WHAT COULD IT MEAN FOR KINGSWELLS?
Aberdeen City Council’s Planning Development Management Committee has approved a change relating to the Countesswells development and the timing of associated road infrastructure.
It sounds quite technical, so here’s our attempt to explain what has actually been decided — and why it may be relevant to people living in Kingswells.
What has been agreed?
The issue concerns how many homes at Countesswells can be occupied before further road infrastructure has to be completed.
The approved change allows occupation to increase to 1,250 homes before the relevant infrastructure trigger is reached.
The works involved include the Eastern Access Road and associated improvements at the Jessiefield Junction.
Why could this affect Kingswells?
Traffic from Countesswells doesn’t remain within Countesswells.
Some journeys from the development use routes towards the A944 and Kingswells Roundabout, so allowing further development before additional road infrastructure is delivered is relevant to the wider road network around Kingswells.
Importantly, this isn’t simply speculation.
The Council’s own planning assessment considers the potential for additional traffic using Kingswells Roundabout and Countesswells Road as a result of delaying the infrastructure.
However, the Council’s Roads Development Management team accepted the technical evidence submitted with the application and concluded that the existing road network could accommodate the additional development.
The assessment concluded that the change would not have a detrimental impact on the capacity of the existing road network, including:
➡️ Kingswells Roundabout on the A944
➡️ Jessiefield Junction
➡️ Countesswells Road
On that basis, the change was approved.
What happens now?
More homes at Countesswells can now be occupied before the planned road infrastructure reaches its new trigger point.
The Council’s position is that traffic modelling shows the surrounding road network has sufficient capacity to accommodate this.
For people using the roads around Kingswells, the interesting question will be whether that modelling matches what happens on the ground as Countesswells continues to grow.
We’ll keep an eye on developments and share anything further that may be relevant to Kingswells.
Do you regularly use Kingswells Roundabout, Countesswells Road or the surrounding routes? Have you noticed traffic patterns changing as Countesswells has developed?
Sources: Aberdeen City Council Planning Development Management Committee decision and associated planning/roads assessment.