Planning Minister Derek Mackay has given the go-ahead to Aberdeen City Council's Local Development Plan – the first in Scotland to be adopted under new planning legislation.

The Plan sets out how the city will grow over the next decade, and identifies land for 30,000 new houses and 196 hectares of new business land, signalling to developers that Aberdeen is paving the way for business and providing opportunities for them to make things happen and for the city to thrive.

The Aberdeen Local Development Plan includes a requirement for housing developers to include at least 25 per cent affordable housing in all their developments.


It sets out the Council's priorities for regenerating parts of Aberdeen and for supporting a thriving city centre, and is due to come into force on February 29.

The new type of plan was introduced in the 2006 Planning Act, and Aberdeen City Council's is the first in Scotland to be approved and adopted.

Scottish Government Reporters looked into representations made after the plan was published and recommended minor modifications, but on the whole found it was based on sound evidence and consistent with Scottish Government Planning Policy.

Planning Minister Derek Mackay said: "I'm delighted to give the go-ahead for the implementation of Aberdeen City Council's local development plan.

"This is the first plan of its kind in Scotland and I commend the Council for producing a good plan so quickly.

"The plan is good for residents and businesses in Aberdeen. It sets out the Council's ambitious plans for the city and for sustainable economic growth."

The Plan contains a spatial strategy which explains the Council's overall view of where development should go and the principles behind that. It identifies future development sites and the scale of development expected on each.

(GK/DW)