The grand Dundee plans that didn’t materialise – and why.

The Courier examines some of the big developments envisioned for the City of Discovery that did not materialise. It was disclosed this week that plans to build a Dundee marina are under threat due to rising costs.

The ambitious plan is linked to the Tay Cities Deal, a decade-long initiative that pledged approximately £700 million in investment in the Tayside region. In 2019, artist’s impressions of the marina’s potential appearance were unveiled.

However, funding for development may be reduced as the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic and growing inflation worsens.

It means the marina development’s future is unknown until a final decision is made next year. But what other ambitious dreams for Dundee have failed to materialise?

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Dundee skyscraper

In 2018, a Dundee property developer revealed ambitious ambitions to build Scotland’s tallest structure between the V&A and the Tay Road Bridge.

InverTay Homes’ “vision” for the site included a 141-meter-tall, 39-story skyscraper, a five-star hotel, luxury residences, and a rooftop bar.

The skyscraper’s intended height would make it 16 metres taller than Scotland’s existing highest building, Glasgow Tower. According to reports, the initiative has the potential to enhance the city’s economy by £200 million and create 1,000 employment.

Eddie Wighton, InverTay’s head of operations at the time, stated that it would “create a focal point to be the Sydney Opera House of Scotland”.

The land designated for development was’site 12′ on Dundee’s waterfront. However, then-Dundee City Council chairman John Alexander dismissed the ideas as a “absolute fantasy” and said that InverTay had no agreement in place to develop the site.

A planning application for the ideas was never made, and Site 12 remains empty. Prospective tenants can still make an offer to rent the property.

Esports arena

Proposals for a 4,000-capacity esports arena on Dundee’s Waterfront were first announced in 2020. Sites 10 and 11 were selected for development. It was envisaged that the arena will mostly feature computer-based competitions.

However, in 2023, The Courier announced that the ideas had been rethought. The projected arena’s capacity was decreased to approximately 1,000, and it would be used for a variety of purposes. This was for viability considerations.

The development, now known as Dundee Arcadia, is expected to cost almost £100 million in total. Despite this, no planning clearance has been sought for the construction, and the sites are still being advertised for sale.

Customs House

The A-listed Georgian mansion home near to Dundee Waterfront originates from the 1840s and was once the headquarters of the Dundee Port Authority.

However, the landmark building has been empty since 2008. After purchasing the property in 2014, the neighbouring Apex Hotel planned to transform it into a hotel.

However, they sold the site to Dundee-based property developer Alicydon Limited in 2020, claiming that the hotel industry was saturated.

Their aim was to convert the stately house into 20 luxury apartments while also creating an additional 29 flats across two new constructions.

However, in June 2023, the company behind the ideas fell bankrupt.

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