North-east residents have criticised a developer for trying to get out of funding improvements to a school used by residents of its luxury flats.
CALA Homes originally agreed to put £92,000 towards increasing classroom space at Skene Square primary as a condition of permission to build the homes.
That added up to £23,000 for each extra young person expected to join its classes as a result – a common requirement imposed by council planners.
All but a handful of the 46 two and three-bedroom properties at May Baird Close in Ashgrove, valued at £245,000 to £495,000 each, have already been sold.
But to the dismay of local residents, the firm has told Aberdeen City Council it no longer sees any need to pay for the creation of a new teaching area.
CALA has argued the latest projections of demand showed the school was expected to be less stretched than when it promised the cash in March 2015.
It stated, in a submission, that other large-scale developments nearby had not gone ahead as planned, meaning pressure on places would be reduced.
However, education chiefs have insisted the school will run out of space next year and will be running a third over capacity by 2022.
To cope with the extra demand, the local authority wants to convert space above the school’s gym in an annex building into a classroom – and insists the developer must help pay for it.
Officers concluded the new capacity assessment did “not materially alter the level of contribution that is payable” and so there was “no apparent justification for modification of the agreement”.
A series of letters objecting to the move have been sent to the council, with some arguing the current oil and gas slump will increase demand as cash-strapped parents turn away from private education.
The application to have the agreement torn up is to be debated by the planning committee next week.
John Wigglesworth, secretary and planning officer of Rosemount and Mile End community council, said the organisation was “very disappointed” at the move.
Calling on CALA to honour its commitment, he said if the cash was not used for the school, then it should be spent on upgrading a nearby playground and skate park in Westburn Park.
A spokesperson for CALA Homes (North) said: “We are currently liaising with Aberdeen City Council regarding planning gain contributions related to our development at Parklands.”
