Call for affordable homes to be included at Aberdeen’s Broadford Works

Ferness Investment Holdings (FIH) submitted a proposal to Aberdeen City Council, outlining plans to create 890 units at the site which do not include affordable housing.

Instead the project will incorporate Private Rental Sector (PRS) apartments and student residential bed spaces as well as leisure, nursery, restaurant, café and bar facilities. Small office and retail space, concierge/management facilities will also be included.

There is no requirement for the reduced cost accommodation after Scottish ministers acknowledged the high cost of development and large amount of listed buildings on site when consent was given.

But local communities have urged FIH and the council to reconsider affordable housing in future proposals.

Chairman of Rosemount and Mile End Community Council, John Gray, said: “Clearly we are concerned about the lack of affordable housing.

“We are sympathetic to getting the site developed quickly but we want to make sure it’s a quality development.”

A spokesman for FIH added: “At the time Ferness Investment Holdings acquired Broadford Works, consent had already been given to develop the site without an allocation to affordable housing.”