Revised Ballater school affordable housing plans given green light

Grampian Housing Association’s plans to convert a disused Victorian school site in Royal Deeside into 24 affordable homes have been approved by councillors.The Association, which purchased the Ballater site with the desire to rejuvenate the C-listed Old School, will build 12 new homes on the land. A new house will also be constructed in the school yard, alongside 11 newly built flats.Previous plans for 26 homes were turned down by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) planning committee last May amid concerns over the proposed access and the density of properties on the site.This decision was successfully appealed by the Association, which then reduced the number of planned homes by two in a new application.The design team led by Ian Rodger Architects also addressed the site’s access concerns.Planning officer Katherine Donnachie outlined her reasons for recommending the application for approval.