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April 2018
Aberdeen tenement goes car free to win over planners

Aberdeen tenement goes car free to win over planners

April 17 2018

An application for planning permission has been filed by ASA and Neil Rothnie Architects to erect a four-home tenement block on Bedford Road, Aberdeen.

To be built to the rear of an existing tenement the proposed scheme was first submitted in November of last year but hit resistance from planners concerned at the inadequate provision of amenity space and an adverse impact on existing properties.

This prompted a reappraisal of designs and layouts to scrap plans for undercroft parking and associated dead frontages by supporting a city car sharing scheme instead, with the added advantage of allowing a small accessible garden area to be created.

In a statement the architects wrote: “The development of this site will create flats which ref lects th eas pirations of Aberdeen City Council and what we understand to be emerging policies which will seek to encourage more residential units within the city centre. Whilst this site does not fall within the defined city centre, small developments such as these contribute and provide choice for purchasers and prospective occupiers.”

Natural granite is proposed for the front elevation below a slate roof.

7 Comments

#1 Posted by Bill S on 17 Apr 2018 at 11:35 AM

Hmm,

The "Architects" have seemed to make a mistake with the plan and lopped off the rear half, leaving an odd shaped side elevation, with a random white rendered stair protrusion. I wonder if someone should let them know?

#2 Posted by downwiththecar on 17 Apr 2018 at 11:39 AM

God forbid one should have to live in a city with nowhere to park one's metal box on wheels. *rolls eyes*

#3 Posted by mick on 17 Apr 2018 at 15:41 PM

Surely we are living in the 21st century! If so why attempt to replicate the living language of the mid 19th century. All those involved from architects to planners should be red faced. Pastiche postulating as architecture.

#4 Posted by monthecars on 17 Apr 2018 at 17:11 PM

#2 - Cars aren't some extravagance that can be engineered out of life by refusing to acknowledge them. Some people need them for work. Others need them for mobility. Aberdeen has no suburban train stations as far as I'm aware, and Bedford Road is a good mile from the city centre's northernmost edge. Even eco-conscious residents will have visitors who want/need to drive to reach this development, delivery vehicles coming and going, etc.

#5 Posted by downwiththecar on 17 Apr 2018 at 21:04 PM

A whole MILE? Fair enough. It's a well known fact that it's humanly impossible to walk or cycle that far...(sigh)

...though let's face it, the way non-motorists have been systematically engineered out of the UK's public road/transport infrastructure and sub-/urban environments, it does seem that way to many. So yes, we should be doing more to engineer out private motor traffic in favour of engineering more efficient, environmentally friendly travel infrastructure, whether that is better public transport links, segregated cycle infrastructure or pedestrian routes. This, by the way, will have the happy side-effect of freeing up road capacity for those who truly do need to own a car or van, and improve our towns and cities for the better, reducing traffic, air/noise pollution, etc.