Kingfisher begins to flap its wings - at last

By JIM DOW

OVER a year after an application was submitted, Aberdeen City Council has granted outline planning permission for a new business park with the capacity for up to 100 new businesses on a 107-acre site at Bridge of Don. 

The development is be known as Kingfisher Business Park. Acting on behalf of developer Rockwater Property Partnership, Knight Frank submitted the application for outline planning permission to develop the site for business, industrial and office use and construction work is now scheduled to begin early next year.

Rockwater acquired the site, subject to planning consent, from local land owners and it is estimated that the development and construction value of the entire site will be in the region of £250-£300 million. 

In conjunction with plans already approved for the expansion of Aberdeen Science and Energy Park to the south, development of Kingfisher Business Park will provide an anchor to the proposed Energetica technology corridor and will assist in the attraction of new organisations involved in research and development. 

The Energetica corridor is a 30 mile stretch from Bridge of Don to Peterhead which aims to attract energy-related companies into the area with an estimated investment of £750 million in the first ten years. 

Knight Frank says that Kingfisher development will provide a significant contribution to the business

Eric Shearer - 'positive effect'

infrastructure required to achieve established business growth objectives. 

According to planning partner Allan Rae: “Approval of this application is the culmination of over a year of intensive planning which has been undertaken in close consultation with Aberdeen City Council and Transport Scotland.

“This has ensured that the proposed development will be of a high quality and will deliver a key business and employment site allocated in the soon to be adopted Aberdeen City Local Plan. Work will now focus on bringing forward detailed proposals with a view to commencing work on the site in early 2009.”

Another Knight Frank partner, Eric Shearer, added: “This decision goes some way to help alleviate the lack of business land in Aberdeen City. The Council is to be applauded for the practical and pragmatic way they have dealt with this application and I anticipate the development will have a positive effect the local economy.”