April

Submission 054 to the Pre-Main

Issues report from Aberdeen Harbour Board, “Case for Growth” prepared by Barton Wilmore. No bid for any land round the site of the proposed new harbour, but recognises offshore wind had been identified as a key component in the Scottish Recovery Economic Plan 2011 National Renewables Infrastructure Plan 2010, where Aberdeen harbour had been recognised as a 1st phase manufacturing site for renewables. It noted that local people would accept development the Bay of Nigg if a large area of green space could be retained. It also realised that any road west of the harbour through St Fittick’s park would have an impact on that green space. The Board did not favour this option because of the impact on the community – mitigation would be expenditure on community projects. Recognition that landward side of harbour needs improving – mentions wetlands and tree planting being planned

August

Nigg Bay Development Framework Baseline Report (NBDF) published by Barton Willmore on behalf of Aberdeen Harbour Board, Aberdeen City Council and Scottish Enterprise.

October

This was put to public consultation.  The Harbour Board had changed its mind about the need for land round the harbour as it and existing harbour users had wanted land immediately next to the new harbour and round it to be allocated for development, but the majority of businesses accepted that if severe damage to the environment could not be mitigated, then the sites at East Tullos and Altens with the improved road linkage to the new harbour, provided in the NBDF, would be good sites for harbour related activities including offshore wind .

December

Detailed response of the Head of Planning and Development ACC to Scottish Ministers on the draft Aberdeen Harbour Revision Order (AHRO) which must be passed by the Scottish Government, to allow the harbour construction to start and to regulate how it is done. It approves the project but only on several conditions which include landscape mitigation in the wider area because the Expansion Project’s Environmental Statement had focussed on the immediately harbour area and ignored the adverse social and environmental effects on the wider one. The damage to the health of people living next to the new harbour from loss of green space and the major changes to the landscape ( loss of green space and of visual amenity) affecting their leisure and recreation; on the city as whole, on tourism and on a gateway to the city. Therefore it called for compensatory mitigation measures to benefit the community, including regeneration, and stipulated that the community should be involved in deciding what these should be. Another prerequisite for harbour construction which will regulates how it is done is the Marine Licence, authorised by the Scottish Government and issued by Marine Scotland.

January

Revised Bay of Nigg Development  Framework published, after 6 weeks of public consultation ( September 30 to November 11 2015 ) on the draft Framework. The revised one is the basis for Interim Planning advice. Harbour related industrial Development is located in East Tullos and Altens.

August 8th

Dispensation under the Councillors Code for Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council from the Standards Commission Scotland for elected members and substitute members who have been appointed by either local authority to be members of the City Region Deal Joint Committee, ( 6 Aberdeen Councillors ; 4 Tory/Aberdeen Labour/Independent coalition , 1 Lib Dem and 1 SNP) and the same dispensation to Councillors who have been appointed by either local authority to be directors or alternative directors of Opportunity North East (ONE) . ie Douglas Lumsden ACC, Jim Gifford Aberdeenshire. Councillors do not have to withdraw from council meetings that are discussing or voting on the City Region Deal, any of its projects or their funding or recommendations by the City Region Deal Committee. Councillors who are directors or substitute directors of ONE  do not have to withdraw from Council meeting discussing or voting on the City Region Deal its projects , their funding, or any of ONE’s projects. 

November 14th

Rishi Sunak advocates freeports  in the report “The Free Ports Opportunity” published by the free market, small state, low tax Centre for Policy Studies. Did he really get the idea from Reith Still formerly of Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce

December 8th

AHRO passed by the Scottish Government on the recommendation of the Committee for Rural Economy and Connectivity following assurances from Minister for Transport and the Islands that he was satisfied with the mitigation measures for the site in the Schedule of the Order and that ACC and AHB were discussing the mitigation measures in the wider area. These were detailed in chapter 10 of the Construction and Environmental Management Document ( CEMD for the harbour and the Detailed Mitigation and Compensation Plan(DCMP) for St Fittick’s Park prepared according to the terms of an agreement between ACC and AHB under Section 69 of the Local Government ( Scotland Act) 1973. The Schedule of the AHRO allowed for measures to protect the East Tullos burn and its wetlands, the draft DCMP listed 10 improvements to St Fittick’s Park, 7 of which would be started in the first year of construction . The community’s understanding was that St Fittick’s park and the wetlands were protected from further development .

The date of the current Local Development Plan which lasts till 2022 – The “Zone” area is zoned as green space. 

October 8th until 17th December.

Proposed SDP Consultation period: 67 representations, including PP18062 from by Barton Willmore  on behalf of Aberdeen Harbour Board (though the form itself is completed by the Harbour Board) . It is for designated green belt land immediately next to Aberdeen South Harbour to be rezoned to “new Harbour opportunity areas” which should provide le quayside spaces, setdown areas, warehouses, and yard spaces, similar to those round the existing harbour. The bid prioritises development for potential, (but highly uncertain) future economic gains over the status quo. That would be “overtly restrictive and would stifle further opportunities for development” which is alleged to be compatible with other elements of the SDP (presumably economic development). The details of these opportunity sites would become clearer in the forthcoming Aberdeen Local Development Plan. 

Aberdeen Harbour board will attempt to change the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Strategic Development Plan (SDP) , which is higher in the planning hierarchy , by responding to it sometime in this period.

Aberdeen City and Shire Planning authorities respond to requests to modify the SDP. Issue 006 Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire planning activities cite policy B5 in the current ( 2017) Local Development plan which favours the location of harbour related activities which have a functional requirement to be present there. The land in question is designated greenspace, apart from OP 62 which is the site of the as yet uncompleted Aberdeen South Harbour. As Aberdeen Harbour Board is a consultee for the LDP, any further discussion should be through the LDP review (due in 2022, currently underway.) The consultation period ended on 31st August 2020, and the 1000+ responses reviewed by the Council) . No modifications of the SDP are deemed necessary

February

MIR . As it is prepared from the pre MIR and responses to it, there is nothing about an ETZ in it, including the map of bids. 

June 18th

Sir Ian Wood, chairman of Opportunity North East ( ONE) raises the idea of “a major Energy Transition Park”  at the Energy Exports conference, dressing it up as a means to switch to a low carbon economy but maintaining that Aberdeen must become “ a significant onshore base for offshore wind” at an unspecified location in the south of the city, taking advantage of the new harbour.

June 23rd

Reports that Boris Johnston is thinking about making Aberdeen or Peterhead a Freeport to “turbo charge the economy” ( but what is he doing in Aberdeen at a private event in early May 2019?

July

Prelaunch of Scotwind leasing.   

Concept of the EZT has been formed .  A Feasibility Study is commissioned from Barton Wilmore by Aberdeen City Growth and Resources on behalf of ACC and Aberdeenshire Council, who are both part of Invest Aberdeen. ACC is also part of the client group the Feasibility Study will go on to refer to, as is Opportunity North East (ONE) . It is to “give clarity” to the Harbour Board’s bid for a large area of land and to look at the wider area in the context of potential demand for offshore renewable energy from the harbour expansion. Also to help Aberdeen City Growth to see how and ETZ could drive city’s economy. It would be an exemplar net-zero business location which will attract green energy businesses to Aberdeen and help develop those already here.

August 2nd

UK government announces 10 UK post Brexit Freeport plans 

August 19th

Reports that the Scottish government is not keen on freeports because of the risk of tax avoidance and evasion. In March 2020 is becomes clear that they do not see what benefit they could have for the Scottish economy. 

September 9th

Kevin Stewart is not happy with the idea and asks for clarification of the plan. Ross Thompson, still MP, has been lobbying Liz Truss for them.

September 15th

Ross Thomson criticised for indicating that the Council supported his lobbying for Freeport status. Angela Scott is not enthusiastic, though Douglas Lumsden is and has been working with Ross, Harbour board has reservations.

October 19th

Aberdeen Harbour Board is not yet convinced, saying further investigation is needed. Aberdeen South MP Brexiteer and Boris fan Ross Thomson is enthusiastic as is the Provost, Barney Crockett. Thomson has been lobbying Lyn Truss International Trade Secretary for Aberdeen to be a Freeport, but loses his seat to the SNP in December 2019.

October 31st

Application for 2nd Marine Licences for construction and for dredging, as the 1st will expire in April and September 2020, due to delays in both.

November 4th

The day before the Economic Policy Plan review 2019 is published. City urged to be bold by panel member Douglas Peedle – unique challenge, diversify – report to be discussed at the State of the Cities conference , discussion attended by civic leaders.

December 9th

The proposed LDP has been prepared from the MIR and was due to be presented to the full council but was delayed till 2nd March because the council was waiting for a Scottish Government report on the proposed SDP.

January 14th

OGA Board Meeting in Aberdeen – discussing OGA’s net zero plans – Tim Eggar will address the MER meeting on 15th , with the energy transition targets for the industry before COP 26 ( due to be in November 2020).

January 15th

Tim Eggar, Chairman of the UK based Oil and Gas Authority is in Aberdeen, at the MER (Maximising Economic Recovery) steering group meeting with Cassandra like warnings to the industry to adapt to climate change pronto or die.  He enthuses about what has now become the Energy Transition Zone, and recommends that it should be part of the “transformative deal “ for the oil and gas sector included in the Conservative Party’s manifesto in the December 2019 General Election . He cited carbon capture and hydrogen.

January 24th

The ETZ – Sir Ian Wood publicly announces the ETZ, indicating it will be based on using green energy such as offshore wind, hydrogen and CCS. Almost as a last minute thought servicing , assembling and manufacturing offshore wind is mentioned and the hope that “leading brands” will come to the city, even though they are already well established elsewhere. Even so Ian Wood says:

“We’ve got the opportunity in the north-east of Scotland to help balance the economy with a new industry, and at the same time, play a really significant role in one of the world’s greatest problems right now in global warming.”

No funding in place yet, tough “leverage from the private sector and public purse” is envisaged. The potential for “thousands of jobs” has not been forgotten either. Highly speculative. The harbour is already a year late due to dredging problems and a combination of no construction during the cv pandemic and the main contractor terminating its contract with the Harbour Board by mutual consent, is now 2 years late. Tenders are out for a new contractor. There is no guarantee that licences will be granted for identified sites near Aberdeen, or that any successful developer will use Aberdeen as it’s preferred port. Bifab at Methil has already lost contracts for offshore wind development a few miles away to foreign firms. Worse will follow.

This is the first time the people of Torry have become aware of plans for their area. The Aberdeen Labour/Conservative city are enthusiastic supporters , but the LDP allocating sites for the proposed ETZ has not yet been accepted by the council and is not yet its “settled will”. 

Article in a newsletter from the Oil and Gas Technology Centre ETZ, and [SS1] sayin g what a great thing it is. Also mentioning how much investment in energy transition will have to increase and puffing up the ETZ – very much from an oil industry perspective . Cites Jenny Laing saying that as a result of the Economic Policy Plan review 5thNov 2019 the Council’s City Growth and Resources Committee agreed to develop a[SS2]  place based Net Zero Transition Plan and a prioritised Strategic Structure Plan. The potential to develop a world leading Energy Transition Zone is an exciting development opportunity development for the city and region. Looks forward to developing the business case for the Zone with among others UK gov, Scotgov and their agencies. Quotes ONE board members from Michelle Handforth, (Aberdeen Harbour Board CE)) Deidre Michie ( Oil and Gas UK CE)       

[SS1] Big meeting in Aberdeen earlier in Jan.[SS2]It does not advocate a zone as such but recommends Aberdeen’s transition should be unique, capitalising all its assets – i.e. its pristine natural resources.

January 30th

Audit Scotland Report  into City Region Deals shows that ONE dominated the formation of Aberdeen City’s deal and would be the major influence in its implementation. Not just because of its influence and that of its chairman, Sir Ian Wood , in the whole region but because it guaranteed to match Scottish Enterprise funding of certain projects to make them more attractive.

Februrary 6th

ETZ Feasibility Study issue 2 ( the only one in the public domain) published by Barton Willmore. It has been prepared in a rush and does not include any environmental assessments. It was commissioned by Richard Sweetnam of City Growth to clarify bid 486 and the advantages Aberdeen has for development of other renewable, in addition to wind turbine manufacture, in areas outwith that designated for the ETZ. It is highly speculative

August 14th  

SDP approved by the Scottish Government.

Aberdeenshire going to object to the LDP – probably – still has to be authorised at council meeting – over OP 46.  

August 29th

Press reports that ONE is just starting to plan the ETZ , working with Aberdeen City Growth as outlined in the City’s Socio-economic rescue plan. Confirming that the claims for the ETZ in public statements from June 2019 onwards and in Feasibility Study were highly speculative.

September 2nd

Crown Estates Scotland gives Aberdeen a more modest role in Scotland’s transition to net zero than the proponents of the ETZ in its report of the roles for different Scottish ports in the development and operation of future offshore wind following the launch of the ScotWind leasing round. Seeing Aberdeen as the hub of an Aberdeenshire mini cluster and placing any manufacturing activities in East Tullos and Altens . Just as scenario 6 of the ETZ feasibility study does, and as the unsuccessful amendment of 2ndMarch to the PLDP did.

September 18th

Bifab loses order.

October 21st

Bifab failure to obtain contracts for offshore turbine building flags up the structural weakness is the Scottish offshore renewables industry.

October 28th

Council approves the development of a green hydrogen hub in the region ( Aberdeenshire?) ie research into and develop of a hub to enable  green hydrogen to replace blue hydrogen currently being used in the city. Blue green energy has applied for £15m from the Scottish Government’s £62 m fund announced earlier this year. Announced by City Growth and Resources committee convenor Douglas Lumsden. Looks as if it is the first stage of along process.  

AHB updates the City Growth and Resources Committee on the progress of the Aberdeen South Harbour Extension. AHB has given a presentation to the City Region Deal Committee but there’s no record of it in the public domain . Covid is given all the blame for Dragados withdrawing from the contract in June . A letter from AHB to the Scottish Government asking for more financial support for the project and the government’s reply are in Appendix, but these are not publically available either. Strangely enough given all the publicity to decommissioning in the FS and in AHB’s own website, a feasibility study on the new harbours future as a decommissioning centre had been commissioned and completed as recently as just before June 2020 ,partially funded by £28,000 of money received from the Scottish Government’s Decommissioning Challenge Fund. The freeport idea is still be discussed though resulting financial benefits still need to be investigated. A new main contractor is not required, AHB is awarding contracts directly . Partial phased reopening is due in September 2021 and full opening in July 2022. Activities in the ETZ and where it is are still vague. Manufacturing has now been downgraded to “potential manufacturing” .

November 1st

History of Bifab’s demise and failure of Scotgov industrial policy – not stipulating supply chain conditions.

November 3rd

Scottish Government announces it can not longer support Bifab financially due to legal constraints which prevent any state aid to a company which is not economically viable. Bifb had been seen as the model for how offshore wind could drive the Scottish economy in the way that oil had once done. Casts further doubt on the rationale of offshore construction work in the ETZ doing the same for Aberdeen. 

November 11th

Aberdeen Economic Policy Plan Report 2020  published . One recommendation is that part of the city’s transition to net zero should be through provision of accessible and connected green space. It also stresses the importance of social and natural factors along with economic ones in improving Aberdeen as a place.

November 17th

Bid for freeports to start soon , at least one being considered  for Scotland but the application process for it has not yet been agreed between Scot gov and UK gov. Local authorities had not been invited to submit ideas during the summer, and had been busy with the covid response anyway. 

November 19th

Public Consultation for the STAG2 options for the transport links from the new harbour , including those to East Tullos and Altens, and the Wellington Road corridor options starts. Open till 16th December. Not announced on the Council’s website till 26th November. A whole week of 3 weeks 5 days lost. Options have been developed to fit with the outline Business Case being prepared for the ETZ and the Wellington Road corridor needs. As the ETZ Phase 1  Business plan is not in the public domain that makes it difficult to analyse how the STAG2 options take the ETZ’s demands into account, or how important each demand is. Do activities located in St Fittick’s Park and Doonies have to be there? The Crown Office Scotland ports assessment places them all in East Tullos/Altens, as does option 6 in the FS.

November 24th

The UK government cannot support Bifab by guaranteeing contracts either. Both cite legal reasons which the Unions want published. The Greens point out that European Countries have been investing ( is investment different from guaranteeing?)  The Scottish government is setting up a task force to set up a working group to protect the existing supply chain. Opportunities to expand it ( eg in the ETZ) look bleak, as this news is described as a devastating blow for the renewables industry by Scottish Labour’s economy spokesman . Unions blame lack of support and investment from the Scottish and UK governments, and are calling for the legal advice to be published . The Scottish government blames the Canadian owners of Bifab for lack of working capital, investment and guarantees.

December 3rd

Bifab goes into administration. The company blames the failure of the UK government and the Scottish government to protect supply chains in the face of subsidised yards in and out of the EU. Both governments must support UK renewables industries so that the benefits of offshore renewables can be shared with communities. The Unions say this collapse shows the offshore renewables revolution for what it is. “Industrial ruin not the promised 28,000 jobs in renewable energy”. Energy correspondent’s Douglas Fraser says the same thing . It demonstrates that the ETZ’s strategy of relying on offshore wind for work is unrealistic unless there are big structural changes in government support. State ownership had been one option but was not taken up.  Bifab had been just about to sign a letter of intent to enter an NnG contract that would have provided 500 jobs at the yard.

December 4th

Analysis by Douglas Fraser refers to existing yards, without mentioning Aberdeen’s plans.

December 10th

“Energy and ambition will put the NE of Scotland at the heart of tackling climate change ….” More hype and no substance. Refers optimistic forecast by the UK Hydrogen Task Force worth £18 billion per annum ( by 2035) and supporting 75,000 jobs , new players ( renewables sector and innovative technology providers ) working with the oil and gas industry , (unnamed) partners and funders in industry, the public sector and Uk and Scottish government “ in anticipation of the vision becoming a reality” . All to drive hydrogen, the majority of which will be blue as it is linked to CCC at St Fergus. There is plenty of business speak , and vastly exaggerated claims for what can be achieved and the resulting benefits, going by experience of the offshore wind sector and CCC to date. ( Written by Martin McCormack , Director of Energy Transition Programme ,ONE.

January 22nd

The Scottish government has come round to supporting Freeports after all but only if they provide inclusive growth, work practices there are fair and their economic activity is a net zero one. This is the antithesis of the usually accepted model and the Scottish Greens are sceptical of potential greenwashing.

February 3rd

Meeting of the City Growth and Resources Committee . Item 10b iv Freeports – Welcomes what it describes as the Scottish Government U-turn on them, ignoring the different model envisaged from the UK free for all and instructing the City Growth officer to work with both governments, AHB and other unidentified stakeholders on feasibility study into one for Aberdeen and report back to the committee on 11th May 2021. . Item 17 – Report of the STAG2 appraisal of transport links between the South Harbour and Tullos, recommends  option 4 , the Coast Road. Lowest cost and most feasible technically, environmentally and most publicly acceptable. Taking account of needs of the ETZ, added during the middle of the consultation. The Committee accepted the reports recommendation and will ask the Chief Officer Capital to prepare a business case for it and report to the City Region Deal Committee. The continuing appraisal for the Wellington Road improvements should proceed on the basis that the route from the South Harbour to East Tullos is option 4 – the Coast road . STAG 2 appraisal of that will be reported to the Council in June 2021. The full report states that there are as yet no details of what the activities to be carried out in site the ETZ sites in OP 56 and 61 are. The masterplan is still being written, by the ETZ masterplanning team”  and one of the difficulties of incorporating the needs of the ETZ into the assessment is “the absence of definitive information on the exact nature of development at the proposed ETZ” (p8) .

February 9th