The application for the Rowett South site at Bucksburn includes 1,700 houses, retail and commercial provision as well as education, leisure and community uses.

Councillors unanimously agreed a willingness to approve the proposals, tabled by the University of Aberdeen c/o Bon Accord Land Promotion Ltd, subject to conditions.

The planning conditions stipulated include the provision of 25 per cent of affordable housing, financial contributions towards a gypsy traveller site, the provision of land for a new primary school and funding towards a secondary school as well as healthcare and community facilities.

Contributions will also be required towards the Strategic Transport Fund and further mitigation for the local road network as part of the legal agreement.

Aberdeen City Council’s convener of planning development management, Councillor Ramsay Milne, said: “The development of Rowett South will assist in the delivery of affordable housing as part of the city council’s Strategic Infrastructure Plan (SIP).

“There is a clear benefit to the city in terms of the increased supply of housing, subject to the conditions outlined and contributions towards supporting infrastructure.”

The site at Rowett South forms part of the wider Newhills expansion area, which was allocated in the Aberdeen Local Development Plan in 2012 for residential development.

A total of 4,400 homes are earmarked for the Newhills area, which is divided into three separate sites, Craibstone South, Rowett South and Greenferns Landward.

A proposal of application notice was submitted in August 2013, and two rounds of public consultation were held in August and October 2013. There were no objections to the proposal.

A development framework for the Newhills site was approved in September 2014 and was adopted in January 2015.

@AberdeenCC