Aberdeen City Council has approved a new City Centre and Beach Masterplan, which will see a green corridor preserving the heritage of Footdee and natural habitat and open space stretching from the River Dee to the River Don.

The move was agreed by councillors at a meeting when several recommendations for moving the projects forwards were agreed along with updates for what stages they are at.

The Full Council also agreed to explore opportunities as part of a phase two of the Beach masterplan work to improve active travel and public transport connectivity between Footdee and other parts of Aberdeen, and to consult on this at a later date.

It was further agreed the council has no intention of purchasing the Trinity Shopping Centre at this time.

Updates were provided on Union Street buildings condition, streetscape at Union Street West, the West End (creating welcoming and comfortable spaces in Rose Street, Thistle Street and Chapel Street), Union Street Central, the new market building, public realm in the Green and the Merchant Quarter (around the new Aberdeen market building), the Belmont Street Quarter, Schoolhill and Upperkirkgate, Queen Street, Union Street East Streetscape (Union Street from Market Street to where it joins the Castlegate), the Castlegate, George Street, the Beach Boulevard, and other beach projects including the events space, public realm works, and new playpark. The updates are:

Union Street buildings condition – currently engaged in dialogue with key project stakeholders and first phase interventions expected to commence early 2023;

Streetscape at Union Street West - Full Business Cases currently being prepared to be reported to Full Council in December 2022;

The West End - Full Business Cases currently being prepared to be reported to Full Council in December 2022

Union Street Central - Full Business Cases currently being prepared to be reported to Full Council in December 2022;

New market building - Planning permission approved in May 2022 and currently in RIBA Stage 4 Technical Design;

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The Belmont Street Quarter - detailed design and delivery ongoing in conjunction with local stakeholders;

The public realm area in the Green and the Merchant Quarter - detailed design being developed in consultation with key stakeholders;

Schoolhill and Upperkirkgate - a Full Business Case is currently being prepared to be reported to Full Council in December 2022;

Queen Street – an Options Appraisal is currently being progressed to inform a Strategic Business Case to be completed by December 2022;

Union Street East Streetscape – Full Business Cases currently being prepared to be reported to Full Council in December 2022;

The Castlegate – Full Business Cases currently being prepared to be reported to Full Council in December 2022;

George Street - Draft George Street Mini Masterplan is currently being prepared and will be reported to Full Council in December 2022;

Beach Boulevard – Outline Business Case to be presented to Full Council in Q1 2023;

Other beach projects - Consultation on the Draft Beachfront Development Plan will take place in Autumn 2022, with a revised draft reported in December 2022.

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Alex Nicoll said: “It is to be welcomed that a green corridor stretching from the Dee to the Don and protecting the heritage of Footdee was agreed today at Full Council. The beachfront plans would help to create more facilities for both residents and visitors alike as well as making the area more accessible.”

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “We welcome the progress on the plans for the City Centre and Beach Masterplan which are designed to create an open and more accessible beach area. We look forward to more updates in the coming months.”

The report to committee contained an analysis of the city’s socio-economic landscape, alongside a focus on both environmental and economic sustainability in the current climate emergency. Current city trends have also been reviewed to ensure that the future vision for Aberdeen aligns with the current and future market demands of this evolving context.

The report explained council resources and attention on several intervention areas that the council itself could progress, rather than buildings or areas owned privately, as priorities to help the city’s wider socio-economic post-pandemic recovery.

It is intended that the City Centre and Beach Masterplan will be an investment tool which showcases the city, a live programme that can be flexible in responding to current and future trends/needs, a communications tool to enable understanding, and a reference document to identify priorities, next steps, and monitor progress.

The report added City Centre and Beach Masterplan has been informed by the Scottish Government’s City Centre Recovery Task Force Report from March 2022 which sets out the impact of the Covid-19 public health emergency on city centres.

For Aberdeen, this means working to maximise the economic, social, and environmental wellbeing of the city centre and its residents and visitors and supporting the creation of new employment opportunities. A key part of this is supporting connections through clean and efficient active travel and transport routes connecting people and place.

The report said there is an indicative delivery programme which is subject to review and will evolve as project detail progresses, likely resulting in projects being delivered in sequence rather than in simultaneously as impacts on city centre operations are mitigated.

A total of £150million from the General Fund Capital Programme over financial years 2021/22 to 2025/26 has been committed for the city and beach masterplan to ensure the council transforms the areas. This £150m funding commitment was used as match funding for the first £20m bid to the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund in 2021, and a second £20m bid submitted in 2022.