Controversial Aberdeen Energy Transition Zone backed by councillors

Councillors have backed plans for the controversial Energy Transition Zone at St Fittick’s Park, but Scottish ministers will now make the final decision.

The city council’s planning committee approved in principle ETZ Ltd’s proposal for a development next to the £420 million South Harbour.

But, the application will now go before the Scottish Government after SEPA lodged an objection.

As part of St Fittick’s site has been known to flood, SEPA states that no new development can be built in a flood-risk area.

The East Tullos Burn would be realigned to make way for the new development.

But despite this, a potential risk would still exist, which SEPA has taken issue with.

The Energy Transition Zone (ETZ) is made up of three linked but separate areas along the coast.

While no detailed plans have been submitted, it is anticipated that industrial units and yards would be built on part of St Fittick’s Park, Gregness and Doonies.

The buildings would all help the north east with its efforts to shift towards renewables and a net zero future.

To make up for the loss of the beloved park space, developers have pledged to upgrade paths around St Fittick’s and Tullos Wood.

They also unveiled plans to replace the sports pitch at Tullos School playing fields, extend the skate park and add a new pump track.

The Gregness area was recently used as a storage and production area during the construction of the South Harbour.

Finally, the Doonies site includes the granite farmhouse and fields previously used by the beloved Rare Breeds Farm that closed for good last August.

A “marine gateway” would be created on the St Fittick’s and Gregness sites, providing deep-water port and infrastructure for offshore wind and other renewables.

The former Doonies farm site would be transformed into a hydrogen campus with testing and demonstration facilities.

Developers hope the ETZ would help to put Aberdeen on the map as a “centre of excellence for hydrogen”.

Meanwhile, the zone’s master plan would also include the construction of an offshore wind campus, a skills campus, and an innovation campus.

The plans have certainly not been popular as 221 disgruntled residents wrote to Aberdeen City Council to voice their objection.

Meanwhile, just 12 letters of support were received.

Those opposing the plan said it would create a loss of valuable green open space and St Fittick’s Park.

They also said it would negatively impact on the health and wellbeing of the Torry community, its wildlife, wetlands and the Tullos Burn.

However, those in favour of the ETZ said it was essential for the region to secure strategic investment in renewable energy.

They also believed it would address currently inadequate infrastructure for the renewable energy sector.

The development has attracted fierce opposition from campaigners too who have fought to save the popular Torry park.

Many of the passionate protesters made their voices heard outside the Town House ahead of this morning’s planning meeting.

Scott Herrett of the Friends of St Fittick’s Park group spoke at the meeting to raise his concerns and asked for the greenspace to be removed from the plan.

The Torry resident said: “For the last two years after winter storms, I have witnessed flooding in the park larger in extent than that shown on the one in 200 year flood extent plans.”

A photo he had taken shows the site of the proposed development submerged in water following a day and night of heavy rainfall.

He also argued that the flood risk in the application had been “underestimated”.

“If there is an actual one in ten, 50 or indeed 200 year storm tomorrow, there is a high probability that the flooding will be far greater in extent than that shown on the plan,” Mr Herrett stated.

“This would have severe consequences on future park users and any development built.”

SNP councillor Alison Alphonse urged the committee to back the plan but remove St Fittick’s from the development.

“It’s such a huge loss of greenspace and I think it’s upsetting that you won’t see the sea at St Fittick’s Park,” she said.

“More than half of the park will be gone forever.

“It’s too big a sacrifice for the people of Torry to make.”

But, committee convener and fellow SNP councillor Ciaran McRae said he was “quite content” with approving the plan.

He also asked that all future planning applications related to the ETZ come before the planning committee for determination.

Following a vote, the plans were supported by seven to two.