News | October - December 2009

 

29.10.09 | Tinto Secures £3m New Build Project in Aberdeenshire

Tinto Architecture is working with a major North-east subsea company to design and manage the development of a new city headquarters.

Hallin Marine is applying for planning permission to build a £3million office and workshop facility at Arnhall Business Park in Westhill.

Tinto has been liaising with the company and its major equity holder Gresham House in recent months to help them secure the former Scottish Water site in the outskirts of Aberdeen.

"Initially we were concentrating on re-designing Hallin Marine’s current base in Dyce but when the new site at Westhill became available it proved to be a better solution for the expanding firm. Also, the location is superb as some of their biggest clients are already based at Westhill so all round it was a good move for Hallin Marine."

The new build, for the 180-strong workforce, will comprise of 18,000 sq ft of office space and 12,000 sq ft workshop facilities. The team at Tinto has already completed all the design work for the major project and all the planning documentation has been submitted to the relevant authority.

 

The project is the biggest single new build which Tinto Architecture has worked on since they launched seven years ago. Once planning permission is secured Tinto will liaise with contractors on a design and build basis, with work expected to begin at the site in January 2010.

Tinto will see the project through from the design process through to the finished solution, with the entire new build estimated to be completed by spring 2011.

www.hallinmarine.com

29.10.09 | City Hotel Gets the Tinto Treatment

We have been helping to renovate a North-east hotel back to its former glory.

The art deco style Northern Hotel in Aberdeen's Great Northern Road is being given a £¼million facelift and Tinto Architecture has already completed the first phase of the redevelopment.

Many years ago an annex, which was part of the former hotel, was sold and renovated into flats but now the annex has been bought back by the current hotel owner, Gary Cox.

Tinto Architecture was called in to re-design the annex to convert it back into hotel rooms for the Northern Hotel and to change the previous layout to make the additional space more functional.

The annex renovation has provided the hotel with a further 33 rooms, bringing the total accommodation available to 64 bedrooms.

Adding around 20% of space to the A-listed building, which was built in 1939, will help meet the growing demand for hotel rooms in the city.

Richard Tinto said:

"Some of the rooms in the new annex are en-suite bedrooms, but some have been designed as serviced apartments as there is also a great deal of demand for accommodation like this throughout the week in Aberdeen and the North-east. It has been hugely enjoyable to work on this project with the Northern Hotel and to work with such a landmark building in the city in a bid to restore it to its former glory."

Phase two of the renovations is a glass link corridor to join the hotel with the newly converted annex rooms and the final phase will see the interior of the hotel being given a major facelift with an overall refurbishment, all managed by Tinto Architecture.

www.aberdeennorthernhotel.com

29.10.09 | Essential Communication with Jim Mennie Project Manager, Tinto Architecture

Being of an age when I went to concerts in the '70s to see great rock bands including Led Zeppelin, one of my favourite tracks to this day is 'Communications Breakdown'.

Lack of communications between project sponsors and shareholders is one of the main reasons for a project failure.

Whereas, open and honest communications between all parties - clients, architects, developers, contractors - is the first essential element for project success.

Statistically, a large proportion of projects fail badly. If this was your project, your luxury home, your new headquarters, your time, your money, I could guarantee that you would be demanding 100% success.

Project Management is a set of agreed information (rules) that allows people, like me, to manage and communicate all the details, schedules, people, budgets, performance and other crucial details that lead to delivering a successful project.

Many clients I have worked with have told me that some of the techniques used by the team at Tinto Architecture while managing their projects, have later been adopted by them personally, which has improved their own skills development (mine’s a pint thanks!).

So, if you don’t want the lines of the Zep song coming back to haunt you, tick the box requesting Project Management when Mr. Tinto comes knocking on your door!

"Communication Breakdown, It's always the same, I'm having a nervous breakdown, Drive me insane!"

Page/J. Paul Jones/Bonham

29.10.09 | Planning and Infrastructure – Aberdeen City and Shire

Modernisation of the planning system and legislation

Guidance to Tinto Architecture Clients on Planning permission changes 03 August 2009

Changes to the Scottish Planning system came into force on 3 August 2009. These changes include a number of procedural variations and implications to which our clients, as applicants, must be aware of.

Tinto Architecture Ltd has liaised with both Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Planning departments to summarise the changes as follows:-

New Application Types and Forms

As of the 3rd of August 2009 Outline Planning Permission will be replaced with an application for planning permission in principle. This is to establish whether the principle of development is acceptable without the need to prepare detailed plans. It is anticipated that this approval in principle will accelerate the process for Agents at point of inception.

Also, applications for Approval of Matters Specified in Conditions will replace reserved matters applications. This type of application is for the submission of details required by conditions imposed on an application for planning permission in principle.

Applications for full planning permission and those under section 42 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 will remain. With all consents issued for planning permission for 3 August 2009 being valid for a period of just three years.

Neighbour Notification

As part of the reformed Planning permission process, Tinto Architecture as agents are no longer responsible for Notifying Neighbours and adjoining proprietors of proposed developments.

As of 3 August 2009 the relevant local planning authority will carry out notification to all properties within 20m of the application site. The notification sent out will state whom the applicant is, what the proposal is for, the application reference number and a postal address.

Notification to owners and agricultural tenants will remain the responsibility of the applicant. Letters of representation must be received within 21 days of notification and will be placed in the public domain as soon as practicable after receipt.

Commenting on Applications

Should an applicant carry out any pre-application consultations with parties concerned with the proposal to which planning permission is sought, it is the commentators duty to judge whether or not their views have been upheld as part of the proposals. Should those parties feel their expressed views have been ignored then new representation or comments will therefore be required prior to the application being lodged.

Publicity

Should the planning department not be able to notify any neighbouring land with no premises or dwellings, the applicant will be required to pay for an advert being placed in the local paper. Payment will be required by the planning department within 21 days and the decision on the application cannot be made until payment is received.

Decision Notices

As of the 3rd of August decision notices received by agents shall reflect whether the application was determined by a planning committee or was a delegated decision by the relevant officer and which scheme of delegation was considered. This notice shall also state a reason for the decision made.

This new format for decision notice will condition the duration of consent , in addition to any legal agreements associated therein. IE section 75 or reference any agreement under section 69 of the Local Government (Scotland ) Act 1973.

Notice of Intention to Develop

As part of the aforementioned changes associated with decision notices, any development that is granted planning permission will be accompanied with a “Notice of Initiation of Development” to be submitted prior to work commencing on site. Failure of such notification is being deemed by the department as a breach of planning control.

The notice must provide the date on which the development is expected to start, the full name and address of the person intending to carry out the development and site agent for the works.

Notice of Completion of Development

When a development is completed, the applicant or relevant persons completing the works shall be required to notify the planning authority.

Scheme of Delegation

In conjunction with the procedural changes for agents and architects, local planning authorities have reviewed planning officers’ powers via a new scheme of delegation. Each authority throughout Scotland has adapted an outline proposal of a Scottish-wide scheme of delegation to suit local distinction and environment.

Applications recommended for approval, where there are more than "5 competent" representations will still be referred to committee. These members will still be consulted and have the option to refer to committee however it is now required for two Ward councillors to refer.

Planning officers now have the power to refuse applications under the scheme of delegation if all the necessary information is not submitted within one month of validation, unless agreed is arranged between the applicant or agent and the authority.

The appointed officer under the scheme of delegation is prohibited however from determining an application for planning permission for development within the category of local development where the following applies;

1. Where the application is made for or on behalf the authority itself or any of its members.
2. Where the application has been made by a member of staff directly involved in the Planning Service.
3. Where the application relates to land or financial interests of the authority.
4. Where applications supported by the planning authority require to be the subject of formal notification to the Scottish Ministers, or an environmental impact assessment should be undertaken.
5. Where the application requires to be the subject of a notice as mention in the Publicity section above.
6. Where the application has been recommended for refusal by the local Community Council, by the local roads department or by the local environmental health officers.

Should an unsatisfactory decision be reached through the scheme of delegation as applicant and under guidance by us as agents we may seek a review of the decision by lodging a Notice of Review.

A notice of review would be required to be lodged within three months from the date of the decision notice or in a deemed refusal scenario from the date of expiry allowed for determining the application.

Planning Local Review Body

Local review bodies have been established as a means to deal with application as previously mentioned, which have been refused under the new Scheme of Delegation. The review body key persons will vary from authority to authority but generally will comprise of one council member from each area committee with two substitutes from each - Two people for Aberdeenshire and three from Aberdeen City.

The local review body shall meet on a monthly basis and be inclusive of advice from independent planning and legal advisers to ensure transparency and fairness.

A Typical Review Process (Aberdeen City Council)

Applicants must include, inter alia, reasons for requiring review; preferred method of review; matters to be raised and documents to be used and further information will only be accepted where requested by LRB;

The LRB will make interested parties aware – statutory consultees and objectors;

14 days is period for further representations. The applicant may see these and make further comment;

LRB may then determined the review; or,

Hold a pre-examination meeting – giving notice to interested parties as they consider reasonable;

At pre-examination meeting LRB may request further information by way of written submissions or hearings and/or site visit; decided matters to be discussed and procedure to follow. Regulations cover these matters and how to deal with new evidence;

Decision notice must include issues considered and reasons for decision;

If the applicant wishes to question the validity of the decision application may be made to the Court of Session within six weeks.

Review

The legislative changes in the planning application process are part of the most significant changes to the planning system for over 60 years.

The Scottish government aims to deliver a modern planning system that is efficient, providing certainty for its users and local people, inclusive of the views and decisions of those shaping development, fit for purpose and sustainable.

At Tinto Architecture we align our self with such and believe that these values are critical to delivering a quality service and product, beyond the expectations of our clients.

Tinto Architecture Ltd: Form Follows Function