Following publication of the findings from the public consultation into the City Square project, ACSEF believes there is support for major transformation in Aberdeen city centre – making it safer and greener, with a contemporary arts or cultural hub at its heart.

The public private sector partnership is now urging Aberdeen City Council to take leadership of the project, providing the necessary support and commitment to take it to an international design competition.

ACSEF Chairman, Tom Smith, said: "The public have said they want change. They believe the gardens are under-used and inaccessible. Significant new green space and a cultural centre must be part of this change that would give us a more attractive and safer city centre and kick-start the wider regeneration of the city centre.

"The findings reveal that opinion is divided over the City Square project, ACSEF is very aware of and respects the concerns and issues raised by the public.

"Given these issues and the fact this is not a commercial development, but a civic project on land owned by the council, ACSEF is now seeking leadership and support from Aberdeen City Council to progress the project to the next stage."

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ACSEF said that if the project proceeds, the design brief for an international design competition would take on board the public’s responses to the public consultation.

"The public have given us a guide by highlighting what they do and do not wish to see in their city centre," said Mr Smith. "The qualitative findings and the opinion poll, which is a statistically representative sample of the community, along with the reasons why people voted no, give us confidence that there is sufficient support for a transformational project. But only if people's concerns are fully addressed and we believe they can be."

ACSEF is however very concerned that, without the full support of the council, Sir Ian Wood may withdraw his funding and the project could be mothballed.

"It is highly unlikely that we will ever again be in a position to secure £70 million of private sector investment for a civic project," said Mr Smith. "This money is not available for other projects or piece-meal developments. Sir Ian’s donation will attract a further £20 million of private sector investment which in turn gives us a very real possibility of securing a further £70 million of public sector funding.

"ACSEF has a clear mandate from its board and the business community to seek to deliver a radical transformation of the city centre that will deliver more jobs, more business and more tourists.

"The £140 million can be secured and ACSEF believes the City Square is a pivotal project for the long-term economic development of the region."

Mr Smith fears rejection of this £140 million investment will damage Aberdeen City’s reputation.

"We will be known as the city which turned down a £50 million private sector donation towards an ambitious and much-needed public infrastructure development at a time when other cities throughout the UK would have grasped it with open arms," he said.

ACSEF stated that this opportunity to significantly improve the city centre is a fundamental plank of what needs to be delivered to transform the economy over the next five to ten years.

The public private partnership also worries that companies serving UK and international markets, who will soon be making decisions about the best place to be located, could overlook the north-east if investment in the region does not gather pace.

(GK/BMcC)