Aberdeen City Council has accepted in principle a vision to transform Union Terrace Gardens.

The council has agreed to approve the offer of £50million from Sir Ian Wood and to send the concept of renewing the gardens to an international design competition.

Architects from across the globe will now be invited to submit proposals for a new-look city centre gardens which will be more accessible to and from the surrounding streets and other parts of the city, and with a cultural centre at its heart.

Council approval of recommendations from senior council officials to move the concept on to the next stage came after a seven-hour full council debate on the future of the gardens in the context of a more wide-ranging renewal of the city centre.

Councillors approved the planning and design principles which should be used to guide city centre improvements, including the development of Union Terrace gardens – and agreed that the final draft of the City Centre Development Framework should come back to councillors for approval before going out to public consultation.

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Competition costs will be met by up to 50% by Sir Ian up to a maximum of £400,000, with the balance borne by the private sector.

The design brief for the competition will take full account of public feedback from the consultations undertaken by Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future (ACSEF) on its concept for the gardens. It will consider the results of the engineering feasibility study of the proposed gardens area, delivery of the project for £120–140million, walk-on/walk-off access from all sides, and compliance with the city centre framework. The brief will also take account of, but not be constrained by, the existing planning permission for a contemporary arts centre in the gardens.

A report on the steps needed to progress the project will be presented to a future meeting of the full council.

The concept of covering Denburn Road and the railway line next to the two-and-a-half acre park will create a five-acre civic space. ACSEF has assured the council that the vision is to create "green oasis" gardens which take account of the topography of the area, and not a flat concrete plaza.

Aberdeen City Council will also continue to work closely with Peacock Visual Arts and its funding partners to secure a sustainable future for the organisation. Councillors have agreed that the gardens project must provide at least £15million for a new PVA cultural centre.

Aberdeen City Council Leader Councillor John Stewart said: "Most people would agree that change is needed in the gardens and across the city centre. Change has to respect the history and architecture of the city – but we have to move with the times and maintain this city as an attractive destination for visitors and new businesses, and as a pleasant place for our citizens.

"We need first-class city centre garden space which is easily accessible from our main shopping street and the other thoroughfares and which has easy and welcoming connections at lower levels to other places like The Green and the station."

(GK)