Masterplan for Loirston

Challenge

SLR's Place team led the Masterplan for the Loirston site in south Aberdeen which was adopted by Aberdeen City Council as Planning Guidance. The site occupies an important strategic position within the context of Aberdeen City both as a gateway and as a landscape resource for the wider area with the existing environmentally sensitive Loirston Loch/Wetlands and Kincorth Hill. The masterplan covers sites identified within the Aberdeen Local Development Plan (ALDP) as having the opportunity for 1500 homes and 11 hectares of employment land, with the potential to additionally accommodate a Community Stadium. The site offers an excellent location for development, with the potential to connect to and support existing surrounding communities whilst integrating with the distinctive, environmentally sensitive landscape setting.

The Loirston area is bounded by two key routes into the city; these key arteries, coupled with the potential for a public transport route through the new development and the open aspect of the site due to the existing topography, make the Loirston site a highly visible edge of city location. The existing landscape resources offer a fantastic opportunity for a new neighbourhood that is fully integrated with its natural environment and landscape setting, and that is also distinctive and appropriate to the surrounding context. The proximity to the city centre and key employment areas creates the potential for a unique and attractive waterside mixed-use development.

Solution

By sensitively establishing a landscape framework from the outset around the existing resources, a strong green space network can be created, into which sustainable development neatly fits, offering easy access to the surrounding open spaces and existing communities. The masterplan establishes a flexible structure which is in line with the timing and allocations set out within the Local Plan and allows for future detailed proposals to come forward in due course.

Impact

A consent for Planning Permission in Principle was secured in January 2014 and SLR subsequently progressed materials to clear the associated conditions. This material included a Strategic Landscape Masterplan, Phase 1 Masterplan and other supporting information which was submitted as an Applications for Matters Specified in Conditions (MSC). Public realm and landscape proposals have been progressed for the initial infrastructure and are currently being tendered by Muir Construction.

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