Pressure from the bank over the economic downturn has forced a developer to go back to Dundee City Council to seek fresh planning permission for the second phase of a luxury flats development in Broughty Ferry.
However GL Residential director Gordon Lees says he is upbeat about the site on The Esplanade, with all flats other than the show apartment in the first block now sold, and three reservations for the second phase.
The change in design has also allowed the company to take account of customer feedback, he added.
GL Residential is seeking to alter the second block of flats, which sell for around £300,000, so that this phase of the development does not have to be built in one go.
The company was granted planning permission for 20 flats in two blocks for The Sands development on the site of the former Jacques nightclub. The first phase, Block B, was made up of eight flats and was completed last year but slow sales have led the project’s financial backers to call for a change in the design of Block A.
Architect Alistair Kerr from KDM said, “Unfortunately, the economic downturn saw progress on sales here being much slower than anticipated initially, but these are now nearing completion.
“However, the very tight bank regime in place since the economic downturn remains and in this regard the design of Block A which meant that it could only be constructed as a single phase is unacceptable to the funder and we were asked to redesign this building so it can be constructed in sections.”
As a result, the new design features four flats based around each of three stairwells, allowing the flats to be erected in three phases. The new design departs from a T shape for a longer, more linear building which, like the block already constructed, will include garages on the ground floor.StaggeredMr Kerr said the new block would be set back at the end closest to the Glass Pavilion and staggered forward so it is closer to the alignment of Block B at the eastern end. He added that the new plan will provide greater privacy for residents as none of the flats will be on the ground floor and “all will enjoy the views from first and second floor out over the water.”
Mr Kerr said, “There should therefore be less risk of nuisance from a privacy aspect, being caused by the users of the busy Glass Pavilion next door or passers-by either on the street or entering the wildlife centre behind.”
He added that the through route to the wildlife area north of the flats “is respected and retained.”
Mr Lees said the design would allow more flexibility in responding to demand and would offer a garage with each apartment, which has been popular in the first phase.
Explaining that the development has had interest from downsizers, he said, “The market in Dundee is getting good again and with the V&A and all that’s going on I think we should be singing from the rooftops about how good the city is.”