Councillors in Aberdeen have approved plans to construct hundreds of new homes across the city.

Following a meeting of city Councillors on Wednesday (20 August), it was agreed that the homes will be built on eight sites. The initiatives are one of the priorities outlined in the local authority's Strategic Infrastructure Plan (SIP), which aims to deliver 2,030 affordable homes in Aberdeen by May 2017 and 2,430 by 2019.

It is understood the housing sites will provide a mix of housing, including social rent, mid-market rent, shared equity/low-cost home ownership and private sale. Further details, such as the total number of homes per site, or the mix of house types, will be decided in the future, Aberdeen Council said.

The eight sites identified for development are:


• the former Bucksburn Farm

• the former Craighill Primary School

• the former Smithfield Primary School

• the former Tillydrone Primary School

• the former St Machar Primary School

• East Woodcroft in Bridge of Don

• land currently occupied by Kincorth Academy

• the former Aberdon care home in Tillydrone.

The Council has added that additional sites may also be made available.

It will now enter into a joint-venture development partnership to provide the homes as quickly as possible. Some £3m has been approved to finance preparatory work on the sites to ensure they are ready to be developed once the partnership is in place.

Councillor Jenny Laing, Leader of Aberdeen City Council, said: "This decision shows a clear commitment by this Administration to deliver new housing for Aberdeen and to put the mechanisms in place to make sure we provide the homes, many of them affordable, as soon as possible. It is vitally important that we provide a broad range of tenures because this is all about providing homes to suit a wide range of people and circumstances.

"This will give local young people the opportunity to continue live, work and raise their families in this city. It also means we will be in a much better position to attract people to come and live in Aberdeen, especially the key workers who we really need but who might currently be deterred by the high cost of living and the shortage of affordable homes to buy or rent."

(JP/MH)