Deadline set for submitting bids to develop former Aberdeen school site

The deadline for submitting bids to develop a former Aberdeen school site has been set for August.

Councillors voted in March to put the former Victoria Road School in Torry on the market.

Aberdeen City Council has announced the deadline for interested parties to submit their proposals for the property has been set for Tuesday August 14.

Torry Development Trust has been working on plans to see the historic school building – which dates back to 1878 – turned into affordable housing.

The group – who plan to retain the granite buildings – also has aspirations for a community space on the site such as a nursery, cafe and a heritage museum.

They have been discussing their plans at a series of public events over the last couple of weeks, including a stall outside Marks and Spencer in the city centre.

Member of the Trust, David Fryer said: “Everybody we speak to is positive and they feel an abhorrence that fine granite buildings would be demolished.

“Everybody knows there is a need for affordable housing and that’s exactly why we have said this will be a major part of the proposals the Trust wants to develop in line with a local housing provider.”

Mr Fryer added that the Trust will have its proposals prepared in time for a meeting they are holding with the council’s chief executive, Angela Scott, on June 20.

He added: “We’re exploring all the funding avenues that are there at a local and national level.”

In December, councillors had been urged to approve proposals to see the buildings flattened.

But this was put on hold after an outcry by campaigners who wanted six months to develop their case to see the buildings retained before being put on the market.

The local community launched a campaign in 2016 to save the school after proposals were lodged by housebuilder Barratt North Scotland to develop the site.

The firm’s plans would have seen the granite facade lost to make way for flats, but these were rejected by councillors.