorium, with more and more people said to be preferring this option over burial.
Architects helping local garden centre boss Fraser Milne with the scheme say there aren’t enough facilities to meet demand – creating a “conveyer belt perception”.
Elsewhere, a Deeside couple inspired by their family’s experience of Parkinson’s want to open accessible holiday lodges on their farm.
Unused Carden Place office to be turned into house
We begin with an application continuing a trend in the west end of Aberdeen, as another former office could be turned into a new home.
Shamina Khatun wants to convert 53 Carden Place, which is the old premises of Create Financial Solutions.
The financial planner is now based at a new office complex between Aberdeen and Portlethen.
Last year, similar plans next door at 55 Carden Place were approved.
Architect office to become coastal dream home
Last month, Planning Ahead revealed proposals to transform a former architect office into a dream home.
The 38 Donmouth Road address was built as a radar school in 1961, and latterly served as the home of David Murray Associates.
Bosses put in the transformation plans after embracing remote working during Covid, meaning they no longer need their 30-year-old base.
And now council planners have had their say, rubber-stamping the change.
The officials waved away the the worries of a neighbour, who feared the building might have to be demolished to make way for a house.
They said the floorspace and large windows could make the building ideal for conversion just as it is.
And they agreed that a “well-screened” space at the rear would make an perfect private garden.
Just desserts? Pudding parlour could soon branch out with expansion
The team behind a dessert parlour in Aberdeen city centre are looking to expand.
Mohamad Dured Alhalabe wants to sell more than just the sweet treats currently on offer at the Daily Dose outlet.
It sells the likes of ice cream, waffles, cookies and pancakes.
Now, plans have been lodged to turn it into more of a restaurant.
This would mean selling hot food, and installing a commercial kitchen.
An air filter would be installed on the street-facing window “to ensure zero noise or smell disruption for our neighbors”.
Plans for modern Mintlaw home
Helen Galley aims to build a modern home at Fetterangus, just outside Mintlaw.
As well as various mod cons, there would also be a 30ft polytunnel in the back garden.
Concept images show how the distinctive “low carbon” property would look, with impressive views across the countryside.
The home would have solar panels, battery storage and “high levels of insulation” to “minimise energy requirements”.
Derelict Aberchireder shop could be turned into home
Meanwhile, in Aberchirder, the owners of 8 and 9 The Square want to breathe new life into the buildings.
The derelict former shop and home there could be done up into two new properties in the heart of the village.
The boarded-up old shop once belonged to gas specialist Peter Lawrence but has been empty for more than 15 years.
Papers sent to Aberdeenshire Council explain how both addresses are “in a state of disrepair”.
Number 8 had been a four-bedroom home, also using the space above the old shop next door as bedrooms.
Under the new proposals, the former shopfloor would become a new lounge and kitchen, with the rooms upstairs attached.
If Banff-based Odmo Property Ltd are granted permission, works would be carried out to create a pair of three-bedroom homes.
Parkinson’s pain inspires disabled holiday lodge plan in Deeside
In Deeside, a farming couple are looking to diversify to keep their business alive.
The Campbells have owned Colliestown Farm, between Torphins and Lumphanan, since 1991 and already run a kennels from the spot.
They now want to “supplement and diversify” their income with a four-bedroom holiday lodge on what is deemed to be the “least productive” piece of land they own.
The pair say the picturesque part of the north-east is in dire need of wheelchair-accessible tourist accommodation, and they aim to fill this gap in the market.
It’s said they have “several friends who prefer not to visit or holiday” in the locale for that reason.
And they say their own family experience of early onset Parkinson’s “has highlighted the inaccessibility of our own farmhouse for disabled visitors”.
‘We have to send people as far away as Westhill’
Papers sent to Aberdeenshire Council explain: “Our experience of researching and advising friends and family of locally available holiday accommodation is that we are often required to recommend accommodation as far away as Elrick and Westhill.
“This is due to the scarcity of bedspace availability, and in particular lack of disabled accessible accommodation in our local area.”
Their accommodation would be “fully disabled accessible, with no steps from exterior to
interior”.
And the couple would do their bit to support the local tourism economy by promoting the golf, fishing, hillwalking, watersports and whisky-related activities available nearby.
Last year, Aberdeenshire planners paved the way for an MND-friendly holiday let near Alford.
Farming couple Alan and Jane Craik said special accommodation was in desperate need.
New crematorium planned for outskirts of Inverurie
The owner of Inverurie Garden Centre, Fraser Milne, has unveiled plans for a new crematorium outside the town.
Mr Milne has majority owned the business, with its own machinery shop and cafe, since 1993.
Now, papers sent to Aberdeenshire Council explain his plans to branch out with a new and much-needed venture…
The facility would be created at Mains of Glack, just south of Daviot.
There would be a crematorium, car park and landscaping there.
Talks between Mr Milne and the council go back almost a year, and locals had their say during public events at Daviot Hall last year.
The entire site would cover 4.5 hectares, and papers sent to the council explain the need for it as others in the region “struggle with demand”.
New Inverurie crematorium would ‘create competition and drive down price’
The documents state: “Hazlehead struggles with demand and Buckie is some considerable distance from even the northern boundary of Aberdeenshire.
“Baldarroch at Crathes mainly caters for the southern and western parts of Aberdeenshire.”
The documents reference recent plans for a Chapelton crematorium, which were backed by Aberdeenshire Council last year.
McWilliam Lippe architects also highlight “difficulties for new companies to enter the market”, with strict planning rules and fixed costs.
They add: “Several crematoria in an area will also help competition and drive down price.”
And they say the Mains of Glack location was selected due to its “quietness and seclusion”, with a view out towards Bennachie.
The distinctive building has been designed to help encourage the idea of “celebrating someone’s life”.
McWilliam Lippe architects have made a “3D flythrough” video:
Local undertaker helped to inform Inverurie crematorium plans
Mr Milne has talked with a local funeral director to shape the plans, who has offered tips on the operation and design of crematoriums.
The papers explain that there has been a shift in society, moving away from burial to cremations – with 60% of people now preferring the latter.
Architects add that Aberdeen’s Hazlehead facility “has an unfortunate ‘conveyor belt’ perception, particularly at the East Chapel”.
They continue: “This is compounded by the constant demand for cremations that cannot be fulfilled quickly enough with long waits of often over two weeks for a service.
“Although Baldarroch at Crathes has provided an additional facility, there is clearly still a huge demand as there can still be a wait of over two weeks for a service here.”
An electric cremator would be used, which could be powered by solar panels.
McWilliam Lippe conclude: “It is an innovative and iconic building which will nestle into the landscape and which will undoubtedly become a focal point in the local community.
“The location, building and fine views of Bennachie will provide all you would expect and more in terms of design to ensure life and death can be celebrated in the most appropriate and sympathetic way.”
What do you think of the crematorium plans? Let us know in our comments section below
Bruce Millers plans approved as fresh future could beckon
Finally, we have a development that could be music to the ears of anyone hoping to see the old Bruce Millers shop in Aberdeen given a new lease of life.
The Union Street music store closed 13 years ago. It has been empty ever since.
Bosses wanted permission to clear it out, making it “accessible”.
Blueprints indicated this is for a “potential retail or commercial use” in the future, but management did not go into detail on its future.
The designs say new ventilation grills will be created to “allow the retail unit to be
back in use”.
Aberdeen City Council has now granted the work permission, which could be the beginning of a fresh chapter for the site.
You can keep track of the closed units in Aberdeen city centre with our tracker.
And you can see this week’s plans for yourself here:
Architect office conversion approved
Inverurie crematorium proposal
Bruce Millers changes approved
Conversation