Countesswells

Countesswells Scottish Gaelic: Baile Cobhan an t-Eas
Cultsburn Park in Countesswells
Countesswells Location within Aberdeen City council area Show map of Aberdeen City council area Countesswells Location within Scotland Show map of Scotland
OS grid reference	NJ872051
Council area	Aberdeen City
Lieutenancy area	Aberdeen
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ABERDEEN
Postcode district	AB15
Dialling code	01224
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Aberdeen South
Scottish Parliament	Aberdeen South and North Kincardine (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Website	aberdeencity.gov.uk

Countesswells (Scottish Gaelic: Baile Cobhan an t-Eas[1]) is an area of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Construction

In 2014, planning permission was granted for 3,000 homes in the area.[2][3] However, the development was initially delayed after the developers and land owners could not agree on the funding for schools and infrastructure.[4] In April 2016, Stewart Milne Group stated that it expected to start work on the development immediately.[5] By November 2021, 900 homes were either completed or under construction.[6]

Facilities

There is a Sainsbury's[7] and a primary school,[8] along with a number of vacant shop units - the NHS has been granted planning permission for one of these.[9] A pharmacy has applied for a licence for one of the units which was rejected by the local NHS board after pharmacies in Cults and Kingswells said it would lose them business [10] - this is awaiting appeal as of August 2023.[11] There are a number of empty commercial units both beside the school and towards where the planned town-centre will eventually be.

Cults Burn Park

Cults Burn Park is currently partially constructed and will eventually run through most of the development.[12]

Forest Access

There are three wooded areas around Countesswells. To the West is Countesswells Forest,[13] which was heavily damaged in a major winter storm. To the South is Foggieton.[14] To the East is the wooded area at the back of Hazlehead Park.

Transportation

There are two bus routes to Countesswells; one via First Aberdeen, the other via Stagecoach using route number 4.[15] In July 2022, service 15 was introduced by First Aberdeen. It runs from Countesswells to Balnagask via Aberdeen city centre.[16]

References

1. "Celtic Place Names in Aberdeenshire".
2. "Approval recommended for 3,000 new Aberdeen homes". BBC News. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
3. "Approval for 3,000 new homes at Countesswells in Aberdeen". BBC News. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
4. "Aberdeen councillors reject special Countesswells planning conditions". Scottish Housing News. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
5. McCulloch, Scott (1 April 2016). "Stewart Milne Group secures £86m government guarantee for Aberdeen development". businessInsider. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
6. Smulian, Mark (26 November 2021). "Major development collapses into administration". Construction News. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
7. "Sainsbury's opens new Aberdeen Store".
8. "Pupils celebrate official opening of new Countesswells School".
9. "Planning - application summary".
10. "Form A(1)" (PDF).
11. "Current Pharmacy Applications".
12. "Cults Burn Park Optimised Environments".
13. "Countesswells Forest".
14. "Foggieton".
15. "stagecoach-announces-revisions-for-aberdeenshire-routes".
16. Milne, Ellie. "First Aberdeen announce shake-up of services to make bus journeys faster". Press and Journal. Retrieved 29 June 2022.