When disused Council playing fields on the edge of Aberdeen’s city centre were put up for sale with the restriction that the playing fields must be retained, the Alhikmah Foundation – a local charity which was already establishing a community centre in the area – saw the opportunity to extend its activities and create a new and distinctive community hub with sporting facilities.
We were pleased to be asked to be part of a creative, multi-disciplinary team assembled to support the Foundation’s bid to purchase the playing field site, with the aim of providing multi-use games areas, five aside pitches, cricket net practice tunnels and flexible, community hub space. We worked with the wider team to develop the project concept; to determine community support, through using social media; and to demonstrate that the proposed site development complied with relevant planning policies, and was deliverable.
The Foundation was selected as the preferred bidder and work is underway to prepare a planning application for a development that would enhance green space provision in the area and bring people together in a multi-dimensional sporting, cultural and social space, providing health and well-being benefits and creating opportunities for social enterprises and starter businesses.
