Phased demolition of faulty concrete homes agreed

Plans for the phased demolition of homes in Aberdeen containing potentially dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) have moved forward.

Aberdeen City Council intends to demolish and rebuild more than 500 properties in the Balnagask area, which is expected to cost more than £150m.

Councillors on the communities, housing and public protection committee approved the four-stage approach to knocking down affected properties by five votes to three.

Opposition Labour councillors had called for a pause on the plans.

As part of the proposals, the local authority intends to buy and demolish 138 privately-owned homes through voluntary acquisition - but there have been disputes about the valuations.

As of early February, only four private homeowners had indicated they would accept purchase deals.

Councillors have now voted to carry out the demolition work in four phases.

The first involves demolition of 135 properties which are fully council owned.

The second includes terrace blocks where the council has bought between one and three private homes.

Terraces where the council has acquired four or more private properties will follow in the third stage.

The final phase includes blocks where the local authority has acquired four or more private homes, but where they have no adjoining ownership within the terrace.

It is estimated that the demolition alone could cost up to £25m and take up to four years.

Council officers said that they were "sensitive" that these were residents' homes "with many family life events and memories associated with these buildings."

Officers said the demolition would take a "top-down" approach, starting at the roof and working down to the ground.

Residents have called for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the area to address health and safety concerns.

Officers told the committee that the planning authority had determined that the proposed demolition was "unlikely to have significant effects on the environment" and therefore an EIA was not required.

Site work is likely to begin in the summer.

John Meiklejohn from the Torry Community Raac campaign said he was "disappointed" by the outcome of the meeting.

He told BBC Scotland News: "I feel like this has been fast-tracked through without being thought out properly.

"We know people who have concerns who have breathing difficulties already, this is not going to help.

"We are going to be living in a building site."

Further talks between residents and the council are due to take place later this week.

Mr Meiklejohn added: "We have had the promise of discussions around how the actual demolition will be planned and carried out.

"At this stage, most of what we've been saying or asking for hasn't been taken on board.

"We have no reason to believe that the council will change that approach."