Cala Homes is seeking permission to build a new £20 million community on the recently demolished Silverburn House complex in the Bridge of Don.

The plans have been recommended for approval by Aberdeen City Council officers and will go before councillors next week.

Ahead of the meeting, the housebuilder has released a new artist impression outlining how the eyesore site will be brought back to life.

Cala hopes to build 67 homes where offices once stood. The proposals feature a mix of 51 three, four and five-bedroom detached homes, as well as 16 one and three-bedroom affordable properties in line with planning requirements.

Silverburn House was previously the headquarters of some of the North Sea oil and gas industry’s biggest companies, including Occidental, TotalFinaElf and GE Energy.

However, the complex was demolished in 2019 after an oil price slump left the building vacant. It has since become an unsightly gateway to the Granite City, and an unwelcome draw for fly-tippers.

CALA wants to completely regenerate the site and has put forward plans for homes together with a “welcoming frontage” along the city’s northern entrance, the A92 Ellon Road.

Construction could begin within months, and all homes will have electric vehicle charging incorporated as part of the design to support Scotland’s net zero ambitions.

The development will also benefit from a large natural landscaped area along the route of the Silver Burn, a redundant water course which gave the area its name.

Ross MacLennan, land director at Cala Homes (North) said: “Cala wants to keep investing at pace across the region and we are delighted to see this application progress.

“This site has been an eyesore for a number of years, but with investment we believe it can be a beautiful and welcoming entrance to the city.

“While currently a brownfield site, this location is a ready-made community, with existing retail, community services and employment opportunities all within close proximity.”

All the homes will include a range of energy-efficient measures, such as EV charging points, solar panels, and air-source heat pumps, replacing the need for gas boilers.

Silverburn already has planning permission in principle for 119 homes, including 30 flats, but CALA has scaled the site back to allow for more green space.

Its planning statement adds that its focus on homes rather than flats is driven by a desire from purchasers for private outdoor space following the pandemic.

The Gross Development Value (GDV) of the project is £20m and it will unlock a cash injection for local community facilities in the Bridge of Don, as well as a financial contribution towards a new path linking Cloverhill and the coast.

Aberdeen City Council’s Planning Development Management Committee will discuss the plans on Thursday November 7th.