Devanha Ltd, a partnership of North-east housing associations, has submitted a planning application for an environmentally-friendly urban village on the site of the former Donside Paper Mill, in the Tillydrone area of Aberdeen.

At 25-acres, the £50 million 320-home village is the largest affordable housing development ever seen in North East Scotland.

Purchased with support from Communities Scotland, the Donside Urban Village development is to be carried out on behalf of four housing associations within Devanha – Tenants First Housing Co-operative, Aberdeenshire Housing Partnership and Grampian and Langstane housing associations.

Sandy Murray, Chief Executive of Tenants First, who is leading the Donside development on behalf of the Devanha partners, explained the significance of the proposed development: “The Donside Urban Village is the key to Devanha’s ambitions to develop 350 new affordable homes in the Tillydrone area. That total would make a very significant contribution to providing much needed high-quality, affordable homes in Aberdeen.

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“We believe the Donside Urban Village is a flagship development that would prove a fitting launch pad for the regeneration of the Tillydrone area of the city. It will not only bring new life to a derelict brownfield site, it has the potential to be the catalyst for further regeneration within the community.”

Jackie Wilkins, Communities Scotland acting area director for Grampian, said:

“Communities Scotland is committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing for rent and low-cost ownership across Aberdeen. This year we are investing a record £33 million in affordable housing across Grampian.

“The Donside project is an excellent example of Communities Scotland working with local housing associations and the local authority. The purchase of the land at Donside was a landmark for the housing associations in the north east in their coming together to ensure the most effective way of procuring sites and homes for people in the north east.

“The Donside project will not only address the need for affordable housing in Aberdeen it will also help boost regeneration efforts in Tillydrone and across the city. We look forward to this project moving forward and to working with the local authority and the Devanha group to deliver affordable housing for families and people who need it.”

The Donside Urban Village will be a mixed tenure development providing affordable homes along with some for private purchase. To ensure that the village has a life of its own, the plans drawn up by Halliday Fraser Munro include some office space and business start up units, along with provision for neighbourhood shops.

(CD)