A GROUP of north-east architects have called for a competition to be held to decide the future of Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen.
The Aberdeen Architects Network Group, which represents about 20 local designers, said plans to raise the gardens to street level to give the city a £140million civic square were “fundamentally flawed”.
They also criticised the feasibility study which looked into oil services tycoon Sir Ian Wood’s vision for the Denburn Valley.
Instead, they backed calls made in letters to the Press and Journal for architects from across the globe to be invited to submit designs for a competition to decide the gardens’ future.
Speaking for the group, Aberdeenshire chartered architect George Simpson said: “There are all sorts of problems we have got with it.
“We would normally expect a feasibility study to look at a site and investigate all possibilities, so you get the right result. I’m not opposed to development there, it’s the nature of the development. We think that the design is fundamentally flawed.”
He also backed criticism of the plans by television architecture critic Jonathan Meades, who said existing buildings on Union Terrace and Belmont Street would not benefit from a street-level square.
“Let’s face it, the buildings as they are now depend a lot on the spaces around them,” said Mr Simpson.
“There is also the problem with the Peacock centre. There’s a lot of public feeling that it would be a shame to see that in jeopardy.
“We feel quite strongly that an architects’ competition is the way forward.”
Development body Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future dismissed claims last night that the plans for the project were “flawed”.
Board member Dave Blackwood said: “The technical feasibility study is a world-class, comprehensive piece of work produced by a team of internationally renowned experts.
“It fully appraised all of the previous studies and subsequent community engagement work into Union Terrace Gardens that go back over 20 years.”