Gateway Kintore Masterplan · 2013-02-06 · 2. TheSite 2.1 Context RegionalContext The Aberdeen City andShireStructurePlan (2009) and the Proposed Aberdeen City andShireStrategicDevelopment

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K i n t o r e S o u t h M a s t e r p l a n

Gateway Kintore Masterplan Prepared by Halliday Fraser Munro

January 2013

DRAFT

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H a l l i d a y F r a s e r M u n r o

“Kintore people need this now! How can you expand on housing but not on facilities that the residents would require? Not everyone drives so they can pop to Inverurie or Aberdeen to have these needs met, and the bus isn’t the best solution. Come on, make Kintore a self sufficient place to live – a true locality for all!” Source: Gateway Kintore online petition

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Contents

1. The Vision

1.1 The Need 1.2 The Opportunity 1.3 The Process 1.4 Community Consultation

2. The Si te

2.1 Context 2.2 Ownership 2.3 Description

3. Si te Analysis and Appraisal

3.1 Landscape Characteristics 3.2 Landscape Impact Assessment 3.3 Local Townscape Characteristics 3.4 Climate 3.5 History 3.6 Growth Comparative 3.7 Archaeology 3.8 Ecology 3.9 Opportunities and Constraints 3.10 Local Facilities 3.11 Retail Assessment 3.12 Transport Impact Assessment

4. Developing the Design

4.1 Connectivity 4.2 Infrastructure 4.3 Landscaping and Street Layout 4.4 Drainage and Water Supply 4.5 Uses

5. The Masterplan

5.1 The Masterplan

6. Phasing and Del ivery

6.1 Phasing 6.2 Delivery

7. Developer Contr ibut ions

7.1 Specific Infrastructure

8. Fur ther Information

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1.1 The Need

The village of Kintore has grown significantly over the past decade and a half and is certain to continue to grow. With a projected population equivalent to almost 40% of Inverurie’s beyond 2016 you would expect that Kintore’s housing growth would be echoed by growth of services and facilities. Unfortunately, this is not the case and community in Kintore are forced to travel to other locations for key services such as supermarkets and fuel. New allocations for housing, employment uses, new schools and limited community facilities have been included in the now Adopted Local Development Plan (LDP). But these do not go far enough. Kintore needs to be a self-sustaining town, the people who live there should be able to shop, work, eat and have access to facilities that support the community locally. Kintore has a real need for these types of facilities as has been demonstrated by the significant response to a community-led petition supporting Gateway Kintore and previous public consultation on the proposed development of this site.

BIRDS EYE VIEW OF KINTORE GATEWAY SITE

1.2 The Opportunity “Kintore South” or “Gateway Kintore” is a 12 hectare wedge of land that sits immediately adjacent to the existing settlement boundary, the proposed mixed-use site known as M1 in the LDP and the A96. It is located at a strategic point between Inverurie and Aberdeen and offers three very clear opportunities that benefit Kintore and the wider community along the A96.

Sustainable Kintore – it provides key trunk road frontage that will be able to attract the type of supermarket operators that could service the needs of Kintore and attract other higher profile developments. Discussions with the community have identified a need for a supermarket, petrol filling station, hotel, restaurants, community facilities such as playbarns, nursery and leisure use. These types of uses on this site will help Kintore become a sustainable settlement in its own right.

Traffic - A96/Broomhill Roundabout. As well as providing a solution to the current problems at the Broomhill Roundabout it can also provide new access to the allocated M1 site, maintain the existing access to Kintore and provide a deliverable and simple access solution resulting in better traffic distribution across the area.

Employment – initial ideas include business use at this gateway/trunk road site. The energy industry continues to thrive in Aberdeen City and Shire. This site offers an opportunity to support that industry and provide a quality and easily accessible business location.

1.3 The Process

Aberdeenshire Council have an adopted procedure for the preparation of masterplans. This document follows that process by analysing the site and its context, developing the design from that analysis and producing a draft masterplan that will be issued to Aberdeenshire Council officers and Kintore Community Council for comments.

This site has already been the subject of a Proposal of Application Notice and Public Consultation. It has also been the subject of a popular community-led campaign to have it allocated as a development site (see www.gatewaykintore.org.uk). It is therefore a very well publicised proposal and already has the benefit of significant public input and comment.

Once comments are received from Aberdeenshire Council officers and the Community Council the masterplan will be altered accordingly and presented to Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch Area Committee for review and agreement as an example of how this site should be masterplanned.

1 . The Vis ion

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1.4 Community Consultation

This proposal has already been the subject of extensive public consultation including: Community Council Meetings (27th September 2011, 29th March 2012) Proposal of Application Notice (11th May 2011) Subsequent public consultation event (7th October 2011) Kintore Market Fair Stand A Pre-Application Consultation report (PAC) has been prepared and will be lodged with this masterplan for information. A community-led petition has also been established (www.gatewaykintore.co.uk, part of www.Kintore.org.uk) and to date has more than 1,000 signatories supporting the allocation and development of this site. The specific basis for the petition is: “We support the Gateway Kintore proposal for the A96 Broomhill junction. The facilities it proposes – notably the supermarket, filling station, leisure and sports facilities – are needed in the community now. We also welcome the proposed retention and upgrade of the Broomhill roundabout.“

“We therefore call on Aberdeenshire Council, its members and officials, to enable the Gateway Kintore proposals to come forward for a decision to the benefit of Kintore and the surrounding area.” The Gateway Kintore petition has received an overwhelming welcome in the months that it has been online. Some of the comments received so far include: "This is much needed in Kintore. As the facilities we have is not enough for the increasing population." "I can’t believe the council are planning so many housing plans without any consideration to the amenities. This would be great not only for Kintore but for all the small communities surrounding, The village in Blackburn has so many housing plans as well as Kintore where do all these people shop, Aberdeen or Inverurie!! That's how environmentally friendly our councils are." "Absolutely needed urgently now, Kintore is still growing and the facilities would be a fantastic benefit to all the community, young and old!"

“A new Supermarket would bring the much needed competition to the two main ones in Inverurie as well as providing much needed services to those of Kintore. Access to Kintore from Aberdeen to remain from Broomhill is the most common sense and best option, I would not appreciate the added miles and fuel costs of the other option. All services listed are needed in this area .“ "Kintore desperately needs these facilities. Approval for 950 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes should have included a provision for these facilities to support inflow of people to the area. The developers should have been made to contribute to this as a condition of being granted approval." "What an excellent proposal and I lend my full support of this development. I take my elderly mother who stays in Kintore for a weekly shop to Inverurie or Aberdeen because there are no facilities in Kintore. With this new development my mother could easily access this location on her own and give her back her independence, and I’m sure she's not alone on this matter." A full report of the comments left by petition signatories has been included in the supporting information lodged alongside this masterplan.

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2 . The Si te

2.1 Context Regional Context

The Aberdeen City and Shire Structure Plan (2009) and the Proposed Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Development Plan (2012) identify three Strategic Growth Areas (SGA): 1-Aberdeen City, 2-Huntly to Laurencekirk and 3-Aberdeen to Peterhead. Gateway Kintore is located within the Huntly to Laurencekirk corridor, on the A96 Trunk Road.

In the context of the Structure Plan, a key objective is to provide opportunities which encourage development and create new employment. The site at South Kintore is well placed to serve the surrounding area. The A96 adjacent to the site, the delivery of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) and the proposed reopening of Kintore Rail Station will provide effective transportation links throughout Aberdeen City and Shire.

The prominent road frontage and facilities proposed will be of benefit to Kintore, Blackburn and Kemnay, as well as the surrounding areas, which all currently lack supermarket provision and associated community facilities.

Local Context

The Aberdeenshire LDP was formally Adopted in 2012. Despite widespread community support, this site was not allocated for development, however, a large area of land adjoining the site was allocated for 600 homes and 10 hectares of employment land (LDP Ref: M1). None of the Kintore allocations in the LDP include local facilities of the type proposed to support existing and future housing in Kintore.

The site is ideally located to connect with both the M1 site and the industrial development currently being delivered at the Midmill Industrial Estate. The proposed road layout and associated improvements to Broomhill roundabout will also benefit Kintore as a whole by providing direct and attractive access off the A96, rather than the convoluted access solution proposed to serve the LDP allocations.

The proposed uses will create a more sustainable community as residents will not be required to travel to supermarket and leisure facilities in Inverurie or Aberdeen as they do at present. New employment opportunities will also be created close to residential areas.

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2.2 Ownership

The site is made up of two parcels of land including Coolgardie and Boghead Croft, which together extend to just over 12 hectares. Agreement has been reached between both landowners to progress with the proposed development, therefore there are no land ownership issues with the site.

2.3 Description

Kintore is located in the Garioch area of Aberdeenshire Council and lies on the A96 dual carriageway 13 miles from Aberdeen City Centre. Inverurie, Kemnay and Blackburn are all located within 4 miles of Kintore. New development in Kintore is located to the south of the town, due to the pinch point created by the railway and the A96 to the north of the settlement. The town centre is currently accessed from School Road, which runs from the Broomhill Roundabout immediately adjacent to the site. The Gateway Kintore site is located to the south of Kintore, east of Broomhill roundabout and adjoining the settlement boundary. The A96 dual carriageway forms the western boundary of the site and agricultural land is located to the south and east. The Midmill Industrial Estate abuts the site to the north and land to the north east is allocated as M1 in the LDP for mixed use development including 600 houses, limited community use, new schools, new employment uses and open space.

Existing town & development land allocated in Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan

Main Connections

River Don

Trees

Key

Railway

Kintore

Gateway Site

To Inverurie

To Kenmay

A-96

Railway

Site Boundary

LDP Expansion zones

New Industrial/

Employment

To Aberdeen

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3.1 Landscape Characteristics

The site topography indicates a high point on the south east boundary with a low point to the north west. The site is undulating, lies between 70m and 85m AOD and slopes up from the south west to the north east, towards the lands of Midmill (now levelled), which originally sloped down towards the Tuach Burn. Looking towards the north, the industrial units from the adjacent site sit significantly lower than the site with only the roofs visible. This allows the Kintore Gateway Site to benefit from quality vistas towards Bennachie.

Ground Conditions

A site investigation was undertaken by Cameron and Ross Engineers in December 2012. This consisted of three machine dug trial pits which revealed the site to be over laid with between 0.25m - 0.3m of topsoil. The sub-soils are described as loose to medium dense orange/brown very silty fine sand to depths of 0.8m - 1.3m below ground level with loose to medium dense fine to coarse, slightly clayey sand with cobbles and boulders to depths of between 2.0m - 2.5m below ground level. Porosity tests were carried out in all three trial pits with this revealing the site to have good porosity throughout and therefore being suitable for the use of soakaways to facilitate drainage. The landscape is also fairly bare in character with only a few trees to the eastern boundary and very few landscape features of note. A pylon line runs diagonally across the site.

3 . Si te Analysis and Appraisal

SITE VIEW 1

SITE VIEW 2

Drawing based on OS Data, Pro-map image license number 100020449

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SITE VIEW 1

SITE VIEW 2

3.2 Landscape Impact Assessment

In assessing the potential for the landscape to accommodate development it is worth noting a few key points:

Levels – The site sits to the east and slightly above the A96 which dips down towards the Broomhill Roundabout and then cuts under the Kemnay road flyover. The land to the west of the road falls to an area of mixed woodland and some development. Beyond this, the road rises gently to the Kemnay road and is predominantly farmland. Boghead Croft is already visible from the A96 at the western edge of the site. New development at this western edge will be visible but also act as a screen to any development further east. Traveling from the south along the A96 the site only comes into view as you approach Broomhill Roundabout. From the north the site is partially hidden by woodland and level differences. Enclosure – The land to the north is already being developed for large scale industrial use, providing a physical enclosure to the north. The land to the east is allocated for mixed-use development. The A96 dual-carriageway and Broomhill Roundabout sit to the west of the site. Only the southern aspect remains generally open with limited housing set into the landscape. Views into the site at this point are limited to the local vicinity. Existing Landscape – The site is generally flat and almost featureless. Large pylons and overhead cables cross the site and the surrounding landscape is generally developed – significant industrial development to the north, more limited housing and fields to the south and trunk roads infrastructure/mixed-use developments to the west. New development is proposed to the east. Development on the site will be visible but contained within the wider landscape as an obvious extension to the existing and proposed development north and east respectively. Local landscape features and new on-site landscape features, particularly additional woodland planting, will assist in integrating the development into its setting. Overall the site is not considered particularly sensitive from a landscape perspective. The more sensitive southern aspect, however, will require mitigation.

VIEW 1 - SITE

VIEW 2- SITE

VIEW FROM SOUTH EAST CORNER OF SITE (Google Street View) VIEW FROM SOUTH WEST CORNER OF SITE (Google Street View)

VIEW FROM NORTH WEST CORNER OF SITE (Google Street View)

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SITE VIEW 1

SITE VIEW 2

3.3 Local Townscape Characteristics

Kintore’s townscape could be classified into three different zones. The town centre, the residential expansion that has taken place in the last two decades and the industrial zone located at the south of the town. The town includes attractive granite buildings from the 18th century such as the Town House (1737-47). It is unusual for its date and is now an important part of the townscape, with graceful external double stairs and clock-tower with ogee roof and two-storey, five-window front in rough granite ashlar;; burgh gaol under stairs;; late 18th century wing at the back;; and 1702 bell for kirk and burgh. Kintore Parish Church was built in 1819 on the site of an earlier church. It is aligned east west and located in the heart of Kintore. A fairly large graveyard extends to the south and east and has a number of old gravestones and an early double-sided Pictish stone. There is a large church hall complex to the north-east of the church. The centre of the town is surrounded by streets of a historic character with quality buildings, but this is a small area in comparison to the overall town. In the wider residential area to the south and west of the original village bungalows and dwelling houses extend along the streets of the town without being supported by any community shops or services. The industrial area to the south is currently being expanded. Although it contains some office buildings within it, the general character is composed by wide, low pitched industrial units built in metal panels. The industrial area includes wide roads with car parking in front of the buildings and limited landscaping.

IMAGE OF THE TOWN CENTRE SHOWING KINTORE ARMS AND TOWN HOUSE (Google Street View)

IMAGE SHOWING A RESIDENTIAL STREET IN KINTORE (Google Street View)

IMAGE SHOWING THE INDUSTRIAL AREA IN KINTORE (Google Street View)

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SITE VIEW 1

SITE VIEW 2

3.4 Climate

Kintore features an oceanic climate with prevailing mild winds from the south east and cold winds from the north west. During summer, the days become 18 hours long (17 hours and 57 minutes between sunrise and sunset). Temperatures at this time of year will be averaging around 17 °C during the day. January is the coldest month in Kintore. Daily minimum temperatures fluctuate from about 1.5 °C to less than -2 °C. Throughout the winter, especially in December, the length of the day is very short, averaging 6 hours and 40 minutes between sunrise and sunset. As winter progresses, the length of the day grows quickly, to 8 hours and 20 minutes by the end of January. The site has an open aspect but can take advantage of potential solar gain in its layout. It does not suffer unduly from significant frost pockets. The extensive northern boundary provides an opportunity for planting to protect the site from cold northerly winds. The site has no climatic development constraints.

Summer

Winter


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3.5 History Kintore is a town and former royal burgh near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The name Kintore originates from the Gaelic, Ceann Tòrr. The town is said to have been granted its royal charter in the 9th Century by Kenneth II after its inhabitants assisted him in his fight against the Picts. The town is now bypassed by the A96 road between Aberdeen and Inverness. The images on the right show how the town has grown in the last century. The 1901 and 1959 maps show Kintore as a small village extending along the few roads that run into its centre. By 1968 development began to fill in the gaps and by 2012 the village is unrecognisable. A bypass has been built and many hundreds of houses and new employment areas have expanded southwards between the railway line and A96 bypass.

1901 PRE-WWII KINTORE PLAN old-maps image copyright 1959 POST WWII KINTORE PLAN old-maps image copyright

1968 POST WWII KINTORE PLAN old-maps image copyright

KINTORE PLAN REPRESENTING THE ACTUAL RESIDENTIAL AREA (PRO-MAP)

GATEWAY KINTORE

ALLOCATED

FUTURE

EXPANSION

AREA

ORIGINAL VILLAGE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_burgh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverurie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeenshire

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A96_road

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverness

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3.6 Growth Comparative

Kintore has grown rapidly. To put this in perspective the table on this page is a graphic representation of the growth of the town since 2001. The population in the 2001 census was 1,696. By 2011 the population was projected to be 4,447 and further expansion will occur due to the LDP M1 allocation. During this rapid expansion (between 2001-2010), Kintore was said to be the fastest growing town in Scotland. In 10 years Kintore has more that doubled its population and it is expected that will growth will continue at a fast pace in the near future. Blackburn has also doubled in size during this period of time. It is expected to continue growing, however at a much slower pace. We can see in the table on the right that during the period 2001-2010, the same number of households were built in Kintore as in Inverurie. However, Inverurie’s population in 2001 was more than 5 times that of Kintore. Inverurie also benefits from a very well established and successful town centre with significantly greater community resources than Kintore. This meant that Kintore was gaining population but not new facilities. The scale of growth at Kintore becomes even more apparent when it is converted to percentage household ‘growth’. Inverurie has increased by approximately 20%, Kemnay by 11%, Blackburn by 111% and Kintore by over 133%. Between 2011 and 2016+ the LDP has allocated more development land and Kintore will continue to expand significantly.

EXISTING HOUSEHOLDS

2001 HOUSING COMPLETIONS

2001-2010 PROJECTED HOUSEHOLDS

2011-2016 +

KINTORE

CENSUS POPULATION: 1,696

POPULATION : 3,961

PROJECTED POPULATION : 6,093

KEMNAY


POPULATION: 4,104

PROJECTED POPULATION: 4,835

BLACKBURN


POPULATION: 2,929


INVERURIE


POPULATION: 13,111


GATEWAY KINTORE

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3.7 Archaeology

An archaeological walkover and desk top study of the site was carried out in November 2012 by Murray Archaeological Services Ltd. Desk Top Assessment A full Gazetteer of findings is included in a separate Archaeological report. Roy’s Military map of 1747-55, Great Reform Act Plan of Kintore 1832, the 1st OS Map 1865, OS survey 1899, OS Survey 1924, OS Survey 1038 and Aberdeenshire SMR Aerial photos of 1981 were all examined. These indicate a change in the landscape to accommodate the various crofts and changes in agricultural practices over time. The majority of change happened between 1865 and 1899 with more limited change in the buildings and boundaries since then. Cairns and the removal of cairns have been mapped across various parts of the site over time. Walkover Survey A Gazetteer of findings from the walkover survey is also available.

Cairns - The majority of features identified are cairns or clearance cairns. The plan on this page illustrates the location of these and an associated initial description. The cairns that do survive are relatively few compared to the number of cairns shown on the 1865 OS Survey. The cairns on the proposed development site are likely to date to the Bronze Age.

19th/Early 20th Century Features – with the exception of the consumption dyke, the standing drystone dykes are not exceptional.

Crofts – two of the three historic crofts (Coolgardie and Boghead) have been completely rebuilt. Denwell Croft is a ruin and has been surveyed during this study. Impacts and Mitigation Development of this site will impact on the historical landscape in the area of the cairns and will require investigation and recording prior to development. It is recommended that a percentage of the cairns in areas A and B should be sectioned by machine under archaeological supervision, cleaned by hand and recorded. Some evaluation trenches should be dug under supervision between the cairns in these areas. Further evaluation is required in fields 4-6. The 19th century landscape is already well preserved in map evidence. None of the archaeological findings require limiting development on site.

CAIRN 17, POSSIBLY MODERN CLEARANCE RUINED CROFT AT DENWELL. SOUTH WALL LOOKING TOWARDS FIREPLACE

CONSUMPTION DYKE 6, WITH FIELD 4

tumuli areas

improved ground


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3.8 Ecology

A walkover and protected species survey was carried out by Countrywise in September 2012. No signs of protected wildlife were found around the site. No badger footprints, snuffle holes, setts or tracks were found. The ground appears to be very hard and would be unattractive to badgers. There is a short wildlife track in a break in the wall around halfway along the eastern boundary but this is assessed to be a rabbit track. There are no watercourses in or near the site so there are no potential habitats for otters or water voles. There are limited mature trees on the north east corner of the site, which could provide sites for roosting bats and nesting birds, although no obvious signs were found. Development of this site will have a low or negligible impact on wildlife. Trees and walls, particularly those which are boundary features and therefore connect the site to the wider area, should be retained as far as possible. Key elements of the ecology on site include: Improved grassland - short sward, used for livestock grazing Unimproved grassland - some areas of tall ruderal vegetation dominated by rosebay willowherb Chamaenerion angustifolium, spear thistle, Cirsium vulgare, raspberry, Rubus idaeus and common ragwort, Senecio jacobaea. Much of this area has been used as a casual driving circuit. A1.1 & A2.1 - small areas of mature trees. Area A2.1 is a stand of mature Scots pine while area A1.1 is a small former quarry area with self seeded sycamore, Acer pseudoplatanus and wild cherry Prunus padus. There are also a few scattered ash Fraxinus excelsior around the remains of a stone cottage within the site.

A 1.1

A 2.1


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SENSITIVE BOU

NDARY

3.9 Opportunities and Constraints

Kintore South is in a prime location immediately adjacent to the A96 Trunk Road and the settlement boundary. Its road frontage makes it highly marketable to the types of uses being proposed and simple land ownership will allow the proposed roundabout and access improvements to be delivered quickly. The significant opportunities that this site offers, combined with limited constraints, make this a viable development opportunity. Opportunities Simplified access arrangements into Kintore;; Resulting reduction in anticipated roads infrastructure costs;; No CPO requirements;; Direct access from the A96 to the allocated M1 site ;; Much needed facilities for Kintore;; Early resolution of roads infrastructure constraints at the

Broomhill roundabout (serving developments north of Kintore);; Good visibility from the A96;; Limited impact on existing housing amenity;; Ability to serve a wider local market (including Kemnay,

Blackburn and other settlements);; Widespread community support;; Good road access locally and with Trunk Road Network;; Potential to improve walking, cycling, bus and rail access across

Kintore;; Directly adjacent to settlement boundary, current development

areas and future allocated development areas;; Limited site constraints;; and Limited landscape impact/visibility. Constraints Road noise, although the type of development proposed is not

noise sensitive;; Overhead power lines;; Existing roundabout is at capacity;; Access to neighbouring properties to be retained;; Adjacent industrial development;; and Sensitive boundary to the South (equestrian use).

Industrial development adjacent

Pylon + Wayleave

consumption

dyke

To town centre To Kemnay

To

Connections into zoned mixed-use site

LEVELS

Existing access to be retained/ improved

Existing houses on site under control of landowners

Direct trunk road access

To Inverurie

GOOD VISIBILITY

FROM A-96


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3.10 Local Facilities

Kintore has a number of distinct character areas, each providing a separate function: 1. The Historic Village Core – includes the few services for the village. This includes a limited supply of traditional small shops and retail services, the Town Hall and the Parish Church. 2. The Suburban Expansion Area - generally only includes housing with no local services. This area also includes the only Primary School (currently at capacity). 3. The Industrial Zone – includes a mix of industrial and commercial uses, presently undergoing major expansion for industrial use. 4. Future Mixed Use – this is the M1 site allocated in the LDP for 600 houses, some industrial development and a mix of other uses including some community use, a new Primary School and possibly a new Academy. This demonstrates how the village has been growing into a town in a southerly direction.

Furthermore, it demonstrates a distinct lack of facilities that could be expected for a town of this scale. Specifically it is lacking in supermarket provision, a petrol filling station, any significant community facilities, and generally the type of facilities proposed in this masterplan.

1 HISTORIC VILLAGE CORE

2 SUBURBAN EXPANSION

3 INDUSTRIAL ZONE

5 GATEWAY KINTORE

4 FUTURE MIXED USE

M1-600 houses, school, employment

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2001 population 2001

Households

2001 -2010

new housing

Persons per Household

(average)

2001-2010

Total new

population

2011 – 2016+

Projected Households

2011-2016+

New population

Total Projected Population

Kintore 1,696 704 940 2.4 2,265 885 2,132 6,093 Kemnay 3,697 1407 155 2.6 407 278 730 4,834 Blackburn 1,386 520 579 2.7 1,543 50 133 3,062

Inverurie 10,882 4653 953 2.3 2,229 1,266 2,961 16,072

Available Spending per person*

Total available expenditure at 2010 (millions)

Projected additional

available expenditure

2011 to 2016+(millions)

2010 Population

Convenience

General

Comparison

Convenience

General

Comparison

2011 to 2016+ Population

Convenience

General Comparison

Kintore 3,961 £2,131 £2,447 £8.44 £9.69 2,132 £4.54 £5.22 Kemnay 4,104 £2,131 £2,447 £8.75 £10.04 730 £1.56 £1.79 Blackburn 2,929 £2,131 £2,447 £6.24 £7.17 133 £0.28 £0.33

Totals £23.43 £26.90 £6.38 £7.34

3.11 Retail Assessment

The proposed uses for this site include a supermarket. The scale of supermarket is yet to be determined and will be very much led by the potential operator and market demand. Nonetheless, from the need for a local supermarket has been a constant request from the local community in the public consultation and petition comments to date. As with any supermarket proposal the impact on the town centre should be considered with the vitality and viability of the town centre the foremost consideration in that review. Kintore does not have a town centre proportionate to the size of the settlement. It has a pleasant village centre with a few shops but does not provide the level of retail or other town centre services it requires. The analysis opposite clearly shows the mix of uses. There are only 4 shops (a pharmacy, a small corner shop, a butcher and a florist) and these are all small traditional units. The remainder of the units in the town centre are service or non-retail units. There are no clear opportunities for increasing the retail floorspace in the town centre to provide modern retail facilities of the scale suitable for a supermarket or other modern retailers. A small Co-op sits to the north west of the town centre. This serves local walk-in basket trade and does not offer mainstream convenience shopping facilities to service the town. Through local consultation it is clear that the majority of the population in Kintore have to travel to Inverurie or Aberdeen to carry out their main convenience shop and to purchase fuel for their vehicles. Retail Capacity Page 12 of this masterplan has indicated the extent of current and allocated growth at Kintore and the surrounding towns. The first table on the right converts that into the expected population of Kintore and it’s neighbouring towns, taking into account the current population (new houses built between 2001 and 2011 and the allocated housing between 2016 and 2021 in the LDP. The second table below converts the population into a general spending capacity on the various types of goods that could be available in the proposed new supermarket.

Including these settlements will increase the expenditure available to the potential supermarket (Aberdeenshire Council’s 2004 Shopping Study suggested that this could be as much as £33.4 million excluding any more recent growth). New business developments at Kintore, further north at Thainstone and the 700 houses at Crichie will also create additional markets for the proposed store. Thainstone Centre is only a few minutes north of Kintore. It operates most days of the week with a large indoor and outdoor market attracting up to 250 car boots and 120 stalls on a Sunday, vehicle auctions on Monday and Thursday evenings, monthly sales of beef and dairy breeding stock on a Wednesday, prime and OTM cattle and sheep on a Thursday, store cattle, store and breeding sheep and bulls on a Friday, and occasional sales (eight per year) of farm machinery, building and industrial equipment and commercial vehicles on a Saturday. This attracts thousands of additional potential customers past the proposed supermarket at Kintore and will increase the store’s catchment, and therefore available turnover, significantly.

Kintore, Kemnay and Blackburn between them have minimum indicative spending capacity of almost £23.5 million on convenience goods and almost £27 million for general comparison goods (both to the end of 2010). Add the projected spending for the households being built between 2011 and the LDP allocations post 2016 and the minimum available spending rises to almost £30 million for convenience goods and just over £34 million for general comparison goods. None of these towns have a suitable supermarket and it is fair to include these within a potential catchment for the proposed supermarket in this masterplan. The catchment area of a new supermarket will be determined partly by the proposed floorspace, however other locations can also be serviced by a supermarket in this location. These will generally be areas with no current supermarket provision and that are within a reasonable travel distance from Kintore. This could include settlements such as: Hatton of Fintry;; Lyne of Skene;; Monymusk;; Clinterty;; and Cottown etc.

Table 1: Population and Projected Population

Sources: scroll.gov.uk, Aberdeenshire Council Housing Completion and Housing Land Audit and Aberdeenshire Local Development Plan

Sources: *Aberdeenshire Strategic Retail Model, Table 2 – Resident’s Available Expenditure per capita

Table 2:General Spending Capacity

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Although the size of the supermarket will be dictated by market requirements it is useful to consider the scale of store that could be supported by the known available spending capacity. At an average turnover of £10,000/m² the £23.5 million convenience spending capacity could support a supermarket of around 4,000m² (gross floorspace) and £30 million could support a supermarket of over 5,000m² (gross floorspace). The complexity of the current provision suggests that it is the lower end of the scale that is more likely to be suitable in this location. An example 4,000m² store is Tesco in Banchory. The 2004 Aberdeenshire Shopping Study estimated that most of Kintore and the surrounding area’s spending leaks to Inverurie, Dyce, Danestone and Aberdeen (the study suggests that local convenience spending of almost £27 million is spent elsewhere and only 5% of available local spending was spent in Kintore). It would be reasonable to assume that a new supermarket will help retain much of the convenience spending leakage and capture passing trade along the A96 from Inverurie and other locations further north. The circumstances that support a supermarket are influenced by a complex set of variables but evidence clearly shows that: The town centre has an extremely limited supply of shops and is

dominated by service type uses;; There are no opportunities for this type of retail in the town centre;; Kintore residents have no choice but to travel to shop and for fuel,

mostly to Inverurie;; There is a significant local spending capacity to support a

supermarket in Kintore – if we include all of the settlements in the catchment and captured trade from other locations then the spending capacity will increase further;;

Only 5% of the current available spending is retained in Kintore. The proposed retail use will retain much more spending locally and attract shoppers from other locations helping to support other local retailers;; and

Locating this type of use here will not only make it widely accessible to a more diverse customer base but also allow Kintore to become a more sustainable location with services appropriate to its current and future population.

KINTORE RETAIL STUDY 2012 (Halliday Fraser Munro)

Town centre

boundary

1.Heavenly Pizzas

Food + Drink

2.Elite Hair Studio

Service

3.Bank + housing

Retail/Service

4. Vantage Pharmacy (GF) -Housing Above

Retail/Shop

5.Just Gents Hairdress-er (GF) - Housing Above

Service

6. The Hub (closed) on GF– Coffee shop,

internet café

Food + Drink

7.Post Office / Corner shop (GF) - Housing

Above

Retail/Shop

8. Kintore Tandoori (Take Away)

Food + Drink

9. Gordon Conserva-tives Office

Other

10. Café Kintore

Food + Drink

11. Kintore Fish Bar

Food + Drink

12. J&G Dosset Butcher

Retail/Shop

13.Kintore Arms Inn Food + Drink

14.Floral Vision (GF)- Housing Above

Retail/Shop

15. Beauty Matters Service

16. Workshop

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3.12 Transport Assessment

AECOM have examined the accessibility of the land located to the south east of Kintore, adjacent to the existing A96(T) Broomhill Roundabout. They undertook an Access Strategy Report for this land in July 2011 (Report Ref: 60219347 – Access Strategy) whereby the existing road network capacity into Kintore was assessed along with LDP allocations and varying improvement options. This was supplemented by paramics micro-simulation modelling undertaken by SIAS, to which a further AECOM report was produced summarising and concluding the outputs (Report Ref: 60219347 – SIAS Modelling Review). The previous study focussed entirely on the road network capacity and whether the development at Kintore South could compliment the M1 allocation by providing betterment to the road network with all development (including Kintore South) in place. The network capacity results were very encouraging, but it is important that any prospective development site can be sustainable and not reliant upon private car travel. Their report has therefore expanded upon the previous studies, examining the remaining modes of access to Kintore South. AECOM’s study considered local and national guidelines, including the recently published Transport Scotland document entitled “Transport Assessment Guidance”. This provided methodologies for assessing the walking, cycling and public transport accessibility of Kintore South Masterplan. Designing Streets has also been consulted as it is considered that Kintore South can provide not only the transport infrastructure required to support the M1 site in Kintore, but it can be developed to provide Kintore with a sense of place, which will help define the settlement. The public transport accessibility assessment has demonstrated that settlements such as Inverurie, Blackburn and Dyce would all be within a reasonable travel time. Large parts of Aberdeen would also be within a 1 hour travel time which could persuade commuters to use public transport as a sustainable alternative to the private car. The mixed use development being proposed at the Kintore South will primarily consist of retail and business use, however it would also include complimentary facilities such as a Hotel and after school facility which would compliment the retail and commercial elements of the masterplan and the future land uses proposed as part of the LDP.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT ROUTES THROUGH KINTORE

To Kemnay

To Inverurie

To Aberdeen

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The proposal includes significant transport infrastructure in the form of the elongated Broomhill Roundabout which will provide additional road capacity for the masterplan and Kintore LDP allocations. It would also have benefits to other more sustainable forms of travel such as public transport as it would be possible to re-route services from the A987, through the LDP M1 site and onwards through the Kintore South masterplan site. These services would then connect directly with the new spur onto the Broomhill roundabout and would have a quick convenient exit from Kintore towards Aberdeen. Broomhill Roundabout: The M1 allocated site requires significant upgrades to the Broomhill Roundabout, which is already considered sub-standard for the existing Trunk Road network. Discussions with Aberdeenshire Council Roads team and Transport Scotland have recognised the benefits of the proposed solution (diagram opposite). Modelling of the roundabout solution has shown that it provides clear improvements to the road network whilst improving access to Kintore. The development site will increase accessibility to the M1 site which was previously considered a potential pitfall of the LDP allocation, particularly during construction. Kintore South would not only encourage social and economic activity as an individual site, but would enable the delivery of the M1 site. In terms of visual quality and local distinctiveness, the development of the gateway site into Kintore would enable quality urban and landscape design, improving Kintore’s local identity and sense of arrival within the Garioch area. It is anticipated that tailored Travel Plans for each of the proposed elements of the Kintore South development would be prepared for staff and customers/end users, where appropriate. This would help to compliment other physical measures such as bus services which could be routed via the M1 allocation and the new access route through the Kintore South Masterplan to Broomhill roundabout. The infrastructure being proposed would not only support the road network capacity requirements, but it would provide a suitable link in which public transport could be routed through the M1 site and onwards through Kintore South to the A96(T).

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Walkability: New footpath and cycle networks will link into the existing routes and provide the site with very good accessibility. These new routes would also extend the sites accessibility and the isochrome extent below. An isochrones assessment has been undertaken for walking and public transport users respectively. This has demonstrated that the walking catchment would extend towards Kintore town centre, and would also cover the M1 site. This would be important as the mix of land uses being proposed at Kintore South would be complimentary to future development therefore interaction between them would be anticipated.

ALTERNATIVE BROOMHILL ROUNDABOUT IMPROVEMENTS

The proposed improvements to the Broomhill roundabout provide significant benefits for the local and national road networks, help improve road safety and are deliverable in the short-term. Without the development of Kintore South, public transport options would be limited, requiring significantly longer routes that public transport operators and commuters are unlikely to sign up to due to the additional travel times involved.

TOWN CENTRE

NEW ROAD / PATH NETWORK TO EXTEND WALKABILITY INTO M1 SITE

30 MIN WALK TIME ISOCHRONE

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H a l l i d a y F r a s e r M u n r o Drawing based on OS Data, Pro-map image license number 100020449

1. The Vis ion 4 . Developing the Design

4.1 Connectivity

Vehicular: The new roundabout at Broomhill will provide a direct access to the site from Kintore, Kemnay and Blackburn. There will be one main ‘structural’ road across the site from west to east, and secondary roads will be designed to access the different plots. Level differences at the northern boundary do not allow for easy access between Gateway Kintore and Midmill Industrial Estate to the north. The main distributer road will enable through access to the M1 site to the east, circular bus routes and alternative access to the proposed housing, schools and other uses proposed on that site. Pedestrian and Cycle: Off-site improvements would be required but pedestrian access can be significantly improved to the town centre and the proposed M1 site. The distributer road would include a separate footpath and cycle lands to help separate travel modes and make the journey pleasant and safe.

cycle, pedestrian and vehicular connection to future residential

To Aberdeen

pedestrian, cycle and vehicular connection to town centre

To Inverurie

22


4.2 Infrastructure

Existing infrastructure and services to the site have been considered in order to identify whether any upgrades are required. The main access road which crosses the site from west to east will be the ‘spine’ of the development and the plots will be formed to the north and south sides of this road. Electricity, gas, communications, water and waste water will follow this route providing supply to the individual plots.

4.3 Landscaping and Street Layout Open Space: Aberdeenshire Council planning polices require 40% of the site to be open space. The masterplan presently contains over 50% open space. At this stage it is difficult to allocate specific areas of the site for the various open space types set out in Supplementary Guidance LSD5: Public Open Space. As proposals are progressed they should identify the following open spaces typology: Recreational (formal and informal);; Civic;; Local food production;; Amenity;; Wildspace;; Linkages and Core Paths;; and Sustainable drainage systems Street Layout / Principles: Single distributor road and industrial plots accessed from this;; Buildings, where possible to front onto the road with parking to

the rear and landscaping to the front;; Landscape-lined distributor road to create amenity;; Structural planting to break up the site into development pockets;; Southern landscape zone (horse friendly) to form barrier from

sensitive equestrian use.

4.4 Drainage and Water Supply

Foul Water: Foul water from the development will be drained down to the lowest point on the site through a gravity sewer. This will then be pumped to an existing sewer located on the B994. Roof Water: Storm water from roofs will be collected in RWP's before discharging to soakaways to provide the required one level of treatment. Car Parking: Levels will be designed so that surface water from roadways within the car park will fall to the parking bays which will be porous paving surfacing before draining to the sub-base which will comprise of single sized aggregate wrapped in a permeable membrane which will allow the water to soak away. This will provide the two levels of treatment. Roads: Access roads will be crossfall so that surface water from roadways will be collected by sheet flow over flat top kerbs into adjacent swales. Swales will be enhanced with below ground soakaways which will provide the two levels of treatment required.

Open Space Foul Water

Sewer

Roadside Swale

with soakaway below

Roof Water

Soakaway

Parking bays to be

porous paving with

soakaways below

Drawing based on Pro-map image license number 100020449 Drawing based on Pro-map image license number 100020449 Drawing based on Pro-map image license number 100020449

23


4.5 Uses

The uses proposed for the site have been established from discussions with the Community Council and reinforced by public reaction during consultation events. High profile uses will be established closer to the A96 to increase their visibility and marketability. These include: Supermarket;; Restaurant;; Hotel;; and HQ building. Other uses will be established along the main distributer road, including: Class 4 office or alternative employment uses that do not conflict

with the overall vision;; Community uses - suggested uses include a children’s nursery,

after school club and play barn;; and Informal open space.

hotel

ARRIVAL

EXPERIENCE

A-96 EXISTING ACCESS

TO KINTORE

Retail + PFS

business LINK

Community

leisure Drawing based on OS Data, Pro-map image license number 100020449

ORIGINAL CONCEPT DIAGRAM

Halliday Fraser Munro

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5 . The Masterplan

HECTARES % OF

TOTAL

PARKING

SPACES (TOTAL)

SITE AREA 12.29 ha

DEVELOPMENT 7.3 ha 59%

OPEN SPACE 5 ha 41%

m2 No. OF FLOORS

PARKING

SPACES

OFFICE USE 20,400 3 612

HOTEL 5,200 4 180

FOOD RETAIL 4,100 1 328

COMMUNITY 1,500 1** to be determined

RESTAURANT 450 1 49

allow field access

* Including roads

* * But allows fro a greater floor space

COMMUNITY

BUSINESS

BUSINESS

BUSINESS

BUSINESS

HOTEL

RETAIL

PFS

RESTAURANT

BUSINESS

OPEN SPACE



Southern

landscape zone

New

private access

LINK TO

M1 SITE

pylon line wayleave

relocated private access

Typical Plot Layout & Main Boulevard

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7.1 Specific Infrastructure

Kintore and wider A96 corner will be subject to extensive development over the coming 5-10 years. Much of the infrastructure will require to be improved to accommodate development. Aberdeenshire Council’s Action Programme 2012 sets out some general infrastructure requirements for Kintore: Education - New Kintore Primary School - Garioch Academy Provision Transport – Improvements to Broomhill Roundabout (Note: the Action Programme recognise that the capacity for larger scale growth in Inverurie to Blackburn Carriage, not just Kintore) Water – Expanded storage and mains potentially required Waste Water – Inverurie water, additional capacity required in the whole Strategic Growth Area. Health – NHS looking for provisions of a health centre in Kintore. The development of the Gateway Kintore site would be required to contribute to some or all of these depending on the prevailing circumstances at the time development is taken forward. More specifically Gateway Kintore can facilitate the delivery of the improvements to Broomhill Roundabout for the benefit of the whole Blackburn to Inveruire SGA and assist in the delivery of the mixed-use development adjacent to the site. The proposed improvements are in terms of available land from willing land owners and a new access point to Kintore that could help redistribute traffic and improve traffic flow.

6 . Phasing and Del ivery 7 . Developer Contr ibut ions

6.2 Phasing

A phasing strategy should be established in order to ensure a sustainable development solution can be achieved on the site. Certain elements of infrastructure, such the main distributor road, are likely to be delivered in the early phases. Improvements to Broomhill Roundabout will be required in the first phase of development. The preferred option for delivery of this site would be for phasing to begin at the front of the site adjacent to the A96 and develop to the east over time. Furthermore, the site should have the ability to function independently of the adjacent development in Kintore.

6.1 Delivery

This document has been prepared in the context of Aberdeenshire Council’s Supplementary Guidance and Planning Advice relating to Masterplanning. The site was previously lodged as a development bid for the current LDP, however following the site failing to be allocated for development, this masterplan has been produced which will be presented to the Garioch Area Committee. A planning permission in principle application will then be submitted. Planning Permission in Principle should be sought for the whole site and individual elements detailed thereafter. Running in parallel with this process will be the preparation of the forthcoming LDP. A bid will be submitted to identify this land for development.

26


8.1 Contact Details


Carden Church

6 Carden Place

Aberdeen

AB10 1UR

Aberdeenshire Council

Woodhill House

Westburn Road

Aberdeen

AB16 5GB

Kintore & District Community Council (re the active petition)

[email protected]

8 . Further Informat ion

Documents

Gateway Kintore Masterplan · 2013-02-06 · 2. TheSite 2.1 Context RegionalContext The Aberdeen City andShireStructurePlan (2009) and the Proposed Aberdeen City andShireStrategicDevelopment