With Shell announcing the demolition of its former Aberdeen base, some are calling for ETZ to change its plans and spare Doonie’s Farm.
While some would rather see the Tullos office complex saved and preserved as a monument to the north-east of Scotland’s ties to the energy sector, others have called to ETZ Ltd to absorb the space into its campus model for the largest energy transition complex in the country.
Current plans outline that the site of a beloved local farm will be repurposed as part of the zone’s hydrogen campus.
It was recently reported that Doonie’s Farm had been served a notice that the lease will not be renewed when it expires on August 21.
Doonie’s Rare Breeds Farm wrote on Facebook: “It is with a very heavy heart that our small family team would like to officially announce our last day of opening will be Monday 21st of August. After which Doonies Rare Breeds Farm shall be closed indefinitely.
“The past 30 years have brought us so much joy and we have made memories which we shall cherish forever. Indeed, we have heard from so many of you about the memories you all have of Doonies as generations of families have passed through our gates.
“We are currently sourcing new homes for our beloved livestock and we are confident they will be happy and content in their new surroundings. We are incredibly fortunate to know so many wonderful livestock keeper’s who will continue to breed the rare and native livestock that we have dedicated these three decades to.”
With the impending closure of the farm and the announcement that the nearby former office space of the supermajor will be vacant, people have begun to question if it is necessary to force Doonie’s to close.
Local environmental campaigner Jim Rae took to social media to write: “So why are we closing the community farm at Doonies, to accommodate Ian Wood’s vanity project of a Net-Zero Energy Park, when there is this huge brownfield site at Altens?”
Under the current plans for the ETZ, the part of the complex that will be housed in the south side of the city, on the site of the beloved site, will be dedicated to green hydrogen production.
For this, a connection to offshore wind is needed to power the process, and Shell’s former HQ is too far away from the coast and could only work if pipelines were run from the shore to the soon-to-be vacant lot.
© Supplied by ETZ LtdAn ETZ spokesman told Energy Voice: “We are in advanced discussions with a number of companies seeking to locate ambitious green hydrogen projects within the Energy Transition Zone, many of which have a requirement to be located in close proximity to the coast and shore which is why the proposed Hydrogen campus, both a brownfield and greenfield site, is proposed to be located where it is within our masterplan.”
Although both green and brownfield sites are being used across the planned campus, ETZ has said it has “adopted a brownfield first approach to its land and property strategy.”
The spokesman said that the former Shell site is “attractive for investment”, however, the company and Aberdeen City Council will be responsible for determining the next steps for the site.
© Supplied by ETZ LtdLate last year ETZ unveiled plans for its “campus model” that sets out to “revitalise” industrial sites at Altens – providing firms with the “unique opportunity to invest in the largest dedicated energy transition complex in Scotland”.
The aim of the space is to hasten the energy transition and secure jobs in the local area.
ETZ outlines: “This coordinated investment will include the creation of specialist campuses for Marine Development, Offshore Wind, Hydrogen, Innovation, and Skills within the Energy Transition Zone that will position the region as a global leader in the energy transition. “
