Construction begins on new Aberdeenshire town

The proposed housing development at Chapelton. Picture: Contributed

It will lead to the creation of Chapelton - a £2 billion new settlement to be built on farmland, ten miles south of Aberdeen.

Earlier this year Aberdeenshire Council granted detailed planning permission for the first 802 homes to be built at the 2,000 acre site on the sprawling Elsick estate.

The long-term master plan includes proposals for the creation of seven separate neighbourhoods across the site with up to 8,000 homes.The new town will also include industrial and business developments on land adjacent to Newtonhill with a potential to create up to 8,200 jobs.

Lord Southesk, son of the Duke of Fife and chairman of the Elsick Development Company, today marked the start of work on the site by unveiling a cairn seat in the gardens of Elsick House, which will become a civic space at the centre of the town.

He said: “This momentous day is the culmination of many years of planning. It will be really exciting to see the diggers start on site creating what will become a thriving new sustainable community with a busy high street, schools, healthcare facilities and lots of green space on 2,000 acres of farmland.

“We have now completed a range of house designs to suit a variety of needs and with a focus on modern living.”

Lord Southesk explained: “Probably the very first building to be constructed will be a small corner shop. It will start its life off as our visitor centre and will then evolve into a corner shop over time. We are also hoping that the second or third building to be built will be a nursery school. We are are trying to show that, from the outset, the facilities will be there. And clearly it’s also important to us to get a proper primary school up and running and that will happen as soon as it’s needed.

“Schools will be at the heart of community life and we are working with the council and our education specialists to deliver an exciting building that will inspire life-long education and become a hub for local people.”

‘New concept’

Councillor Jill Webster, the Provost of Aberdeenshire, said: “Chapelton is an exciting new concept for Aberdeenshire and I am pleased to see the first steps being taken to turn the plans into reality. The Elsick Development Company has worked closely in collaboration with Aberdeenshire Council to ensure that this new town fits the needs of its new residents and creates a blueprint for similar developments in the future, prioritising infrastructure, facilities and open space.”

The initial £8 million work needed to service the development is being carried out by local firm WM Donald and the new town is being developed by the Elsick Development Company.

A spokeswoman for the developers said: “Housebuilders Zero C Holdings, AJC Homes and A&J Stephen will start to deliver the first homes from Spring 2014. Designs are already in development for the first school, which is likely to open in 2018. EDC has also pledged to work closely with NHS Grampian to facilitate early delivery of healthcare services.”