Proposed new council offices and community facilities for Ellon to be assessed by councillors
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Plans for new council offices and community facilities on the site of the old Ellon Academy could be given the go-ahead next week.
If approved Aberdeenshire Council would bring a number of public services together on the Schoolhill site including a new library and family resource centre.
A ceremony room, registrar’s office and customer service point are also expected to form part of the new development.
The local authority has said the proposal would help to create a “civic hub” in the town and noted that it would be located next to Ellon’s police and fire stations.
The proposed two-storey building would have enough office space to accommodate 163 members of staff and would see council staff across the town merge into the new facility.
By moving staff to the one site, Aberdeenshire Council’s existing offices in the town would be vacated and made available for other uses.
The new family resource centre will provide support to children and families and allow the local authority’s children’s services to work with larger groups of children, parents and carers.
Meanwhile the proposed new library will feature “flexible spaces” ensuring it can be used for a wider range of events and group activities.
The site will also have 41 standard car parking spaces, three disabled bays and five spaces for electric vehicles, while parking provision will also be made available for motorcycles and bicycles.
The development would be built on the western side of Bridge Street but the north of the site will remain empty and is expected to be developed separately.
The application received two objections from local residents who have raised concerns about overlooking on nearby properties, the design of the building and layout of the site.
However, despite these concerns council planners have recommended that the plan be approved.
They argue that the development would deliver an office and community facility on a site that had been allocated for a mixed-use purpose and it met the previously agreed Masterplan.
The Masterplan for both sites was agreed by the Formartine Area Committee in 2020 and outlined plans for a mix of houses, offices and a new health centre.
Work to demolish the two former Ellon Academy buildings started back in September 2016 and the sites have lain empty since, however construction work is now under way on the “new” academy site.
Councillors approved plans for 40 homes on the former academy site back in December 2020 and building work started on the development earlier this year.
The development of the proposed health centre will be considered by NHS Grampian.
Members of the Formartine Area Committee will consider the council’s application on Tuesday, March 22.
