Controversial plans to build a new Energy Transition Zone (ETZ) in Torry’s St Fittick’s Park have taken a step closer despite desperate pleas from campaigners.
Councillors approved the Aberdeen Local Development Plan 2023 (LDP) at a meeting of full council yesterday.
The LDP outlines the “ambitious framework” for the city over the next five years, and will help to guide future planning decisions.
Scottish ministers had examined the proposed LDP and made modifications before it was returned to the local authority this summer.
As per the rules, councillors were told they had “no choice” but to accept the reporter’s recommendations and adopt the amended plan.
Campaigners protest outside Town House
Land at St Fittick’s Park and Doonie’s Rare Breeds Farm have been earmarked for development as the major ETZ business park under the proposed LDP.
ETZ Ltd, the firm behind the proposal, said the 40-hectare site would help the UK and Scotland reach its net zero targets.
Bosses say the development will become a “hub of innovation to support floating offshore wind and green hydrogen”.
The ETZ is expected to create 2,500 local jobs and could be in operation by 2030.
The Friends of St Fittick’s Park braved heavy snow to stage a vigil outside the Town House on Wednesday morning in a bid to halt the plan.
But despite it getting the go-ahead by councillors, there remain many hurdles to clear before the ETZ can be built.
And the group vowed to keep fighting.
Member Ishbel Shand said: “There’s a huge amount wrong with it, the doctors are firmly against it.
“If you look at the environmental report from the council you can see that there’s no mitigation possible for the site, the governance has been absolutely shocking with everything.”
ETZ masterplan updated
LTZ Ltd revealed revised blueprints for the development last month, claiming that two thirds of the park would be untouched.
The update revealed plans to enhance woodland and wetlands as well as protecting the East Tullos Burn.
Meanwhile road upgrades will be made to the Coast Road and Hareness Road to reduce traffic congestion in Torry.
‘It’s just hypocrisy’
But the Friends of St Fittick’s Park say they were not reassured by the update.
Ishbel added: “If you look on the SEPA flood maps, what they’re planning to do is move the wetlands up so that the community will go all the way to the wet bit and they’ll keep the biodiverse bit at the bottom.
“We told them that there were sewer pipes underneath and that there was extensive surface water and flooding.
“So what they’re doing is looking at the constraints and going ‘how can we spin this in a positive message and get these people on the back foot?’
“It’s just hypocrisy.”
What happens next?
The park site and Doonies had been earmarked for development due to its close proximity to the new £400 million south harbour.
More than 250 campaigners set up camp in St Fittick’s Park earlier this year to protest against the controversial plan.
Even doctors had claimed the development could “permanently undermine” efforts to tackle health inequality in Torry.
Although the LDP has been approved, ETZ Ltd will still need to draw up a masterplan for the zone.
It will then have to be formally submitted for planning permission before construction can start.
It is expected that the new Aberdeen LDP will be adopted in early 2023.
Friends of St Fittick’s Park ‘not happy’ despite two thirds of park being saved in revised ETZ plans
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