News

BBD efforts bear fruit in Aberdeen

News

Estates Gazette

02 March 1991

by Philippa Crawford

Balfour Beatty Developments and Jaymarke Developments have won the go-ahead for their £45m mixed scheme at Strawberry Bank in the Ferryhill district of Aberdeen. Aberdeen council has given outline consent and the 4-acre site will probably hold 150,000 sq ft of office space in both tower and terraced form, 20,000 sq ft of retailing, 45,000 sq ft of leisure, a residential element and parking.

The consortium first sought consent nearly a year ago, but the process was delayed when Grampian regional council called in the application. Subsequently the Secretary of State upheld the city council’s appeal that it should be permitted to determine the issue itself. Aberdeen’s planning department confirmed that the application had included detailed supporting material and commented that agreement of specific details for full planning consent might be completed inside a few months.

The news follows success for Mountleigh Northern Developments in their major Aberdonian development — a 230,000-sq ft retail project around The Green in the city centre. Mountleigh now have outline consent and director Brian Thompson hopes to have detailed consent sewn up by the end of the year. “The Green is a conservation area,” he explained, “so obviously the question of detailing is a sensitive issue. Realistically I would hope to be starting on site early next year, which would mean completion around the summer of 1994.” The scheme restores a number of existing buildings and creates 100,000 sq ft of new shopping. Development costs were estimated last year at some £100m, but Thompson has no further news on funding. “We are just beginning exploratory discussions — nothing is finalised at the moment.”

Aberdeen’s property market, notorious for dramatic peaks and troughs, is looking full of vitality now. Last year saw the Victoria office tower fully let since its completion, the letting of Bredero’s Marischal House to Lasmo, record rents in Golden Square at nearly £15 per sq ft and retail zone As of more than £100 per sq ft in Union Street.

by Philippa Crawford Balfour Beatty Developments and Jaymarke Developments have won the go-ahead for their £45m mixed scheme at Strawberry Bank in the Ferryhill district of Aberdeen. Aberdeen council has given outline consent and the 4-acre site will probably hold 150,000 sq ft of office space in both tower and terraced form, 20,000 sq ft of retailing, 45,000 sq ft of leisure, a residential element and parking. The consortium first sought consent nearly a year ago, but the process was delayed when Grampian regional council called in the application. Subsequently the Secretary of State upheld the city council’s appeal that it should be permitted to determine the issue itself. Aberdeen’s planning department confirmed that the application had included detailed supporting material and commented that agreement of specific details for full planning consent might be completed inside a few months. The news follows success for Mountleigh Northern Developments in their major Aberdonian development — a 230,000-sq ft retail project around The Green in the city centre. Mountleigh now have outline consent and director Brian Thompson hopes to have detailed consent sewn up by the end of the year. “The Green is a conservation area,” he explained, “so obviously the question of detailing is a sensitive issue. Realistically I would hope to be starting on site early next year, which would mean completion around the summer of 1994.” The scheme restores a number of existing buildings and creates 100,000 sq ft of new shopping. Development costs were estimated last year at some £100m, but Thompson has no further news on funding. “We are just beginning exploratory discussions — nothing is finalised at the moment.” Aberdeen’s property market, notorious for dramatic peaks and troughs, is looking full of vitality now. Last year saw the Victoria office tower fully let since its completion, the letting of Bredero’s Marischal House to Lasmo, record rents in Golden Square at nearly £15 per sq ft and retail zone As of more than £100 per sq ft in Union Street.