Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Exclusive: Plans for huge EV charging site with TWO drive-thru diners at old Stoneywood oil HQ

The north-east's - and maybe Scotland's - largest EV charging station could be built on the site of a disused oil HQ in Stoneywood. But there will be snarl ups on the road ahead - can it be built under the new planning rules in place?

Plans for EV charging and drive-thru restaurants at Stoneywood Gate by been lodged with Aberdeen City Council. Image: CoCity/Tinto Architecture
Plans for EV charging and drive-thru restaurants at Stoneywood Gate by been lodged with Aberdeen City Council. Image: CoCity/Tinto Architecture

A former Aberdeen oil HQ could be bulldozed to make way for what might be Scotland’s largest electric vehicle charging station.

Housing plans for the long-mothballed Alba Gate building were approved in late 2020.

Now owner CoCity claims residential development is unviable due to soaring construction costs.

Instead, they want to raze the “big ugly greenhouse” across the road from BP’s North Sea HQ and build a hub of 26 fast DC chargers in its place at the Stoneywood Gate site.

The plans, exclusively revealed by The P&J today, also include slower AC chargers, light industrial units and two restaurants.

<yoastmark class=

CoCity claims there is already interest in the commercial premises, promising a jobs boost for Stoneywood.

But what would be the north-east’s largest fast charging station might be felled by similarly fast food.

Whether those two diners are drive-thru or drive-to makes the road ahead “ambiguous” for the key transport infrastructure project…

Drive-thru or drive-to: What’s the difference?

Scottish ministers brought in new planning rules earlier this year.

The new framework, known as NPF4, puts “almost a hard stop” on drive-thru restaurants, CoCity’s Pete Craig claims.

A fuller picture of what CoCity has planned for an EV charging station at the Stoneywood Gate site. Image: CoCity/Tinto Architecture
A fuller picture of what CoCity has planned for an EV charging station at the Stoneywood Gate site. Image: CoCity/Tinto Architecture

From now on, drive-thru plans should only be approved for certain preordained sites.

The trouble, Pete and his north-east architecture consultant Rich Tinto add, is that there are none of those in Aberdeen’s refreshed guidelines approved in June.

And that could be a dealbreaker for the major EV charging firm that has already agreed heads of terms with CoCity to provide the region’s largest collection of fast chargers on the disused site.

Only this week, Aberdeenshire Council approved plans for a drive-thru coffee shop along with roadside EV charging outside Stonehaven on the A90 Aberdeen bypass.

And plans for drive-thru Starbucks and McDonald’s restaurants, again with EV charging, are expected to be given the nod at Huntly, off the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road.

Stoneywood Gate dealbreaker: Charging tsars demand facilities

Pete tells us: “Typically you see larger charging areas where there are roadside services.

“That’s because people can go and have a coffee, do some work, while their car charges.

“A drive-thru is kind of a prerequisite for charger companies as they need places for people to stop over.”

Battered: Vandals have targeted the Alba Gate building at Stoneywood Gate since it has been empty. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson
Battered: Vandals have targeted the Alba Gate building at Stoneywood Gate since it has been empty. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Even with the fast chargers proposed for the site, most recently the base for Helix Offshore, motorists will still be spending 30 minutes as a minimum as their cars juice up.

The site could be “strategically important” in the shift to having more electric vehicles on the roads, providing zip for commuters traveling into Aberdeen from the north.

How ‘brave’ will Aberdeen City Council be?

Tinto Architecture director Rich adds: “The charging infrastructure providers have a real requirement for people to stop and use facilities.

“There is a gap between NPF4 and the Aberdeen local development plan which could jeopardise the provision of Scotland’s largest EV charging station.

“In order to bring this to Aberdeen, the companies investing in infrastructure need drive-to or drive-thru places to allow those stopping to charge their cars to refuel themselves too.

“The question is… how brave are the city council going to be with regards to understanding that requirement and acknowledging the gap in their own LDP?”

Stoneywood Gate site no stranger to controversy

Alba Gate, and the existing housing plans, already caused controversy.

CoCity had to take their fight to the Scottish Government to win the right to be able to sell the flats they planned to build.

Previous plans for flats would have reused the Alba Gate building at Stoneywood Gate, which could now be demolished. Image: Aberdeen City Council
Previous plans for flats would have reused the Alba Gate building at Stoneywood Gate, which could now be demolished. Image: Aberdeen City Council

Aberdeen City Council had initially imposed a build-to-rent restriction on the development. The Scottish Government overruled the local authority.

When residential use became unworkable, CoCity also looked at bringing the offices back into use.

But their property agents FG Burnett and Shepherd steered them away from that, citing an overprovision of office space already in Aberdeen.

While they’ve weighed up the options, vandals have being drawn to the shimmering glass beacon.

Not content with smashing its many windows, there have been attempts to start fires inside too.

“It’s getting more and more dilapidated,” Pete says.

“Local youths have basically demolished the inside of the building. It’s becoming an eyesore.”

Could demolished Stoneywood Gate office be answer to city’s EV charging prayers?

The plans could play into Aberdeen City Council’s pledge to lead the way in bringing EV charging infrastructure.

The Alba Gate building could be demolished if plans for an EV charging station and drive-thru restaurants are approved. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson
The Alba Gate building could be demolished if plans for an EV charging station and drive-thru restaurants are approved. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Having a private investor willing to pay for it could reduce the burden on the cash-strapped local authority too.

In 2020, there were 13 fast chargers in Aberdeen. By 2025, city chiefs want at least 25.

‘We fully expect to have to convince councillors that the positives outweigh the negatives’

But the “ambiguity” between national and local planning rules could threaten that prospect, CoCity claims.

Richard Tinto has challenged Aberdeen City Council to be "brave" and approve the EV charging plans for Stoneywood Gate. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson
Richard Tinto has challenged Aberdeen City Council to be “brave” and approve the EV charging plans for Stoneywood Gate. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

Rich tells us: “Planners are almost hamstrung to a point of refusal because their own local development plans and policies are not aligned with NPF4.

“And that gives companies like CoCity a real headache when they’re trying to bring these things forward.

“This is going to be contentious and a bit of a test case.

“We fully expect to get a recommendation for refusal on these plans, to go before the planning committee, and to have stand up and convince councillors that the positives far outweigh the negatives.

“NPF4 is probably the biggest change to planning guidance in a generation and its drive for sustainability are welcome, merited and absolutely what we should be doing.

“But the question is, can Aberdeen lead the way with helping to facilitate this type of thing.

“Is the council cognisant of planning frustrations and are they brave enough to say the greater good is more important?”

Conversation