A second phase of a heat network in the community of Torry was approved today which will provide an additional almost 570 homes and a new school with lower-cost energy.
The £10million Torry Heat Network will supply heat for the three high rises at Morven Court, Brimmond Court, and Grampian Court, Deeside Family Centre, along with Provost Hogg Court and Balnagask House, Tullos Primary School, Torry social work office, and about 150 homes in Balnagask Circle, Balnagask Court, and the Farquhar Road stub blocks.
Aberdeen City Council’s City, Growth, and Resources Committee today approved a report which included the proposed scope for the next phase, phase two, of the Torry Heat Network project.
Phase two includes extending the main spine heat distribution pipe network by connecting with the heating network being delivered under phase one.
This would mean the Torry Heat Network would connect to an additional 500 homes, the new Torry Primary School and Community Hub, Grampian Housing Association’s Victoria Road School site of about 50 homes, and Ark Housing Association’s Balnagask Court premises of 17 homes.
It would include new internal installations, heat metering, and heat supply pipes to the new Torry Primary School and Community Hub and the additional 500 homes.
City Growth and Resources Convener Councillor Alex McLellan said: “It is good to hear progress on the Torry Heat Network today and that the network will be installed in even more homes in Aberdeen.
“The additional funding of £5.6million from the Scottish Government is very much welcome and will allow this next phase to move forward.
“We look forward to seeing the progress made on the existing work, as well as the next phase, in the coming months.”
The recommendations in the report to committee also included starting commercial discussions with Grampian Housing Association for the potential supply of heat to its proposed mixed-use re-development of the former Victoria Road school and with Ark Housing Association for its Balnagask Court premises. The outcomes of these discussions will be reported to a future meeting of the committee.
The heat will be supplied by the energy from waste plant which is being constructed in East Tullos industrial estate to dispose of non-recyclable waste from Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray Councils, and the work includes a heat distribution facility which will be located within the former waste transfer station building beside the EfW site.
As well as work to streets to install underground pipes, the Torry Heat Network project also includes new internal installations, heat metering, and heat supply pipes to the interior of the buildings.
The main spine heat distribution pipes from the heat distribution facility are to be routed underneath the Aberdeen to Dundee railway line to connect with the existing heating network in Torry.
It is expected the work will finish for phase one in late 2023, depending on weather and availability of materials world-wide. The phase two work would be 2025.