Machinery and fencing 'sabotaged' to halt Aberdeen energy transition zone

Climate activists have sabotaged heavy machinery and fencing in an attempt to delay the development of a park near Aberdeen.

Aberdeen City Council has plans to turn up to a third of St Fittick’s Park in the city’s Torry area into an Energy Transition Zone (ETZ), including an industrial estate and yards.

Local residents and environmental activists have been fighting against the plans since 2020.

The Aberdeen City ETZ scheme is seen by its supporters as a means of helping to diversify the North East economy.

However, a campaign group opposing the plans launched a legal bid at the Court of Session in 2024 to overturn the council’s decision to enter talks on creating an ETZ.

On Monday, Climate Camp Scotland claimed that activists from across the country worked through the night to sabotage the progress of the development.

The campaign group said activists removed fencing that barred access to parts of the park, and put heavy machinery, including excavators, steam rollers, pumps and dump trucks “out of use by various means to slow efforts to destroy St. Fittick’s Park”.

Activists removed barrier fencing and posted signs across the site. Climate Camp Scotland

Signs reading “hauns affa torry”, “NO ETZ, NO LANDGRAB” and “Solidarity” were hung at the site.

“This weekend we said here and no further,” Climate Camp Scotland spokesperson Varian Skye said.

“Fences designed to lock out the local community have been taken down and repurposed to build structures, making vehicle access more difficult. Using bike locks, expanding foam, paint, and a good old wrench, we took on the vehicles and machines in the park that are turning the thriving wetland into an industrial wasteland.”

Ms Skye called the project a “massive government-funded land grab” that “threatens the last green space of Torry’s working-class community”.

“We are delaying the demolition and deforestation, buying time for the local community’s ongoing legal action to force the ETZ and Aberdeen City Council to stop concreting this park,” she added.

“Aberdeen City Council, ETZ, and anyone who works with the ETZ can expect further direct action.”

ETZ Ltd is a private-sector-led, not-for-profit company spearheading the North East of Scotland’s energy transition ambitions.

Chief executive Maggie McGinlay said: “This is a hugely regrettable incident, particularly because the works being carried out form part of a multi-million-pound investment by ETZ Ltd to realign East Tullos Burn and wetlands, improving its biodiversity and water quality, as well as significantly enhancing community amenities in and around St Fittick’s Park.

“These improvements include a new accessible entrance from Tullos Primary School with new paths linking to the wider park and wetland route, a new social shelter, two new grass playing pitches with picnic tables and terraced viewing areas near the existing Cruyff Court and Neale Cooper sports pitches.

“Conservation work on St Fittick’s Church is also underway, which will restore and protect what is a 12th-century scheduled monument of local historic significance.

“Despite the unfortunate, deliberate and unprovoked vandalism over the weekend, ETZ Ltd remain fully committed to making these improvements for the benefit of the local community.

“It is important to stress this package of work is being undertaken prior to an occupier being allocated for the adjacent development site, which can only be utilised by companies supporting renewables activity and significant job creation.

“Given the economic challenges Aberdeen currently faces, it is vital we unlock the full potential of the new non-tidal, deep-water South Harbour and secure the City’s position as a leading location for investment in energy transition.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 9.10am on Monday, January 26, we received a report of vandalism in the St Fitticks Road area of Aberdeen that happened over the weekend.”

Aberdeen City Council has been contacted for comment.