Members of Aberdeen City Council’s planning committee were given a frosty reception when they carried out a site visit of Victoria Road Primary School yesterday.
As they climbed off the bus to inspect the school, they were met by dozens of protesters, who voiced strong objections to the plans to demolish the iconic building.
Placards were held up, reminding councillors of the local authority’s policy of encouraging the retention of granite buildings.
And members of the committee were subsequently followed around the site as they were given information about the proposal, which would involve the building being demolished and replaced by 62 flats.
One of the main objectors, Simon Mclean – a member of Torry Community Council – said the building was a “perfectly good school.”
He added: “This plan could cost us an unnecessary £10million.
“Bureaucrats are advising the city council to spend £19million elsewhere when we have got a perfectly good school here already.”
Wendy Milne-Emslie joined the protest and expressed concern for youngsters in the area.
She said: “My nephew lives in Torry and can’t get a place in a school here. If they’re going to have all these flats, then at least half [of the residents] will have children and where are they going to go to school?
“You can see a wooden air raid shelter from the Second World War, there’s so much history and it would be such a shame to see it go.”
Another objector was Paul McDonnell, who stated: “They’re talking about building luxury homes, but there’s no market for this in Torry.”
Pamela Swanson followed that up by declaring that those in charge of the Granite City should be committed to preserving, not demolishing, granite buildings.
She said: “I’m very passionate about Aberdeen history and about Torry.
“My family grew up here and I lived here.
“Aberdeen is called the Granite City, but if we keep knocking down granite buildings, how long will it stay that way?”
The plans have received 266 objections, more than any proposal lodged with Aberdeen City Council in the last five years.