The Pre-Application Forum is scheduled to meet to discuss a major residential development and review the minute of the previous meeting. The meeting will also include an introduction and procedure note.

Land at Inchgarth Road

The forum is scheduled to consider a report regarding a proposed major residential development with associated open space, landscaping, infrastructure, including a link road and engineering works, at land at Inchgarth Road in Cults.

The applicant, Cala Management Ltd, submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) on 8 July 2025. The proposal is for a development on a 10.6 hectare site within the green belt and the Pitfodels Conservation Area, separating the residential areas of Garthdee and Cults.

The documentation submitted with the Proposal of Application Notice states that the development would include 100 – 115 new dwellinghouses, a link road running north-south through the site connecting Inchgarth Road and North Deeside Road, and engineering works.

The report notes that the site mainly consists of former fields that have largely become self-seeded with plants and woodland and is primarily identified as open space in the Open Space Audit 2024. The open space within the site is also included in the Aberdeen Local Development Plan 2023 as Green Space Network, primarily as undeveloped natural / semi-natural open space of open ground and woodland. There are several informal recreational paths within the open spaces and historic granite boundary walls. An overhead power line crosses the site from the north to the south and a pylon is located at the edge of the site near the Deeside Way. All trees on the site are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) 8, 21 and 237. An area to the south of the site is included within the Ancient Woodland Inventory.

The nearest listed buildings are the category C listed former Pitfodels Station Building, which is approximately 20m outside of the application boundary on the northern side of the Deeside Way. The boundary walls of the category C listed Inchgarth House bound the site to the south, on the opposite side of Inchgarth Road. There are several historic assets within the site boundary. These are part of the former Pitfodels Railway Station infrastructure (Historic Environment Record Reference (HER) NJ90SW0075), boundary stone (HER NJ90SW0171), milestone (HER NJ90SW0135), and war memorial (HER NJ90SW0891). The Pitfodels Castle Motte (HER NJ90SW1) is approximately 300 m to the south-east.

Planning permission in principle for a residential led development for the retired/elderly (including affordable housing), a 50 bedroom care home and approximately 500sqm of ancillary retail/community use, together with public open space and associated infrastructure including a link road, was approved by the Planning Development Management Committee on 30 April 2020, subject to a legal agreement. The legal agreement was subsequently signed, and the decision notice was issued on 24 March 2023. The planning permission has not been implemented but remains valid.

A screening opinion was adopted by the planning authority under delegated powers on 30 July 2025, which confirmed that the development is an EIA Development¹. A request was made to the planning authority on 29 August 2025 to adopt a scoping opinion under the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017. This is pending, with an opinion due to be adopted by the planning authority by 2 October 2025.

The report identifies a number of policies from National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) and the Aberdeen Local Development Plan 2023 (ALDP) as material considerations including those relating to:

• Climate and nature crises
• Climate mitigation and adaptation
• Biodiversity
• Natural places and heritage
• Green belts
• Sustainable transport
• Design and quality of place
• Green and blue infrastructure²
• Flood risk and water management
• The historic environment

The report notes that the entire site is zoned as both Green Belt and as Green Space Network in the Aberdeen Local Development Plan 2023 (ALDP).

The report states that Policy 8 (Green Belts) of NPF4 and Policy NE1 (Green Belt) of the ALDP only allow development in specific circumstances, which are listed in each of these policies, and that mainstream residential development is not included on the list.

The report also notes that Policy NE2 (Green and Blue Infrastructure) of the ALDP states that development proposals will seek to protect, support and enhance the Green Space Network, and that development that does not achieve this will not be supported.

The report states that in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Pre-Application Consultation) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021, two public exhibitions were held on 5 August 2025 and 1 September 2025 at the Marcliffe at Pitfodels Hotel between 3pm and 7pm. A copy of the Proposal of Application Notice was sent to Cults Community Council, Garthdee Community Council and Braeside and Mannofield Community Council and councillors of the Lower Deeside Ward.

The report anticipates that any forthcoming planning application would need to be accompanied by a range of documents including:

• Pre-Application Consultation Report
• Design and Access Statement
• Environmental Impact Assessment Report
• Construction Environmental Management Plan
• Contaminated Land Assessment
• Noise Impact Assessment
• Flood Risk Assessment
• Drainage Impact Assessment
• Heritage Statement
• Ecological Impact Assessment
• Arboricultural Impact Assessment
• Light Assessment
• Noise Impact Assessment
• Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment
• Transport Assessment

The forum is asked to note the key issues identified, seek clarification on any particular matters, and identify relevant issues which they would like the applicant to consider and address in any future application.

Minute of Previous Meeting

The forum is scheduled to review the minute of the previous meeting of 7 November 2024. At that meeting, the forum considered a report by the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, on the submission of a Proposal of Application by Ryden LLP on behalf of Arrowmere Capital 2 Ltd, for the proposed business and industrial development at The Quad, Howe Moss Avenue, Aberdeen. The forum is asked to approve the minute as a correct record.

Introduction and Procedure Note

The forum is scheduled to consider the procedure note and guidance for members on the operation of Forum meetings. The forum is asked to note the procedure note and guidance for members. Lynsey McBain is available to provide further information about the agenda.