Aberdeen to waive affordable housing contributions to boost number of city centre homes

Aberdeen City Council has placed a moratorium on affordable housing contributions from developers as part of a series of efforts to increase the number of city centre homes.The council’s planning development management committee supported a recommendation from officers to waive the affordable housing contribution in the city centre for the next two years.The move was informed by a City Centre Living Study which had recommended the moratorium as a way to help developers offset the financial risk associated with city centre development.It comes as proposals are explored for a residential development in the heart of Aberdeen as part of the next stage of the City Centre Masterplan.The council has also allocated £500,000 to assemble a team to progress the vision for Queen Street.The City Centre Masterplan, which was unanimously approved by the council in 2015, envisages Queen Street as a new mixed-use neighbourhood with a cultural component.The site footprint includes Police Scotland; Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service; Aberdeen City Council (Town House extension – pictured below – and city mortuary); and the University of Aberdeen. A draft development framework, which has formed the basis of discussion between public sector partners, is being finalised.Options could include building a new city mortuary at Foresterhill Health Campus; the possible demolition of the Aberdeen Police Scotland headquarters; the relocation of the Council Chamber to the Mitchell Hall at the rear of Marischal College or alternatively using the Kings College conference facilities; and creating a new justice centre for Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service.The redevelopment of Queen Street could allow the council and Police Scotland to co-locate within the council’s property estate to offer a multi-agency service.