The new owner of Donside’s luxury Tillyfour House has plans to open up the grounds to visitors, neighbours are at odds over new windows in Aberdeen’s swanky west end and a Starbucks could be coming to Garthdee.
All these and more feature in this week’s Planning Ahead, our weekly round-up of the latest proposals being pondered across the north-east.
Every week we bring readers a selection of the most interesting applications submitted to our councils in a bid to form changes big and small in our communities.
We begin our latest instalment with plans for a huge home on the outskirts of Fraserburgh.
Plans for new mansion raise heritage concerns
James Simpson, who runs the Kessock Service Station on Fraserburgh’s South Road, has formed plans for a new north-east dream home.
Mr Simpson wants permission to knock down an old house at Crimonmogate, near Lonmay.
Architects have shown Aberdeenshire Council designs of how the grand four-bedroom home proposed to be built there would look.
But historians might need some convincing to allow the demolition to take place…
What’s the catch?
The council’s built environment team are worried that the two-storey house could be seen from a B-listed coach house nearby.
They say such a historic building should not be “distracted by the presence of any new development”.
The heritage buffs add: “Indeed, the development should not be seen in any principal view either of or from the historic property or affect in anyway the main approaches to the building.”
Mr Simpson is being asked to supply images showing how his mansion could be seen from the coach house.
Meanwhile, nature experts say the derelict building looks ideal for bats – and say a survey should be carried out on any impact on the creatures.
Derelict Banff workshop could become art haven
Meanwhile, over in Banff, there are plans lined up for another dilapidated building.
The former workshop on Kingswell Lane was recently listed for sale.
Now, plans lodged by local community arts group The Forge describe how members want to bring it back to life.
They will need to replace the roof, while reinstating doors and windows to bring it into “usable” condition.
Once renovated, the premises would be a crafting workshop and community arts hub.
Banff care home to become flats – despite neighbour complaints
Elsewhere in the north-east town, plans to turn the Valeview Care Home into four flats have been approved – much to the chagrin of neighbours.
Valeview offered respite care for adults with learning difficulties but closed about seven years ago.
Neighbours warned that the narrow road would not be able to cope with the influx of new residents should they own cars.
And resident Arizona Langford warned three other properties use the access pend in the alley, and feared the change could cause “drastic inconvenience”.
Over last summer, numerous surveys were carried out to check the availability in nearby car parks.
The council has now agreed that any vehicles could be accommodated on nearby streets, and rubber-stamped the scheme.
They agreed anyone living there should be able to get parked “within a reasonable walking distance to the development”.
Garthdee supermarket could get new Starbucks coffee shop
Sainsbury’s bosses are planning to spend £200,000 on carving out space for a new Starbucks coffee shop at the Garthdee supermarket.
Branches of the Seattle-based chain are already in various other Saisnbury’s outlets, including at the Berryden shop.
It comes after the cafe in the Garthdee supermarket shut in 2o22.
Around the same time, management announced a deal with Starbucks. About a year later, 60 of the coffee shops were operating in spaces at the supermarkets.
It’s all in the name for offshore energy giant…
Schlumberger might not be such a big name in oil and gas any more, literally speaking at least.
The American oilfield services company announced in 2022 that it would now be known as SLB.
And now, bosses want to update their Aberdeen base on Moss Howe Terrace in Dyce.
Proposals have been submitted seeking permission to replace the signs on the big blue building.
Alford shop could be reborn – months after demolition loomed
Applicant Carol Morris wanted to build a house on the site.
But now it doesn’t seem that those plans are going ahead.
And in fact, Rosies could be brought back to life as a village shop.
A&D Retail, from Keith, have lodged plans to upgrade the frontage as they resurrect the grocery shop.
It comes just after a new local produce shop opened in the heart of Alford.
Historic Aberdeen building in line for upgrades
Aberdeen’s Powis Community Centre dates back to 1802, when it was designed by architect George Jaffrey “in the classical style”.
It was built by landowner Hugh Leslie of Powis, and politician Sir John Arbuthnot of Kittybrewster was born there in 1912.
The building was sold to become a community centre in 1942, and has been one ever since.
Now some plans to modernise the 220-year-old landmark have been approved.
The council said the current windows at the grand building were old and damaged.
Officials agreed that the changes proposed at the B-listed building would be acceptable.
Argument over window plans breaks out in leafy part of Aberdeen…
But window replacement projects can be a pain for some, as plans for one luxurious Aberdeen home raised the ire of a neighbour.
Karen Iridag, who is listed as a director of the Tukish restaurant Nargile, made the changes to her C-listed 68a Rubislaw Den South property without permission.
Neighbours say wrong paint used
Retrospective documents sent to the council attracted an objection from Anne and Johan van Diggelen, who live next door.
They voiced concerns about the opening mechanism, and blasted the brown finish as “completely inconsistent with the area”.
The couple added: “The finish also appears to be stain rather than a paint, paint would be the traditional finish that we would expect would be required on a listed building.
“We have a photograph from 1974 that shows that the ground floor windows were originally painted white – we can provide a copy of this if required.”
What did council decide?
However, the Nargile owner has been given a reprieve by Aberdeen City Council.
The local authority said the replacement of 14 windows at the 120-year-old villa was “appropriate” as a way of improving “thermal efficiency”.
They said it does not “result in an adverse impact or detriment to the appearance of the listed building”.
New building for visitors to Crathie countryside home
A few days ago, King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in Aberdeenshire to mark their 19th wedding anniversary.
And in Crathie, just a few miles from the Royal Family’s Balmoral retreat, a doctor wants to build some extra accommodation for visitors to her home.
Dr Lea Cramsie is seeking Aberdeenshire Council’s consent for the added structure at her The Old Forge house.
She renovated the old cottage there in 2017, and is now seeking the addition to cater for visiting family members.
Documents state: “This will reduce the demand on the existing available holiday lets and bring new tourists into the area, boosting the local economy.”
Tillyfour House visitor plans after £941,000 purchase
In 1867, Queen Victoria travelled from Deeside to Donside to give the new breed of Aberdeen Angus cattle her royal seal of approval.
And its owners did more than roll out the red carpet.
To mark the occasion a new wing was added to Tillyfour House by inventor of the breed, William McCombie.
This allowed the monarch, who was not too tall, to observe the herd from a drawing room on the first floor as a hedge would have blocked her view from ground level.
This royal visit is just one chapter in the history of this storied Donside home, which dates back to 1700.
Tillyfour House’s past owner Mr McCombie is considered something of Aberdeen Angus royalty.
Remarkably he also became Liberal MP for West Aberdeenshire – becoming the first tenant farmer to sit in the House of Commons in 1868.
What are the new plans for Tillyfour House?
The home hit the market in 2022 when its most recent owner retired.
Emily and Hal Salvesen previously told The Sunday Post that the six-bedroom house, with a four-acre garden was “a very special place to live”.
The property sold for £941,000 last year.
And now, the new owners are plotting some changes.
Mr and Mrs S McMichael want to convert an old coach house into a new home that could be used as an Airbnb.
It would have a kitchen, dining area and lounge on the ground floor with three bedrooms upstairs.
Meanwhile, a shepherd’s hut would be created as another short-term let.
A separate application for a new barn explains that Mr and Mrs McMichael bought the mansion in May 2023 – but not the adjacent land and farm buildings.
You can see the plans here:
Powis Community Centre windows
Rubislaw Den South windows spat
Tillyfour House short-term lets plan
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