Pre-Planning Application “Greenferns Landward”; Residential Led, Mixed Use Development, Aberdeen Local Development Plan Site OP22, Newhills, Aberdeen

Greenferns Landward Development Website

We are writing as Bucksburn residents to object strongly to the above Planning Application.

This planning application would add 1,570 homes, local neighbourhood retail and commercial provision, leisure and community uses, gypsy traveller site and  associated infrastructure including roads, landscaping and open space at the above site.

Bucksburn is a tranquil suburb of the city of Aberdeen, bordered by the green fields and the protected green belt surrounding Brimmond Hill; the first break in the urban development spreading from the city centre. 

This development would impact the local community as follows:

1. Protected animal species, such as, badgers, bats, sparrowhawks, voles, hedgehogs, red quirrels as well as, deers, foxes, moles, pheasants and many others would be pushed out of their natural habitat and killed in the process of bulldozing the area. As the first bit of substantial green space with amazing wildlife in the natural habitat. We are striving to be greener and preserve nature, however, this housing development will destroy some of the natural habitats.
2. There is a potential of flooding the surrounding area due to poor water drainage on the site posing a serious risk
3. Overwhelming the current infrastructure - schools, roads, public transport, surgeries
4. There are children already attending schools elsewhere in Aberdeen as there is no space in the local schools.
5. It is very hard to get a space at the local surgery as they are already overwhelmed with the amount of residents being in the catchment area.
6. People from all around Bucksburn use this area to walk their dogs as well as a space to help with their mental health due to restorative properties of the open green space and wide variety of natural habitats. 
7. During Covid-19 lockdown the area was heavily used to protect the mental health of the local community used as a daily walking path.

We would like Aberdeen City Council to take into consideration the above points and preserve the natural habitat around Aberdeen rather than destroy it. The brownfield lands should be used first, the city centre has so many abandoned buildings that would make a perfect space for flats.