The Duke of Fife has instructed Shepherd Chartered Surveyors to invite interest from housing developers to significantly increase the number of homes at Chapelton, a new community located five miles south of Aberdeen.
Chapelton, the north east’s newest town, is being constructed on land partly owned by David Carnegie, the Duke of Fife, who is also a director of the Elsick Development Company (EDC), the firm overseeing the project.
Shepherd is currently offering prime residential development sites for sale at Wester Cairnhill, a 12.6-hectare plot designed to hold 313 dwellings across two phases. Along with residential units, the development will include a range of commercial opportunities, with land set aside for shops and a care home.
Chris Grinyer, managing partner at Shepherd, said: “In this latest stage of development, we are seeking to simplify the design and streetscapes to make it accessible to a broader market. This involves finding a compromise that accommodates the house builders’ range of house types, while EDC retains control over certain elements to ensure consistency throughout the development.”
Chapelton is designed to resemble historic towns in the region, with a compact and mixed-use layout. Shops, parks, and schools are within walking distance of all residences, creating a community-centered atmosphere.
The Duke of Fife explained, “The architecture at Chapelton, like its urban design, is drawn from local tradition and historic patterns found in settlements across Aberdeenshire. The Chapelton masterplan aims to transform 820 hectares of agricultural land into a town center and seven surrounding neighborhoods.”
A network of roads and open spaces connects these neighborhoods, with each center located no more than a five-minute walk from the edge. The Duke added that each neighborhood features a mix of housing types, from flats to terraces to large farm steadings, catering to a diverse population from young families to the elderly.
The Outline Planning Permission proposes the development of over 4,000 houses, along with shops, offices, parks, and schools. Longer-term, the site has the potential to accommodate up to 8,000 houses spread across the seven neighborhoods.
The initial phase of the town comprises 1,744 dwellings and 50,000 square feet of commercial space within the first neighborhood of Cairnhill. The development will then expand to 4,045 dwellings with accompanying retail and other facilities.
The first houses in Chapelton were occupied in 2015, and the town now has around 480 homes, shops, businesses, parks, a retirement home, and a regular bus service to Aberdeen.
