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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Kirstie Topp, Local Democracy Reporter

Empty offices to be demolished and homes built after government intervention

Aberdeenshire the Scottish Government
An artist impression of the proposed Westhill affordable housing (Image: Kirstie Topp)

AN OLD block of offices is set to be demolished, with new houses built in its place in Aberdeenshire, it has been revealed.

The former Stewart Milne HQ in Westhill will be demolished and new homes built in its place after the Scottish Government overturned councillors’ refusal.

Bancon Construction and The Lombard Merton Trust are behind the project to knock down Peregrine House to make way for 45 affordable houses.

An application for the Mosscroft Avenue development went before the Garioch area committee in November but councillors refused it.

However, determined to see their plan come to life, developers appealed against the decision to the Scottish Government.

Peregrine House (Image: Kirstie Topp)

Peregrine House has been sitting empty since Stewart Milne Group went bust in January 2024.

It was put on the market shortly afterwards in the hope another firm would take it on and call it home.

But with no offers made, Bancon took over the site with the aim to build the new homes for housing association Hillcrest.

Under their plan, a mix of one to five-bedroom properties would be built including flats and townhouses.

But councillors believed the development was in the wrong place, claiming it was “in the middle of an industrial estate”.

They feared future residents would be interrupted by noise from the neighbouring Westhill Garage.

An artist impression of the proposed Westhill affordable housing (Image: Kirstie Topp)

Committee members also thought the site didn’t have enough open space and would require felling trees.

Scottish Government reporter Sarah Foster was assigned to consider the appeal.

She visited the site in April to get a better idea of the location and the impact it would have on the new properties.

And it seems she was happy with what she saw as she overturned the refusal and granted the application.

In her decision, she said: “I conclude that the proposed development accords overall with the relevant provisions of the development plan.

“There are no material considerations which would still justify refusing to grant planning permission.

“I have considered all the other matters raised, but there are none which would lead me to alter my conclusions.”

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