Consultations start today for two proposed sites for new council houses in Aberdeen which are both in an area already zoned for housing near Newhills, Northfield, and Kingswells.
The Greenferns and Greenferns Landward developments are both on land already owned by Aberdeen City Council and both would have council houses built as phase one of the development of the sites – about 350 at Greenferns and about 160 at Greenferns Landward.
Subsequent housing on both sites would be built by private housing developers including a portion of affordable housing.
At Greenferns, the site would be about 73.6ha (182 acres), and approximately 1,650 homes are proposed. It would also include a neighbourhood centre comprising local retail and commercial space, leisure and community uses, and associated infrastructure, including new and upgraded access roads, landscaping, open space and engineering works. A detailed masterplan is also being prepared for phase one of the development.
A range of open space types would be provided including areas suitable for recreation which also provide opportunities for biodiversity enhancement, the management of surface water run-off and the mitigation of flood risk.
For Greenferns Landward which is about 69.6hectares, it would be residential-led development of approximately 1,570 homes, a new primary school, local neighbourhood retail and commercial space, leisure and community uses, a gypsy traveller site, landscaping, and open space. It is envisaged that the new primary school would include facilities available to the wider community the siting and the layout of the proposed new primary school is still being designed. There is also scope for new bespoke community spaces to be provided in the development to form a neighbourhood centre.
For both developments, views are sought on the type and location of amenities and types of open spaces people would like to see in the development.
The consultations are available at www.greenferns.consultationonline.co.uk and at www.greenfernslandward.consultationonline.co.uk until 29 July 2022. For Greenferns, a live chat will be available on the exhibition page on Tuesday 21 June 2022 from 3pm to 7pm, when the design team will be available to answer questions. For Greenferns Landward, a live chat will be available on the exhibition page on Thursday 23 June 2022 from 3pm to 7pm.
In-person exhibitions will be held for both sites after the summer holiday period, by which time the layout and design of the proposal will be developed further using the initial feedback.