Plans to procure a masterplan and delivery programme for Aberdeen City Centre have been approved by Councillors.

Last week, the local authority agreed to underwrite the cost of the ambitious City Centre Masterplan and Delivery Programme – for which external funding, including from the private sector, will be sought - up to the value of £750,000.

A procurement brief, which has outlined a vision, strategy and action programme for the city centre, addresses issues raised in the Robert Gordon University paper Regenerating Aberdeen: A Vision for a Thriving and Vibrant City Centre.

The programme will help shape future development and investment, and will take existing projects, including Marischal Square, the Art Gallery extension and a number of other committed projects, into account and seek to integrate them into a high-quality urban environment.

-- Advertisement --

It will also try to identify what is missing from a successful city centre.

A multi-disciplinary team will also be appointed and work with the council and its partners to produce the masterplan and a robust, co-ordinated delivery programme for the city centre.

It is expected that the masterplan and delivery programme will take a minimum of nine months to prepare. Bidders will be asked to submit proposals for completing the masterplan and delivery programme in six, nine or 12 months.

Deputy Council Leader and City Centre Regeneration Board Chair, Marie Boulton, said: "I am delighted that the committee unanimously agreed to get this essential process underway as quickly as possible.

"The procurement of a masterplan and delivery programme for the city centre, which will clearly identify what the city centre needs and how we can achieve it, is an absolutely crucial piece of work for the regeneration of the city centre.

"By gaining approval at the Urgent Business Committee, we have saved three weeks of delay in getting this work underway."

(JP/IT)