A prominent 19th-century office building on Aberdeen’s Queens Road, currently occupied by the Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC), has now been placed on the market.
The property is being offered for lease or sale by joint marketing agents Ryden and Savills. This follows NZTC’s recent announcement of significant job reductions, a consequence of an impending funding transition. Remaining staff are to relocate to a new commercial testing hub.
The 9,362 sq ft premises, originally a traditional two-storey townhouse, has been enhanced by a modern three-storey extension at the rear. It is described as offering “high quality office accommodation”. The property also includes 28 car parking spaces.
NZTC is set to vacate the building when its lease concludes in September, with all remaining staff relocating to a new facility at the Horizon Centre in Bridge of Don. This move is part of the organisation’s “planned transition into its next phase,” and reflects NZTC’s “strategic focus on technology testing, validation and deployment at scale,” according to a spokeswoman for NZTC.
The new location will feature a large-scale testing facility, including a multi-million-pound 32-metre drilling rig, at the former Weatherford site within Aberdeen Energy Park. Modular office buildings at the new site are expected to be operational by autumn, with the rig installation slated for September.
Established in 2017 as a cornerstone of the Aberdeen City Region Deal, NZTC was created to bolster the North Sea energy industry and accelerate the transition to net zero. The centre received £180 million in funding, equally split between the UK and Scottish governments, which is scheduled to conclude in March 2027.
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With this grant funding nearing its end, NZTC has implemented job cuts as it pivots towards a model of generating its own revenue.
Arron Finnie, a partner at Ryden, noted the current owners, based in the Far East, were informed by NZTC of their impending departure. He stated: “Ideally they are looking to lease the building, but they know it’s a sticky market. So they said it could be sold as well, depending what happens.”
Finnie also emphasised the property’s unique attributes in the West End, describing it as “in good condition”. He anticipates the building will retain its purpose, adding, “It’ll definitely stay in office use. It’s not going to be a conversion because it doesn’t lend itself towards that.”
