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Press and Journal
2 days ago
- Health
- Press and Journal
'It's so hard to watch my mum suffer': The growing anguish of families Trapped by Raac in Aberdeen
As months turn into years for families Trapped by Raac in Balngask, fears for the future only intensify. In this special report we lift the lid on the mental health toll this crisis is taking on everyday people, caught in a cycle of 'uncertainty, worry and hopelessness.' We hear of: This time last year Pam Milne was a picture of health. I know, because I met her. Twelve months on she's withdrawn, has lost interest in life, and sometimes can't bear to leave the house. 'Nothing's the same,' the 67-year-old tells me from her living room. 'I just sit here, and some days I don't even get dressed. I used to love being in my garden. Now I just worry about the house, and about money. 'I sometimes have to be talked into spending even a pound because I become so anxious that if I spend it, I could end up on the streets.' She lives in one of more than 500 homes found to contain a potentially dangerous and unstable material called Raac. Earmarked for demolition, she's so far refused to engage in Aberdeen City Council's buy-back scheme for her home, knowing friends and neighbours have been offered 'a pittance' for their properties. Part of Pam's anxiety is because when she bought her three-bed house on Balnagask Road, she shared the cost with her daughter Pauline. 'Are you worried in case Polly loses out?' I ask. Teary, she only manages to nod. I know from previous interviews they could lose tens of thousands off the value of Pam's house, if they have to sell for post-Raac prices. 'It's not fair,' Polly says. 'Trapped is a good way to describe what this is doing to my mum.' I'd be lying if I said I wasn't stunned at the difference in Pam since I last popped in. 'It's heartbreaking,' said Polly, who lives in a flat across the road from her mum. 'I don't know if she'll ever be the same after this. 'I find it so hard to watch her suffering, and worrying all the time.' We keep talking some more while photos are taken. Pam and Polly hug their little dog, and we even get a laugh when she misbehaves on camera. When I tell Pam that she's not the only one suffering in this way, she seems to perk up. 'Really? I thought it was just me.' No, sadly, she's far from the only one contending with mental health issues as a result of this crisis. Torry GP Adrian Crofton recently spoke out on the alarming rise in people needing sedatives and anti-depressants due to Raac, describing his patients as experiencing 'uncertainty, worry and hopelessness.' And in this week's council meeting where Raac was discussed, displaced council tenant Paula Fraser read out harrowing anonymous testimonies of how this protracted crisis is taking its toll on people in her former community. 'I've sat in my car by the harbour, if I just put my foot down at least the wife and kids will get insurance,' was one account she read out. Before a second poignant account from another person Trapped by Raac was read to a silent room: 'I am now on anti- antidepressants with feelings of dread, despair and self-harm and worse. I feel like a failure.' Ian Lippe, Torry Community Raac Campaign chair, confirmed the dire situation. 'Folk are broken' by the 'never-ending' situation, he says. Another of the homeowners facing financial hardship, his home has been valued at £37,000 less than it was before the Raac bombshell dropped. 'My health is fine – physically – but like everybody else my mental health is shot. 'Every council meeting… deferred. Every decision takes an age. We're just festering away here. 'We get that it isn't the fault of this current council but come on, a wee bit of understanding and compassion would go a long way. 'Their inclusion and empathy lanyards are just words on a bit of string to them.' For Saltoun Arms manager Ian, and others around him, his home – once a safe haven – is both the place he wants to be most and the place he wants to get away from. 'I take on extra shifts at work because I don't want to be in the house. But at the same time, I'm fighting this because I shouldn't be losing my home. 'You basically have to keep busy all the time.' And where he'd normally find comfort in friends and family, he now avoids those 'sad' conversations. 'Everybody you see just wants updates on the house. 'It's out of concern but the more folk are asking the worse it is. Especially if I've kept myself to myself for months.' It's a particularly pressing time for those on the frontline of the campaign for homeowner justice. 'Don't get me wrong, we want to do it, but we've all got jobs, and families and you just get pulled in every direction. 'It's not something you can train for or plan for. We were thrown into this, and it's relentless.' Ian also believes the community becoming run down isn't helping the mood of those left behind. 'It was a great place to live. Now it's a ghost town, and a run-down ghost town at that. 'It makes me wonder if the strategy is to see how long we'll last living in an abandoned estate. 'There are people — men — crumbling round about me. The last people I would have thought would go to pieces… but that's the reality of putting people in a lose-lose situation with little to no support and communication. 'I worry that Aberdeen City Council will have blood on its hands if nothing is done soon. 'Well, I guess that would be one less house to buy back, though, wouldn't it?' The prospective impact on mental health as a result of forced displacement, financial hardship and loss of community was flagged at the outset of this crisis by Balnagask residents and GPs alike. And while Raac-affected homeowners, tenants and their families were signposted to mental health services from the outset, and mental wellbeing sessions and community drop-ins were added in Summer 2024, only now has a dedicated service to help victims of the Raac crisis been established. Thanks to funding from Aberdeen City Council, Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) has practitioners, solely allotted to those needing support as a result of Raac. Lisa Feldano, SAMH Senior Service Manager, said: 'We have two dedicated wellbeing practitioners who can meet people affected for one-to one sessions. They can offer up to eight sessions of structured psychological support to help navigate the challenges of this situation impacting their mental health and wellbeing. 'We also have a link worker who can help people to prioritise the challenges impacting them the most, during this stressful time.' The Hear for You service offers in-person, video call or phone sessions to meet everyone's needs. There will also be drop-in sessions planned in community centres throughout the area, to give further opportunities for people to be supported. 'I'd encourage anyone affected by RAAC directly or indirectly in Torry to get in touch and access this support,' Lisa added. Get in touch with the Hear for You service by emailing Hearforyou@ or by calling 0344 800 0550.
Press and Journal
3 days ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
David Knight: Council bosses need to act on Raac before Balnagask becomes broken-down ghetto of rebellion overlooking cruise ship harbour
There's a lot to be said for the personal touch – it can knock down walls and win people over with one small gesture. Unless the walls are made out of Raac (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete), it would seem. Someone famous once wrote how American bank tellers were trained to make customers feel as though they were old friends. I felt something similar when I met the King in Aberdeen when he was still Prince of Wales. A brief encounter of just a few minutes left a vivid lasting impression. It's just a knack which he has perfected over the years: as though you were special and the most important person in the room at that precise moment. Let's now take a look at the Raac people at Torry in Aberdeen, for example. Specifically, owners who bought their homes from the council or other private proprietors who had previously completed similar transactions with the authority. They now face ruin due to weaknesses in Raac 'concrete' used in construction years before (more Aero-looking than concrete, it's been said). Devastated to see Aberdeen City Council offering to 'rescue' their homes at slashed knockdown prices, at up to £50,000 less than they might have otherwise received The council much prefers to describe their offers as realistic 'current market value', but don't be silly – we know which is the more accurate description. An apparent lack of personal touch from council leaders amid such a personal crisis rankles with families, who plead to be compensated fairly. Official valuers come and go, cut-price offers made and that seems to be about it. This aloofness issue surfaced again when award-winning P&J journalist Lindsay Bruce grilled co-council leader Christian Allard about all things Raac. When asked pointedly about his lack of one-to-ones with those who were suffering he didn't really have a convincing answer. Actually he appeared to squirm like a seal out of water. Many a leader has come unstuck by not being around in person when disaster strikes a community. Now owners are digging in for a long battle. The authority cannot brick this up behind a fireplace and hope people abandon the fight or die off. A few days ago, community campaigners backed by the P&J met the council to offer compromises in search of a solution to cover their serious losses – incurred through no fault of their own. A difficult challenge as the council has appeared unwilling to budge so far. The event resonated with echoes of an infamous episode when Aberdeen bus-gate protesters took their own sensible compromises to the council in an attempt to protect city businesses from ruin – and had the door slammed in their faces, so to speak. Raac owners vow to stay-put in condemned houses until they get what they're owed as their once-vibrant community sadly goes to ruin around them. Do council bosses really want to see a broken-down ghetto of rebellion overlooking their shiny new cruise-ship harbour, with waves of affluent tourists passing by? Resembling surviving structures in a bombed-out wartime street; a monument to past follies? Call me simplistic or plain old-fashioned, but surely the buck goes back to the council in some form or other? After all, the properties carried serious hidden structural defects at the time they were offloaded to the public – irrespective of what was known then or now about Raac. It's now become depressingly normal for institutions to recompense victims today for yesterday's mistakes by past colleagues. And especially as warning bells were sounded by another Scottish council which condemned Raac houses nearly a quarter of a century ago. Is it fair to assume Aberdeen officials were aware of this and had assessed its impact on local owners? One Torry family member struck a chord with a particularly memorable quote. 'When they really want to do something they'll always find the money,' he said. Meaning governments and councils will always find the cash for any number of ideological projects to which suit their agenda. Or unless they happen to be a doctor, nurse, bin worker or train driver who wield enormous disproportionate power to win generous pay rises backed by dire threats to public health and safety. But not necessarily for the likes of Raac victims in Torry. If you're scraping a living in Torry you pose no threat and can be pushed around – no matter how unjust it is. Just like pensioners who discovered they were dispensable when Starmer and Reeves stole winter fuel payments from their back pockets. Do we now look to Swinney to unlock the door to housing cash or can Aberdeen Council be creative within its own housing budget? A roof is only a roof, but we feel the strain – and therefore the pain – of living beneath it when the world is about to cave in. David Knight is the long-serving former deputy editor of The Press and Journal To read more about the Raac crisis and our campaign click here. Trapped by Raac: 5000 reasons to keep fighting for Aberdeen homeowners impacted by concrete crisis
Press and Journal
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Press and Journal
Analysis: How much cash is the Aberdeen LEZ generating, one year on?
It's hard to believe that Aberdeen's LEZ has been enforced for a whole year now. The Scottish Government rolled out low emission zones across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen to tackle air pollution. And on June 1, 2024, the automatic number plate recognition cameras monitoring the boundary in Aberdeen were turned on. Since then, anyone caught entering the zone in a vehicle that does not meet the strict requirements has been snapped by those cameras and slapped with a fine. In the weeks following the cameras going live, residents and visitors slammed the scheme, with many suggesting it would 'drive people away' from the city centre. However, the council argued that only 14% of vehicles would be impacted by the new road rules. And officers also thought that fines would start to decrease once drivers and visitors got used to the new signage. But even recently, I've had friends and family visiting Aberdeen ask me how they can avoid the LEZ (as well as the bus gates) and where's safe to park their car. And I know plenty of people still claim they'd rather drive out to Aberdeenshire for their shopping instead of chancing the city centre. So, we wanted to find out how many fines have actually been sent out in the first year of the low emission zone, and how much money the cameras are generating for the council. According to Aberdeen City Council's data, a massive fines have been sent out to drivers between June 2024 and April 2025. Not all the cameras were turned on from the get-go, meaning there could have been even more fines sent out in the first month. And, the council website states fines can take 'several weeks' before the penalty charge notice (PCN) is issued. Interestingly, there were more than sent each month since the low emission zone was launched until October, when it dropped to. The lowest number of fines sent out was in January at – meaning that even at its lowest month, almost motorists were potentially stung. But, we do see the number of fines increase again, with more than being dished out in both months of March and April. Which could indicate more people are trying to access the city centre and getting caught out. This is where things start to get a bit confusing. The initial penalty charge notice (PCN 1) for all non-compliant vehicles is , reduced to if paid within 14 days. The penalty amount doubles with each subsequent breach of the rules detected in the same LEZ. The penalty charges (PCN 5) are capped at for cars and light goods vehicles and for minibuses, coaches and HGVs. If there's not another breach of the rules detected within 90 days following a previous violation, the rate will reset to the initial penalty charge. But, the council confirmed that a 50% discount applies to all PCN charge bands for the first 14 days. Meaning, if someone receives a PCN 2, which is , they could only have to pay if they do so quickly enough. See what I meant by things getting a bit confusing? Considering the above, it's a little bit tricky to really pin a number on it. The council would not provide us with the total amount generated for the fines either. So I've done my best to work it out, but I will caveat this by saying they don't make it easy. From June 2024 until April 2025, a were dished out to drivers caught out for the first time (or at least, within a 90-day period). This equates to in fines. But as I mentioned, if everyone paid their fine straight away, therefore, slashing it down to , that is still added to the council coffers. During that same time, have been caught breaking the road rules. And, what's even more surprising is were sent out. This is the highest charge, and is capped at between and depending on the vehicle type. It also means the non-compliant vehicle was snapped entering the LEZ at least five times. In context, that means just shy of 7% of the fines were of the highest possible charge. Taking all this into account, it means at least worth of low emission zone fines have been sent out in 11(ish) months. Transport Scotland paid for the implementation for the clean air zone in Aberdeen. Because of the tight legislation around the LEZ, money generated through fines must be used to cover the ongoing and operational costs of the scheme. To put it simply, the money gained from fines will be ringfenced for camera maintenance, staffing, replacements, and repairs. However, Aberdeen City Council previously confirmed that once the running costs are covered, any remaining money will be used on more projects aimed at improving air quality. I asked the local authority if any money had been spent so far (and if possible, how much), but a spokeswoman was unable to tell us. In February, we reported were made between June 1, 2024 and January 15, 2025. At that point, it meant almost 10% of people snapped by the LEZ cameras tried to appeal their fine. Of those appeals, at the time of reporting, and a further 449 had not been decided by then. It would be safe to assume that this number has probably increased, however, the local authority was unable to tell us when asked. A spokeswoman previously said most of the successful appeals were due to drivers or their passengers having a blue badge at the time. She went on to explain that the second most common reason was that compliant vehicles were being picked up because of their private number plates. Additionally, some unmarked police cars or emergency vehicles were being snapped by the cameras. But they are exempt and any charges were dropped once evidence was provided. Last year, we also reported that although motorbikes and mopeds were exempt from the road rules, bikers were wrongly charged for entering the LEZ. However, the council could not say how many fines were sent out in error at the time. The spokeswoman stressed that only 4% of all PCNs issued were successfully appealed. Taxi drivers were given a year's grace period to ensure their vehicles met the strict requirements. In September 2023, a report highlighted that 32% of taxis (189 vehicles at the time) and 8% of hire cars (19 at the time) did not meet the requirements. But, taxi drivers in the city will now need to be compliant with the road rules by June 1, 2025, if they want to accept any fares. As I previously mentioned, Aberdeen City Council originally estimated 14% if cars in the city would not meet the strict requirements. Not long after the clean air zone was introduced I surveyed the LEZ boundary between the Denburn and Woolmanhill Roundabout during rush hour. Our findings from that morning undercut the initial prediction. After manually imputing every registration plate of 873 vehicles into the official checker, we found only 23 were non-compliant, which equates to 2.6%. During a committee meeting, planning chief David Dunne used our report to vindicate the LEZ, and argue that it is not a 'cash cow'. He also stressed that the number of non-compliant cars in the city will get 'smaller and smaller, year on year'. At the time, Mr Dunne suggested there was evidence to show the numbers of non-compliant cars were not as high as expected. And he pointed out that 10 of the 14 car parks are outwith the clean air boundary, arguing the city centre has not been closed off to some drivers. However, we later reported that Aberdeen's LEZ generated more fines than Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow in the first month of operation. Aberdeen's LEZ is also quite a small area, covering less than half the ground of Glasgows low emission zone. And from looking at the latest figures, they are arguably still quite high, with online data showing fines increasing in March and April above 2,000 once more. We approached the council for a comment. The low emission zones were introduced across Scotland with the intention of improving air quality in the four city centres. But one year on, have the zones actually improved the air that we breathe? Why have majority of LEZ fines been clocked on these 3 Aberdeen roads? We find out We count how many drivers get caught out on Denburn during rush hour
Press and Journal
7 days ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Debate: Torry Raac crisis — who should foot the bill to save Aberdeen homes?
Torry homeowners Trapped by Raac have pressed Aberdeen City Council to consider other options to avoid the demolition of their houses. Of more than 500 Balnagask homes set to be razed to the ground due to unstable 'bubbly' concrete in their roofs, 138 are privately owned. And until this week ACC's only solution to the crisis was to buy-back properties from owner occupiers on a voluntary basis, so the site can be cleared and redeveloped. However, low valuations on their homes – on average £50,000 less than their pre-Raac values – means the local authority has only managed to acquire four of nearly 140 private homes. This week, the Torry Community Raac Campaign and The P&J encouraged councillors to consider other creative solutions. Following intense workshop sessions with council officers, homeowners asked again for fair offers, reflecting pre-Raac crisis prices for their houses. A 'home for a home' scheme where private homeowners can swap their current home for one of ACC's council stock, at a similar value, was also considered. A third option is for those who don't want to leave Balnagask. In this scenario, a cluster of homes could be identified and the roofs could be replaced. However, who will pay for this is where Aberdeen City Council and Torry families differ. ACC wants homeowners to take out low-cost loans to pay for their roof replacements. But owners say they're in this situation through no fault of their own, and that the council built and then sold the houses, so they should pay. As feelings run high and with the mental health toll on families only worsening, we're asking the Aberdeen public what should happen? Who should pay and what can be done to bring about justice for homeowners about to lose everything they've worked for? Keep an eye out for our debates published each week. Our journalist will be in the comments from 10-11am each Thursday, responding to your opinions.
Press and Journal
26-05-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
Developers reveal timeline of St Fittick's Park and Doonies Farm takeover as ETZ plans ramp up
Developers have plotted out exactly how they will transform Torry's St Fittick's Park and the former Doonie's Farm into a bustling industrial renewables hub. Work will take place to transform the Aberdeen park into an Energy Transition Zone (ETZ), much to the dismay of campaigners who recently lost a last-ditch legal challenge to protect the space. Just last week, activists failed to convince the Court of Session to overturn the council's ruling approving the development in principle. And the team behind the ETZ have now lodged further plans with the council to spell out the stages of the planned transformation. The work includes realigning the East Tullos Burn, landscaping projects and gradually paving over Doonies. Ultimately, the ETZ is hoped to transform the region's fortunes – securing a boom in employment by attracting major renewable energy firms to the north-east. But before all that, consent is needed for the sites. And we can now reveal how the mammoth project is poised to take shape. The first phase of the project focuses on realigning the East Tullos Burn. This will go hand in hand with landscaping works within and around the burn's corridor, if approved by Aberdeen City Council. Vegetation of the surrounding area will also be worked on in the hopes of improving the habitat and wetland species will be planted. There will also be measures taken to enhance water quality in the area. A new sports pitch will also replace the existing one at East Tullos playing fields. Following on, there will be more work to improve the surrounding area. Trees and further grassland will be planted on and off-site at Tullos Woods, while new play equipment will be created at the park. Footpaths within St Fittick's Park will be improved, making it easier for people to reach the ETZ site. Small 'parklets' will be formed in the surrounding neighbourhood too. And the Coast Road will also be realigned to give access to new development plots, in a major scheme. The construction of industrial buildings for the ETZ Zone will then begin. Two buildings will be built on the outskirts of the wooded area of the park, as will supporting car parks and refuse storage. The existing Nigg sewage plant will be retained with the ETZ buildings in place around the area. New greenery will then be planted in the surrounding areas of the building's grounds. As part of the works, bosses have pledged to help with repairs to historic St Fittick's Church. The Doonies Farm site will be transformed into a hydrogen campus with testing and demonstration facilities, years after the animals there were relocated. A new Links Road is to be built to connect the Coast Road to Peterseat Drive to allow access to the sites. Once these steps have been taken, the construction of the buildings required for the site will begin. Further greenery measures will also be introduced following the erection of the buildings. These could include green roofs, native species of trees, and hedgerows. But now developers will need their detailed vision for the ETZ to be approved by the local authority before any work can launch. You can see the St Fittick's Park and ETZ plans for yourself on the council's website. Exclusive: The 7 old Altens oil industry buildings being brought back to life in multi-million-pound ETZ spending spree New £9m ETZ building to generate dozens of Aberdeen jobs Aberdeen safety firm moves to new ETZ headquarters after seven-figure investment
