FRESH plans to transform a derelict Aberdeen factory into an urban village to rival those in the UK’s top cities have been unveiled.
The blighted Broadford Works site has been earmarked for a £50million redevelopment for years, with current owner Ian Suttie having consent for more than 500 homes, commercial units, restaurants and a nursery.
But now Ferness Investment Holdings Ltd have come forward with their own multi-million pound vision – which includes retaining the historically significant Grey Mill building and turning it into a studio, workshop and gallery space.
Their proposal of application notice – which is separate to Mr Suttie’s plans – outlines a bid for 890 units, including private rental sector apartments and student accommodation, as well as nursery, restaurant, cafe and bar facilities.
They also visualise creating office and retail space, concierge and management facilities on the site of the former textile mill, which closed its doors in 2004.
Last night a spokesman for the company – which is registered in Guernsey and is a consortium of investors – exclusively told the Press and Journal that work could start as early as next spring.
He said: “Things are definitely moving forward.
“It’s going to be a mixed-use scheme, but a residential-led urban village. The one before had significantly less (units), in the region of the low 500s.”
Dating back to 1808, the site contains a huge number of some of the oldest 19th century buildings in Britain.
The spokesman comparing the future of the site to developments in some of the UK’s largest cities.
He said: “It’s a very popular formula in many British cities, there are very similar schemes being developed in places like Manchester, Glasgow and Leeds.
“I know this site has been a particular interest for locals, and it’s going to be a pretty substantial site. It’s very exciting.”
Last month Central Demolition began clearing the Maberly Street site to make way for the redevelopment.
In the years it has languished unused, Broadford Works has been repeatedly targeted by vandals, and a number of its historically valuable buildings have been defaced by graffiti and set on fire.
It contains the biggest collection of at-risk listed buildings in Scotland.
Aberdeen Central MSP Kevin Stewart has been a long-time campaigner for work to begin at Broadford, and welcomed the news of the new application.
Mr Stewart said: “I would hope that this is a step forward, but when it comes to this site I am rather cynical, because we have seen plans put in front of the council before, but none of those plans have ever come to fruition.
“And meanwhile, the area has been left to rot.”
Ramsay Milne, the convener of the local authority’s planning development management committee, said: “I’m hopeful that the application is a sign that there’s going to be movement on the restoration and development of the site.
“The site is currently like a bad tooth in the city centre, it’s actually got some very fine A-listed buildings that have been left for many years, and have fallen into a very poor state of repair.
“It is also an opportunity to provide housing in the city centre, and to restore the Grey Mill in particular, which is the fourth oldest iron-framed building in the world.”
Mr Suttie could not be reached for comment last night.