The demolition of an Aberdeen office building to make way for the building of up to 140 flats has been approved in principle.
Councillors yesterday unanimously approved Telereal Trillium’s outline plans for Greyfriars House in the city’s Gallowgate.
The developer has indicated it wants to build either 140 or 115 apartments on the site of the former Department For Work And Pensions office, which is adorned with striking Nuart murals.
Its proposed three flat blocks, between five and seven storeys tall, would be built perpendicular to Gallowgate.
The buildings would be stepped to try to reduce how large they look, with the flat roofs used for terraces for residents.
Officers said in a report prepared for the planning committee that the new builds would be “within the same vistas” as the Mitchell Tower at Marischal College, as well as St Margaret’s Episcopal Church, and would not block any “key views to the detriment of the setting”.
The council’s willingness to approve the planning application depends on Telereal Trillium meeting 20 conditions.
Among them, the firm would be expected to pay around £290,000 to expand school, healthcare and transport services in the surrounding area.
The final total due would depend on whether they pursue the larger or smaller development option.
If they opted to build only 115 homes, the blocks would contain 26 studio, 52 one-bedroom, 29 two-bedroom and eight three-bedroom flats.
The larger scheme would be dominated by 88 studio flats with 48 one-beds and four two-bedroom apartments.
Telereal Trillium will still have to gain approval for more detailed plans, not least outlining how many homes it intends to build, before work can begin.
