Stewart Milne, the building company boss and chairman of Aberdeen football club, has been given permission to knock down his stately home and replace it with a £1m eco-friendly house.
Mr Milne, his partner and their two children, live in Dalhebity House at Bieldside, near Aberdeen, which was the birthplace of Ruth Sylvia Gill, mother of Frances Shand Kydd, Princess Diana's late mother.
The house sits in 14 acres of land and Mr Milne has owned if for more than quarter of a century. He plans to build a low-to-zero carbon home for his family using modern methods of construction and the latest renewable technologies.
However, there was opposition to the plan from members of Aberdeen City Council's Planning Committee and it was only with the casting vote of convener Scott Cassie that the application was approved by eight votes to seven.
Some members were concerned over the loss of 25 mature trees, the destruction of a house which is part of Aberdeen's heritage and the fact that the new property will have twice the footprint of the existing one. Surprise was also expressed that the eight-bedroom Dalhebity House was not a listed building.
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