Dutch Housing, Ballater
As a condition of Aberdeenshire Council’s planning consent to build at Invercauld Park, Scotia Homes had to provide land free of charge to build affordable housing. The £715,000 pilot project by Tenants First Housing Co-operative, with support from Communities Scotland, has provided homes for five local families using an innovative Dutch construction method for the first time in the UK.
The three-bedroom properties have been built using a well-tested, streamlined building method, which is regularly used on the continent. The construction technique benefits both the builder and the customer, with quicker building times, lower building costs and more energy-efficient properties. The walls and roofs were fabricated in the Netherlands and so using this method, affordable homes, such as these, can be built in less than three months. The homes are flexible in design with no internal load-bearing walls, with a downstairs bedroom and toilet.
The pilot project has also been taken on by the Scottish Construction Forum (SCF) as an example of excellence. The SCF is an industry led initiative which aims to drive forward improvements in Scotland’s construction sector and seeks to encourage best practice, improve research and increase communication across the sector.
Promotional video of the development
Tenants First were also delighted that this project also received an "Award for Excellence" from the Tayside Grampian and Fife forum of Housing Associations.
Ballater is a picturesque rural town on Royal Deeside, with a range of facilities including a health clinic, post office, shops, hotels, guest houses and restaurants. The town has a strong community spirit, and prides itself on its clubs and leisure activities.
There is a primary school in Ballater itself. The nearest secondary school is in Aboyne, about 11 miles away. There are public transport links to the east to Aberdeen, and to the west to Braemar.
The development was officially opened 21 January 2005 by Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld, who performed the opening ceremony and met the new tenants. Those attending the opening event were also shown a video of the building process in addition to a tour of the development.
A report from Communities Scotland is available for viewing on the Study Report pages.
We also have a Question & Answer page for this development.
