The energy for the heat network would be generated by the Energy from Waste (EfW) plant which was given planning permission last year.

In a report to the council’s communities, housing and infrastructure committee yesterday, members heard Torry is a community of 10,000 people with a high density of council-owned houses and where high levels of fuel poverty are evident, so it would match having a modern waste solution providing low carbon, affordable and energy efficient heat.

To facilitate this, the report said, the heat network infrastructure for Phase 1 should be delivered before the completion of the Energy from Waste facility at East Tullos, which means that it has to be designed, built and delivered before the EfW plant is in full operation in 2020/21.

By delivering Phase 1 of the district heating network, the report said, this initial project will pave the way for an expansion of the heat network to the wider Torry area and beyond.

An initial feasibility study carried out by the council’s consultants Ramboll identified the estimated cost of the proposed design, build and delivery of Phase 1 of the Heat Network to be £9.5 million.

At its meeting of 24 October 2016, the council agreed to commit funding from the Energy from Waste (EfW) construction budget included in the Non-Housing Capital programme to Phase 1 of the Torry heat network, and also match fund the Interreg North West Europe HEATNET project. The HEATNET project includes contribution towards the installation of heating pipes for Phase 1.