Aberdeen finance boss lifts lid on beach and market progress – but reveals fresh fears over Union Street ‘challenges’
Aberdeen finance boss lifts lid on beach and market progress – but reveals fresh fears over Union Street ‘challenges’.
A glass frontage may soon be erected at the new market, and towering play equipment will arrive at the beach – but there are concerns that underground “challenges” may continue to impede Union Street growth.
Aberdeen’s finance chief says citizens will soon see the actual scope of massive beachfront renovations and the Flint market project, which is currently under development.
Alex McLellan, on the other hand, is more concerned about the Union Street construction delays.
In an exclusive interview with The Press and Journal, the councillor provided an update on significant project developments, explains why some have taken longer than intended, and outlines upcoming revisions.
How are works to overhaul beach getting on?
The council is spending £57 million on a massive coastal renovation, which includes a futuristic beach park, improvements to Broadhill, and the construction of an amphitheatre near the sea.
Since 2024, the area has been a hive of activity, and Mr McLellan reports that everything is “progressing well,” with a “number of bits and pieces” already completed.
The spectacular “sky tower,” an eight-story tall lighthouse with views across the city and out over the North Sea, will be the next item on the agenda.
Mr McLellan claims that the structure will “just pop-up one day or so” because it is being built off-site.
He thinks the sight would arouse some interest as the clock counts down to the completion deadline.”Once that historic piece is in place, folks will get a true sense of the scale,” he continues, “and perhaps a sense of exhilaration as well.
“I think it’s going to bring people from across the city, across Aberdeenshire and potentially across Scotland — because it’s going to be the largest park of it’s kind.”
Despite the current bout of inclement weather, he tells us that everything is on track and will be completed later this year.
Are there any talks about what will happen with leisure centre or ballroom?
The financial director stated that the demolition of the beach leisure complex is nearly complete, and the site should be cleaned by the end of next month.
Will this spark any conversations on what to do with the empty space?
He believes that any choices about the property or future development will have to be made after their budget is finalised in March.Mr. McLellan emphasises the council’s current workload and budget constraints.
They don’t want to leave the spot unfilled, either. At the very least, they may consider grassing it rather than leaving it an eyesore.
And how’s the new Aberdeen market coming along?
Mr McLellan, sitting in his office in the Town House, says people are becoming more excited about the market as they see it come together.
Since work began in February 2024, the primary steel framework has been completed, and the roof panels are beginning to be fitted.
If you saw a massive crane looming over the Granite City skyline recently, here is why.
Like the beach, the finance head believes people can now see how far the £40 million venue project has progressed and how large it truly is.
“They’re now seeing what’s going on there,” he says. “I believe many people did not appreciate it at the time, with many saying, ‘Can’t we just leave the space empty?'” “I do think it’s going to be really, really good for the city centre.”
So when will the market open?
Flint, which will be managed by McGinty’s, is scheduled to open in late 2027 and will offer room for ten vendors.
Mr McLellan refused to reveal who would be taking over these units. “I can’t go into all the detail of how it’s going to be set up,” he said with a laugh. “I’ll let McGinty’s announce in due course how they’re going to run it all.”
However, the councillor said the next project will be to install the new glass exterior on the Union Street entrance.Depending on the weather, this could occur within the next month or so.
Where are things at for Union Street?
This brings us to Union Street, a project that has had more delays than any other in the £100 million construction package.
The core stretch of the Granite Mile has been closed for more than a year as work is underway to enlarge pavements, create a new surface, and add new bike lanes.
Once the groundwork is finished, the high street will be embellished with new bus shelters, planters, and other decorative items.
Bosses had thought it would be finished by the end of 2025, but the £20 million makeover has been continually delayed. The official timeline states that it will be completed this summer.
When we tell Mr. McLellan that there appears to be a lot more work to be done, he takes a moment to reflect. He cannot promise that the deadline will be met.
Mr McLellan describes the job as “incredibly challenging” for the contractor. This is primarily due to unexpected discoveries buried beneath the road.
What’s been pushing back the revamp?
Unrecorded utilities beneath the roadway surface, rusted old tram tracks, and tram electric lines have all hampered the project thus far.
But doubting workers discovered that some buildings have old cellars beneath Union Street, some of which have been changed, enlarged, or bricked up, posing even more problems for the crew. He continues, “Many of the vaults had old coal chutes placed on top of them.
“The project team had to individually design engineering solutions to make each one safe and prevent any potential collapse of the pavement in future.”With a sigh, he says, “They’ve got to attempt to work around it.
“The utility works, including live utilities, have required waiting for the supplier to make it safe and divert it.
“I believe it has been a significant issue, and we may not have made as much progress as we had hoped — but I believe we are now attempting to accelerate progress.
“That’s not to say that there aren’t any unknowns still to come.”
Read more on Straightwinfortoday.com
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.