A new community is set to be built on the outskirts of Elgin, after the first stage of developments in the Findrassie area of the city was granted planning permission by Moray Council.
Barratt Homes will begin work later this year on the initial build of 500 homes – with 1000 more set to follow, alongside a new primary school, 12 hectares of commercial land and community facilities. The plan has already been acknowledged with a Scottish Award for Quality in Planning, as well as being shortlisted for a Royal Town Planning Institution award.
The development comes after investment of over £10 million by the owners of the site land, Pitgaveny Farms, towards site planning, community engagement, a site for the new school and funding for the school itself, as well as green spaces, a new sports pitch and changing facilities. The site, which is already popular with cyclists, will also provide links to existing cycle tracks and safe routes to schools.
Rebecca Russell of Pitgaveny Farms said, “From the start we have been committed to providing the sort of neighbourhood where people would want to live and, to this end, we worked with our advisors Savills to manage an extensive community engagement programme. Local people have been actively involved in planning this neighbourhood through design workshops, the ‘Findrassie Forum’, Pitgaveny Farms Open Days and a lively Pitgaveny schools programme. We are very grateful for the commitment of local community representatives for working with us to make this a people-friendly masterplan.”
David Palmer, managing director of Barratt North Scotland added, “We’re very pleased to be returning to Elgin following the success of our previous development, The Grange, which proved hugely popular with local buyers and sold out in 2017. This first phase of the new masterplan development at Findrassie will see us establish a new community to the north of the town with the construction of 450 quality new homes. The area will also benefit from significant investment in community facilities, services and infrastructure, helping to support its continued growth as one of Moray’s most popular locations for buyers.”
Graham Reid of Savills Development Services commented, “It has been a pleasure working in such a collaborative manner with Pitgaveny Farms, the wider client team across the Savills business and with Barratt to accelerate the delivery of this exceptional masterplan. We are very pleased to have reached this milestone and look forward to seeing Barratt bringing the first phase of Findrassie forward. This new neighbourhood is the result of a collaborative planning and design process between landowners Pitgaveny and Moray Council, a proactive and engaged community council and wider community, specialist consultants and Architecture & Design Scotland.”
