-
General
Will there be affordable housing at Chapelton?
As part of broader development arrangement with Aberdeenshire Council, Chapelton will include 13% affordable housing, starting after the 250 house. The exact nature of the types of affordable housing is yet to be agreed with the Council but will be distributed throughout the settlement in the form of houses and flats. Housing associations are likely to manage some of these homes and will work in partnership with the housebuilders to deliver them.
How will disruption from construction traffic be minimised?
We endeavour to ensure that the construction process causes as little inconvenience to existing and new residents as possible. Dedicated haul roads are used to accommodate construction traffic; these allow direct access from the A90 Newtonhill junction to the east of the site and have been organised to avoid disruption to occupied properties. Detailed plans to manage construction activity are developed in partnership with the house builders and civils contractors. We have also established a local community liaison group so that our plans can be monitored and adjusted in response to particular issues or concerns.
How quickly will Chapelton be built?
We believe that there are no insurmountable infrastructure constraints that would prevent the delivery of up to 400 houses per annum. However, the rate at which they will be built will depend upon how quickly people wish to buy them. The market will fluctuate over time and the pace of development will reflect this.
Will there be a gypsy traveller site at Chapelton
As part of the s75 Agreement with the Council, which lays down certain requirements for the development, EDC is required, prior to occupation of the 1745th house, to provide, at its sole discretion, either a Gypsy/Traveller Site within the Development Site; or a Gypsy/Traveller Site outwith the Development Site; or £100,000. EDC’s view is that the last option is the most preferable as it will enable the Council to develop a site at a suitable location elsewhere.
Where does Elsick House fit in?
Elsick House will be at the centre of Chapelton in the Town Park. It is currently operating as a function and events venue and it is anticipated to continue to perform a public role.
When can I buy a house?
The first homes are available now. Click on the housebuilders’ icons on the homepage to find out more.
What is the position with the supply of water?
Currently water comes from a connection to the east near the A90. However, in the longer term water will come via a new 6.5km main from the Clochandighter reservoir to the north where there is initial capacity for 2,000 houses. The waste water goes up a new main to Portlethen and then on to the Nigg Waste Water Treatment Works. Surface water runs into the local burns after treatment from the sustainable urban drainage system.
-
Transport
What public transport links will there be between Chapelton and the surrounding areas?
We are developing an integrated public transport operation for residents. The Park and Choose facility by the A90 provides residents of Chapelton, as well as those living in neighbouring communities, with regular sustainable transport by bus to Aberdeen and Stonehaven. A Dial-A-Ride service or shuttle bus connect residents to the Park and Choose. It is expected that as the town develops this will be replaced by a local bus service run by a commercial operator.
The possibility of opening a railway station to serve Chapelton, Newtonhill and Portlethen together with a circulating, connecting bus service has also been suggested for the longer term.
What is the likelihood that Chapelton will be connected to the Fastlink/Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR)?
Chapelton does not require a connection to the Fastlink. However, EDC believes that providing direct access to the Fastlink for the wider area could help alleviate existing pressure on the A90 at the Bridge of Dee by providing immediate access to a wider range of destinations. Should additional growth be identified at Chapelton in the next Local Development Plan, then there is the potential for Chapelton to link with Fastlink should the larger scale of the development require it.
Will there be improvements to the A90 junctions as the Chapelton traffic increases?
The early phases of the development will be served by the new roundabout and upgraded Newtonhill Interchange. In support of these improvements, right-hand turns at Bruntland Road in to Portlethen will be prevented through the closure of the central reservation, improving safety in this location. Improvements are planned to accommodate the additional traffic at the Badentoy junction. Eventually, a grade separated junction is intended to replace the existing junction at Bruntland Road.
Has Chapelton altered its plans over Transport infrastructure
EDC and the landowners it represents understand their obligations to contribute to road improvements. The law states that they should pay for improvements arising from the traffic caused by the development but not for those needed because of existing traffic or other developments. The Strategic Transport Fund levy that the Council sought to impose through s75 Agreements (which determine developers’ contributions) would have the latter effect and, as a result was found to be unlawful by the Supreme Court.
We are committed to investing in the infrastructure required to support our community and those living around us. In terms of road improvements, these have been determined as part of an impact assessment undertaken by EDC in agreement with, and subsequently approved by, the Council.
Over and above the requirements of the s75 Agreement, EDC has invested over £1m in the new roundabout at Newtonhill and will soon be spending hundreds of thousands of pounds to improve the A90 at Portlethen. We have also built the Park and Choose facility to provide residents with a sustainable alternative to using their car. Most importantly, we expect to provide a new junction on the A90 at a cost of over £12 million required for the next phase of Chapelton.
-
Design
What will the density be?
Chapelton’s average dwelling density will be approximately 30 houses per hectare. The density will vary across the settlement in much the same way as it would in any traditional town, with more buildings clustered around main routes and high street, and fewer buildings towards the edges, which will have a quieter, rural feel.
What will the impact be to the surrounding area?
Chapelton’s scale will inevitably alter the setting even though it sits within the site boundary. However, the topographical variation on the site demonstrates that the area has the capacity to absorb the development without adversely affecting the wider landscape.
The masterplan deliberately leaves 40% of the land undeveloped. There will be large areas of green space which will include features such as pitches, parks and gardens, fields, woodlands, hedgerows, tree belts, moors and natural spaces. Views to the slopes at the south will remain mostly unchanged. In addition, mature trees and woodlands will be maintained to retain a natural skyline. A new settlement of the scale proposed will inevitably alter the locale even though it sits within the site boundary. However, Chapelton does largely lie within a natural ‘bowl’, which means the area has the capacity to absorb the development without adversely affecting the wider landscape.
Will housebuilders be able to alter the masterplan if they find it uneconomic to build?
The housebuilders are closely involved in the design of the land they buy and are positive about the viability of the scheme. The landowners are committed to promoting a development of which they, and future generations, can be proud. A Development Framework, Pattern Book and a Design Code have been produced to provide strong guides and enforcement will be achieved through the control of the sale of land as well as through the statutory planning process.
-
Facilities
What sports facilities are planned?
Large areas of green space will provide opportunities for leisure facilities. Notably, a kayaking lake, which was proposed by a community member, has been accommodated through careful design of the drainage ponds. For football and other team sports each school will have playing fields which will also be available for community use.
Will there be churches at Chapelton?
We have held discussions with local representatives from all denominations as to how the religious provision will emerge. An area has been designated to accommodate a community building for worship in the centre of Cairnhill and it will be built when a group comes forward. Discussions with various religious parties lead us to believe that this will be taken on by a denomination that can afford to build something appropriate but it is likely that it will be shared with other religious communities. There are further sites designed into the plan towards the centre of the town and in the other neighbourhoods.
What healthcare facilities will be available to residents?
The first residents will be able to use the Portlethen surgery as the number of Chapelton residents will not be sufficient to support its own facilities at the outset. There have been discussions with the Health Service and Portlethen Medical Practice and it is anticipated that one of the retail spaces in the centre of Cairnhill will be used as a temporary Health Centre before the main town facility is built.
What other facilities are likely to be in Chapelton?
The first three commercial units in Cairnhill were taken up straight away and a café, a hair and beauty salon and nursery school are open.
As it develops Chapelton will provide a wide range of services in the neighbourhood centres and in the main Town Centre. These will include a major supermarket local shops, banks, hotels and restaurants, as well as civic buildings such as schools and health care facilities.
Will there be shops in this area? Will it include a large supermarket?
Chapelton will provide local services proportionate in scale with the new settlement to encourage local shopping. Retail units will be open to all retailers to promote diversity and choice.
Chapelton’s first neighbourhood, Cairnhill, will include a small supermarket in the neighbourhood centre close to the primary school, Cairnhill Park and other shops. Unlike recent developments, the supermarket will be located on the neighbourhood high street to enable residents to shop without a car and to prevent them from being drawn out of town at the expense of a vibrant high street. -
Education
How many primary schools will there be?
The first primary school will be built in Cairnhill centre and will open when 489 houses have been built. Before then, primary children will go to Newtonhill Primary.
A further two primary schools are planned as the town grows to 4,000 homes.
What about secondary school children?
An Academy will be built in Chapelton in time for the 2705th house.
All secondary children for the first 150 homes will go to Portlethen Academy, but planned zoning changes are likely to eventually mean that children in later houses will switch to Mackie Academy at Stonehaven before Chapelton’s own is established.
-
Business
When will retail units be available for purchase or let?
The first three commercial units in Cairnhill were taken up straight away and a café, a hair and beauty salon and nursery school are open.
As it develops Chapelton will provide a wide range of services in the neighbourhood centres and in the main Town Centre. These will include a major supermarket local shops, banks, hotels and restaurants, as well as civic buildings such as schools and health care facilities.What kind of jobs will there be at Chapelton?
The masterplan includes a large area for employment sites. The retail and office units are placed primarily in the neighbourhood and town centres. However, there is also an area planned by the A90 for businesses that might require large buildings or many lorry movements.
Chapelton’s first public space, Hume Square, already features a café, hair and beauty salon and nursery school. This demonstrates the commitment to creating a community rather than a stand-alone housing estate.
The development will also offer existing residents in Newtonhill and the surrounding area the opportunity to work locally.Research shows that Aberdeen’s strong platform of energy companies, research and a skilled workforce should provide a strong growth base for further job creation.
