Community groups in Aberdeen have vowed to fight a decision to demolish a historic city school.
Aberdeen City councillors voted 19 to 14 to reduce the 136-year-old Victoria Road Primary School in Torry to rubble and sell the land at the full council meeting on Wednesday.
The decision was made despite an online petition to save the building, which attracted hundreds of signatures.
Torry Community Council had hoped to regenerate the landmark with £3.4million of private investment and a partnership with the council, the newly established Torry Development Trust and a preferred developer.
David Fryer, community council secretary, yesterday said: “I am bitterly disappointed and very saddened that they reached a decision purely, it seems, on monetary terms. We had a good case.
“There’s a mood that we can’t just reel over and say that’s it. Folk are very upset about this, but we have to focus our feelings and hope to make the most effect protest we can.”
He added the council was “taking from one of the poorest areas of the north east and spending the money elsewhere”.
Torry and Ferryhill councillor, Alan Donnelly, was among those who voted to raze the building on Wednesday, while Labour councillor Yvonne Allan did not vote.
SNP councilors Graham Dickson and James Kiddie both voted to preserve the building.
Bob Gibb, of the Torry Heritage Group, has vowed to protest the decision made by the council.
He said: “I’m angry, very, very angry, and I can’t understand why an elected Torry councillor voted against Torry. We are now going to raise a big protest, we are going to mobilise Torry.”
The community council will hold an open meeting next Thursday at 7.15pm at the Old Torry Community Centre, and are inviting local councillors to attend and discuss the decision.