Aberdeen City Council has approved plans to create a dedicated pedestrian spine along Beach Boulevard, linking the city centre to the beachfront's new £50 million facilities.

The new spine, which will run from Links Road to the Esplanade, was approved by the Council's Finance and Resources Committee on Wednesday (6 August 2025) and will form the final phase of the current wave of works upgrading the beach area as part of the wider City Centre and Beach Masterplan.

The major redevelopment of the beachfront includes five new buildings and shelters for play and events areas, a skate landscape, and a flagship play structure known as the Rope Factory – foundations for which are already in place. The structure is expected to become a landmark feature of the new beachfront.

Committee convener Councillor Alex McLellan said: "The pedestrian spine will be the gateway from the city centre for people going to all the new attractions in the beach area.

"Having better connectivity between both areas will mean businesses at each end will benefit by bringing a greater footfall which helps to the overall aim of making the city an attractive place to live, work, and visit.

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"Importantly, during the work, vehicles will still be able to have full access to all areas as they always have. We worked closely and listened to community and business needs as well as statutory consultees on the reverting of the promenade back to two-way traffic. So traffic will be as previously apart from the short area on the spine."

The plans confirm there will be no car parking charges at the beachfront or in the surrounding area. Provision for buses will remain, with dedicated bus space near the Castlegate end of the Boulevard. An additional eight Blue Badge spaces will also be introduced to improve accessibility to the new facilities.

The new pedestrian spine will feature:

• Designated pedestrian routes with connections to the Beach Park and Events Field

• A segregated cycle path finished in red granite chip asphalt

• Soft landscaping to blend with nearby park areas

• Strategically placed seating and bicycle parking along the route

• A controlled access gate for emergency and service vehicles at the Esplanade

• Enhanced accessibility and safety features throughout the spine

At the heart of the beach development is a major new play area with four themed zones – sport, adventure, woodland and coastal – all offering free public activities. A 2.5-hectare events field, featuring an amphitheatre, is also being developed to host concerts, festivals, and large-scale gatherings. Both are due to open in Autumn 2026.

The first completed project under the £50 million Phase One beach development was the refurbishment of Broad Hill, which reopened last month (July 2025). The upgraded hill now features new steps, pathways, scenic viewpoints, seating, and landscaping, and served as a popular vantage point for visitors during the Tall Ships Races.

The beach transformation is part of a wider £150 million investment by Aberdeen City Council in the City Centre and Beach Masterplan. Alongside the beachfront works, progress continues on Union Street Central’s streetscape improvements and construction of the new market building. Further improvements are also planned for the historic Castlegate area.