A pioneering housing scheme designed to attract graduates in key areas like nursing, teaching and social care to the north-east will be considered by Aberdeen City Council next month.
Developers First Foot Properties have put forward plans to build around 150 single units on Nelson Street.
The proposed project, which will cost around £15million and be the first of its kind in Scotland, has been created with recent graduates starting their careers in the public sector in mind.
If approved, it would be owned and operated by the Grampian Housing Association.
The fields and changing pavilion currently at the site were deemed surplus to the city council’s education and children’s services requirements, and it was put up for sale earlier this year.
The plans will go before the city council’s finance committee next month.
Earlier this week, the Alhikmah Foundation also revealed proposals for the site, and set out a vision for a sporting and events pavilion at the location.
A spokesman for First Foot Properties said: “There are a lot of unfilled posts in Aberdeen that are in some cases in the public sector, and the pay grades just don’t substantiate.
“Graduates need that edge – if you’re starting a career with a low salary, it shouldn’t preclude you from being able to get a nice property to live in at an affordable rent, owned and run by a housing association.”
Last year, NHS Grampian spent more than £1million on locums to cover surgical departments between April and September, and there are currently around 400 nursing and midwifery vacancies at the health board.
In July, there were around 75 teacher vacancies in Aberdeen, and there are currently around 25 empty posts in Aberdeenshire.
North-east MSP Peter Chapman said: “It has been clear for some time now that a lack of affordable housing is holding back the recruitment and retention of public sector staff in the north-east.
“This type of development, one that is targeted at graduates, could help to address that shortage of low-cost homes and make it easier for bodies such as NHS Grampian and the local council to attract the nursing staff and teachers that this area needs.”
Grampian Housing Association has asked anyone wishing to share their opinions on the proposals to do so on their Twitter page @GrampianHA
