A controversial new housing development on the site of an Aberdeen school could be built with foreign granite.
Councillors met in the Town House yesterday to hear from both the housing developers and objectors to a contentious plan to demolish Victoria Road primary school in Torry and replace it with 56 new homes.
The school closed its doors in 2008 and Barratt Homes launched plans to convert it into 62 flats in 2014. This has since been reduced.
However, the proposals have been met with 266 objections – several times more than the number attracted by the Marischal Square scheme.
Yesterday, the chamber heard from Scott Pettitt, development manager at Barratt North Scotland, who told a public gallery, packed with protestors, that he had many connections to the school with his wife and mother as former pupils.
He said: “I think the passion that has been shown over this project is a credit to the area.
“The positive parts in this will be a redevelopment of a derelict site.”
He added that the site was currently “unsafe” to enter and the company intended on retaining “key features” of the site.
Rosemount and Midstocket councillor Alex Nicol then asked him about the provenance of the granite for the new homes.
Mr Pettitt responded: “It could be from Portugal, China or sourced locally.”
But a host of objectors subsequently asked why the school could not be developed into a new educational or some other community facility.
David Fryer, secretary of Torry Community Council, said the building was “irreplaceable”.
He added: “It [renovating it] can be done and it should be done.”
But the committee heard that the current Victoria Road site was just 0.8 hectares and government guidelines demand a modern school site be at least 1.6 hectares.
Kincorth, Nigg and Cove councillor Neil Cooney responded: “This site is just too small. It’s ridiculously small.”
Concerned resident Lorna McHattie played audio files to the committee of people in Torry imploring councillors to save the building.
A final decision on the school will be made by the council on either June 6 or 16.
