The new owners of the stunning Towie Barclay Castle are planning to spruce up the ancient landmark near Turriff after splashing out almost £1 million on it.
Meanwhile, new lighting could soon be zig-zagging above Union Street as the latest idea to brighten up the city centre takes shape.
These and more feature in this week’s Planning Ahead, our regular 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 to form changes big and small in our communities.
And we start off this week with plans to transform the former pop-up bar The Bike Yard into a new Asian supermarket.
Plans for new supermarket next to Aberdeen Lidl
Club promoters Rory Masson and Scott Forest opened the street-food bar on Hutcheon Street after lockdown in 2021 when outdoor venues were booming.
The bar had the biggest beer garden in the city centre with about 250 seats.
And the pair thought this would be the key to a success, drawing people from George Street and the surrounding areas.
But just a year later, The Bike Yard closed its doors due to “difficult current conditions”, leaving the former McGown Motorcycles empty.
The site has fallen into disrepair since, with huge weeds sprouting from the ground.
Fahad Gulib now wants to breathe new life into the abandoned premises and turn it into a new Asian supermarket.
He intends to lease it for at least 20 year if the proposals are approved.
This, Mr Gulib says, will revitalise the area and boost footfall, as well as fill a gap in the market with a “culturally inclusive offering”.
The main building will be converted into a grocery store for international foods, while the yard area would be cleared out and resurfaced.
What do neighbours think about the proposals?
However, neighbour Kirsten Philip fears having the supermarket could result in a “rat and mice infestation” in the area.
The owner of the Hutch N Hair beauty salon up the road claims this is already an issue in that spot – and having extra bins being put out “will make things worse”.
She writes: “This will affect my business as cleanliness is paramount in the hair and beauty industry.”
Ms Philip adds there could also be issues with getting deliveries as the car park is too narrow to fit six cars and lorries.
Is another fitness venue opening up in Aberdeen?
And the city’s keep-fit craze is showing no sign of running out of puff.
Now, fresh proposals have been tabled to turn part of Eagle House on Shore Lane into a martial arts training venue.
The plans have been lodged by Kate Richardson, from Forgue near Huntly.
It comes after the unit at the complex, which had been home to Riverside Construction, was put on the market for £100,000.
Last year, we covered plans to turn the upper floors of Eagle House into flats – but they remain undecided.
Redundant Crown Terrace building has uncertain future
Meanwhile, the owners of a former opticians building on Crown Terrace are eyeing up some changes…
Duncan Todd Property is eager to transform the use of a building to the rear of its former 14 Crown Terrace premises.
But they need a rule change to be agreed by the council in order to open up several new possibilities for it.
They want it to be designated a spot for “sport and/or recreation activities” – which could mean it becomes a gym, boxing training venue, martial arts mecca or something else of this nature.
Plans for massive expansion of private Balmedie school
Meanwhile, a private Balmedie school is poised to undergo a fancy refurbishment.
OneSchool Global opened the modern facility in Millden – 10 miles north of Aberdeen – in 2010 after taking over the former golf course site.
The clubhouse was converted into a school building, while the driving range was transformed to be used for sport activities.
In 2019, they lodged plans for a huge extension to their Caledonia North Campus – building a new hall with additional classrooms and toilets.
And they now want to make it even bigger and better.
School bosses are seeking permission to link the two buildings and create a new canteen by opening up the main campus.
A section of the grounds will also be turned into a multi-use pitch for all sorts of sports.
Much-needed ATM planned for Ellon town centre
Money might make the world go round, but lately it’s been pretty tricky to get your hands on cash if you live in Ellon.
The town has been left without any bank branches since the Bank of Scotland shut last September – with its ATM due to be removed within days.
Local MP Harriet Cross has been petitioning for a banking hub to serve Ellon, claiming folk are having to travel to Aberdeen or Inverurie for in-person banking.
And while a banking hub may not be on the immediate horizon, a local grocery store is doing its bit to ease the crisis.
Greens of Ellon, based in The Square, wants to install an ATM next to the main entrance.
Documents state: “The purpose is to provide a 24-hour banking facility for the local
community and visitors to the area.”
Could bike shop become another Ellon takeaway?
Elsewhere in the town, businessman Shahid Ali wants to turn a former bike shop on Station Road into a new takeaway.
While there isn’t all that much detail on the plan, the blueprints do show that the kitchen would come with a pizza oven.
The former Ythan Cycles is next to the Ellon Indoor Market.
Ski centre embraces technology to produce fake snow at cheap price
There was some bad news for snowsports fans at the start of 2023 when soaring energy bills hit a popular ski resort.
The £520,000 factory had been installed to guarantee skiing all across the season.
At the time, the site’s operations manager said the cost of making snow “had risen from £500-a-day to £1200 to £1500-a-day”.
“Our energy costs have tripled and you cannot get the increased footfall every day to cover that cost,” Nigel Hake said.
So what have they done now?
Iain Dupon, the managing director at The Lecht, has now put in plans for a replacement snow factory.
Papers sent to Aberdeenshire Council explain it, and the generator required to run it, have been selected “for their modern, efficient, and relatively quiet operation”.
It will use something called HVO fuel, which stands for “hydro-treated vegetable oil”.
This is described as a “renewable alternative to traditional diesel”, resulting in “significantly reduced carbon emissions”.
The papers add: “The use of HVO fuel and the efficient design of the snow factory represent a significant step forward in our sustainability journey.
“The proposed installation of the snow factory is a necessary, carefully considered
development that will secure the future of snow sports at Lecht 2090.
“It will deliver major benefits for the local community, economy and our visitors.”
Union Street lighting plan approved
Aberdeen council chiefs are pressing on with their multi-million-pound vision for the city centre, which they hope will help return the glow to Union Street.
The project has faced quite a few issues since work began last April.
The section between Market Street and Bridge Street was initially hoped to be all spruced up by December, with new cycle lanes, wider pavements and a plaza-style entrance in front of the new Flint market created.
City bosses have now ticked off another thing off their to-do list, securing permission for new string lights.
These will stretch zigzag from the former Royal Bank of Scotland building to the St Nicholas kirkyard.
New signs for Nescol’s Energy Transition Skills Hub
Meanwhile, Nescol bosses are also seeking permission for some new signs for their Energy Transition Skills Hub in Altens.
The multi-million-pound training centre is being built on the site of a disused dairy as an extension to their existing campus.
It was supposed to open last summer, but the project was hit by delays – with a new opening date still to be confirmed.
When completed, it would be one of five specialist facilities in Scotland aimed at equipping young people with the right skills to get into the renewable energy sector.
Towie Barclay Castle new owners reveal plans
And finally, we go from plans for the region’s green energy future to one of its oldest buildings.
We complete this week’s round-up with a look at Towie Barclay Castle as we reveal what its new owners have in mind for it.
The stunning building at Auchterless was built in the late 16th century for the chief of Clan Barclay.
It was sold to the Earl of Findlater in 1733 after being “associated with a curse”…
A curse?
The site was given to the clan after members “pillaged a nunnery”, which famed prophet Thomas The Rhymer foretold would bring about a curse on the male line.
This was TWICE given as a reason for its sale in the 1700s, so it was taken quite seriously.
It slipped into disrepair in the following decades.
Enter folk singer with penchant for restoration…
By the 1960s it was a ruin, and was snapped up at a bargain price by US-born folk singer Marc Ellington and his wife Karen.
They spent years breathing new life into it, and even welcomed some famous visitors over their years spent there raising their family.
The Queen Mother, and her grandson Charles, were big fans.
And they also had comedy legend Billy Connolly round – as Marc had struck up a friendship with The Big Yin on the folk scene before the Glasgow icon became a megastar.
Marc died in 2021 and Karen sold it as she made plans to downsize two years later.
Thanks to their work, it was described as one of the best tower houses in Britain – with the “best preserved late medieval hall north of York”.
So what is next as new owners move into Towie Barclay Castle?
Planning documents sent to Aberdeenshire Council reveal who the new owners of Towie Barclay Castle are – and hint at some of their proposals.
James Burba, 70, and his partner Robert Hayes, 66, have set up Towie Barclay Castle Ltd along with Yvonne Corbett, who owns Turin Castle in Angus.
The latter is described as “Scotland’s most exclusive venue”, and offers 10 opulent suites for luxury breaks and wedding parties.
So who are James Burba and Robert Hayes?
The American couple are listed as living in the United States on Companies House.
They run an entertainment production company called Burba Hayes, which is behind movies and some Broadway musicals – including a stage version of Mrs Doubtfire.
The website Out.com hailed them as a “power couple you should know about”.
Perhaps most relevant to Towie Barclay Castle though, Mr Burba is the co-founder of the Burba Hotel Network…
And as co-founders of the Burba Hayes Network (BHN) in Orange County, California, the couple made their fortune by creating “must attend” global conferences for the hotel and tourism industry.
So what are their plans for the ancient Aberdeenshire landmark?
A string of documents indicate that alterations are planned at the A-listed castle itself along with the carriage house and garden cottage in the expansive grounds.
The new owners are exploring “sensitive options” to do it up a bit, following some investigations into the buildings’ condition.
In the ground floor kitchen, fittings dating back to the 1970s revamp will be replaced, new storage cabinets will be added to the mud room and a “whisky room” would be carved out in the lower hall.
More 50-odd-year-old fittings would be replaced in the upstairs bedrooms and bathroom.
At the carriage house, some changes are proposed to provide catering facilities for “events in the adjacent Assembly Hall”.
‘We want to improve safety and look of the castle’
And in the garden cottage, an accessible toilet will be created.
Conservation architect David Chouman was commissioned to complete the report on the property.
Are you glad to see the castle being revived by new owners? Let us know in our comments section below
Mr Chouman states: “The principal works as proposed focus on the safety and presentation of the castle, the carriage house, and the garden cottage.
“Electrical systems are to be brought-up to standard, and 1970s bathroom and kitchen fittings replaced.
“A programme of targeted repairs on a like-for-like basis shall address some observed condition issues.”
You can see the plans for yourself here:
Bike shop could become takeaway
Union Street lighting plan approved
Towie Barclay Castle plans revealed
Conversation