Link Group given green light for 433 new homes at Dunbeg

The latest significant milestone in the delivery of Link’s Dunbeg Development Corridor Masterplan will see a further 433 new homes, across a variety of tenures, improved commercial infrastructure, and enhanced community amenities, including open spaces, play areas, and pathways to enhance connectivity to the local school and existing settlement delivered through Phase 3.

Colin Culross, Link Group executive director and commercial and managing director of C~urb, said: “Progressing the Dunbeg Masterplan has been a key personal and organisational ambition and the granting of Planning Permission for this next phase, especially with the advancement of significant infrastructure and Commercial Zone is something we are very proud of.

“The development makes a significant contribution to meeting local demand, especially in light of the current Housing Emergency, but we recognise that purely delivering new homes on this scale isn’t enough.

“Creating place has many key attributes and ensuring the appropriate amenity for the extended community of Dunbeg is vitally important, more so within this rural dimension. Vibrant communities need homes, but they also need other amenities to make them sustainable and create a sense of place: places to live, work, to relax and to exercise, culminating in a sense of place.

“I am immensely grateful for the contributions from the Scottish Government’s More Homes and Argyll & Bute Council for supporting Link in helping achieve our shared aspirations. Their commitment in time and funding has been vital, and without this shared vison, we would simply not have been able to achieve this milestone.

“I’d also like to give thanks to the design team: Hypostyle Architects, structural & civil engineers G3 Consulting Engineers, energy consultants Carbon Futures, cost consultant Armour Construction Consultants, landscape design by Gillespies, MacDonald & Cameron development consultants and my own team within C~urb Property Development, who have been key in delivering the high-quality, community-focused, and environmentally conscious design proposals.”

The consent allows the development of 269 affordable homes covering social rent (148 homes), mid-market rent (48 homes), New Supply Shared Equity (40 homes), Elderly Living (33 homes – 17 social rent and 16 New Supply Shared Equity) and Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (62 bedspaces), as well as a Planning in Principle consent for 133 homes for private market sale.

Planning in Principle has also been achieved for the initial phase of the proposed Commercial Zone, which can deliver a mixture of uses such as retail, food outlets, hotel and restaurant which will ensure vibrant and accessible amenities for the local community and those travelling to and from Oban.

Pivotal to the development is the formation of new roundabout on the A85, which will enable a new distributor road serving both residential and commercial areas, providing a crucial secondary access point to the existing development and improving road safety for the community.

Building on the success of earlier phases which have already delivered 375 affordable homes, the construction of Phase 4 is expected to generate significant employment and training opportunities.

While specific outcomes will be developed once a contractor has been appointed, outcomes from Phase 3 provide a strong indication of anticipated benefits:

• Work placements for students: Over 100 placements for individuals aged 14+ (5-day minimum experience).
• Apprenticeships and jobs: Significant opportunities for new apprentices, graduates, and unemployed individuals.
• Training weeks on site: Hundreds of training weeks for apprentices, trainees, and new entrants.
• Industry certifications and qualifications: Accredited training and short-duration certifications for contractors and subcontractors.

Brett Sadler, CEO of West Highland Housing Association, said: “The Dunbeg development has already made a huge impact, meeting the needs of the local community not only through providing high-quality, affordable homes, but also through supporting economic and social development.

“The Phase 4 Planning approval is a fantastic outcome for Dunbeg and our current and future residents. This long-term investment in Dunbeg by Link and supported by West Highland locally has created a strong, sustainable community and, together with the development of new community assets, will be crucial to the continued wellbeing for people living and working in the area.”