Plans to demolish former Stewart Milne base for new homes refused

A proposal to knock down the empty former Stewart Milne Group base in Westhill and replace it with 45 new affordable homes has been thrown out.

Bancon Construction and The Lombard Merton Trust wanted to demolish Peregrine House on Mosscroft Avenue to make way for the new development.

The existing three-storey building at Westhill Industrial Estate sits next to the busy Westhill Garage.

Developers revealed that the properties would be built for Hillcrest Homes.

Plans to demolish former Stewart Milne base refused. LDRS

Peregrine House has been lying vacant since the housebuilder went bust in January 2024.

However, councillors refused the plan due to its location and fears residents won’t be able to open their windows due to noise from surrounding businesses.

The new development was due to include a mix of one to five-bedroom properties, from flats to townhouses.

It was designed to reach up to four storeys in height at its tallest, down to two at its smallest.

Developers argued the housing was “well-suited to accommodate growing families” and offered various sizes to “meet local demand”.

Of the 45 properties, around four were designed to be wheelchair accessible, ensuring inclusivity and adaptability, where required.

The site also included 80 car parking spaces, along with two bin stores and a cycle store.

However, three Westhill residents had objected to the plan.

They raised concerns about schools and the town’s health centre being unable to support an influx in new residents.

Meanwhile, fears were voiced that an increase in traffic would cause congestion in and around Westhill.

Those against the plan also believed the chosen site wasn’t appropriate for housing.

Environmental Health officers were initially against the development too as they thought the homes would be built too close to noisy industrial businesses.

But a noise impact assessment revealed commercial noise levels would have a “low impact” and other measures could be used to reduce sound.

This included installing a 3.9m high fence and relying on a “closed window” strategy – where residents would be told to keep their windows closed to avoid any nuisance.

Despite these worries, Aberdeenshire Council planners recommended the proposal be granted.

They argued the site would help with the housing emergency declared by the Scottish Government last year.

The matter went before the Garioch area committee earlier today.

Westhill councillor Iris Walker called for the plan to be refused as she didn’t believe it was an acceptable site for the affordable houses.

“Who would want to live in the middle of an industrial estate next to a working repair garage?” she asked.

“We have many discussions with the housing service advising tenants to keep their windows open, especially to keep damp and mould at bay if they are drying clothes indoors.

“Would we expect private homeowners to accept that they need to keep their windows shut to mitigate the noise from businesses?”

Her view was echoed by Jim Gifford, who stated that advising residents to keep their windows closed to prevent noisy nuisance was “frankly absurd”.

He also wanted to ensure that the Westhill Garage was safe from any potential noise complaints by future residents.

The East Garioch councillor added: “If I can put it back to front, if these houses existed would we allow the garage next door to get planning permission?

“The answer is almost certainly no.”

And Inverurie councillor Marion Ewenson raised her own fear that the development put residents at risk of being “marooned in an industrial estate”.

However, Westhill councillor Ron McKail backed the planner’s recommendation to grant the scheme.

Following a vote, the application was refused by 11 to two.