Plans to fully pedestrianise Broad Street as part of a major redevelopment of Aberdeen City Council’s former headquarters could be re-drawn after roads experts and leading businesses lined-up against the move yesterday.
A public hearing into the £107million Marischal Square scheme was told by the local authority’s own head of roads projects that the closure of the busy route would cause “gridlock” at peak afternoon times if it was done before the opening of the city bypass.
Councillors also expressed concern that more than 60 buses an hour would be re-routed on to Upperkirkgate, Schoolhill and Union Terrace.
A planning consultant representing owners of the Bon Accord and St Nicholas shopping centres called for urgent talks with project backers Muse Developments Ltd and council planners to find a “solution” for Broad Street.
The retail bosses believe that should involve a “narrowing” of the road, which would provide increased civic space but still allow access for cars, buses and taxis.
Steve Turner, Muse Developments regional director for Scotland, said last night there had been discussions with the shopping centre owners since the plans were first envisioned.
He said: “This particular issue has come up in recent weeks, it is something that our transport engineers have been talking to each other about.
“We are always open to suggestions if it is going to make the thing better.”
The issue of traffic congestion from the office, hotel and retail development on the St Nicholas House site was one of the dominant themes of the public hearing yesterday.
Tom Roger, the council’s team leader for roads projects, said that traffic models up to 2017 and to 2023 had been examined.
He pointed out that the 2017 model had shown the closure of Broad Street would cause significant problems on the city-centre road network at peak afternoon times.
The completion of construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR), which is due to open in 2018, would ease the level of traffic in the city centre by about 5%-6%, Mr Roger said.
He added: “Consideration therefore needs to be given to the point of requiring that Broad Street is not closed until after the AWPR is opened.”
Midstocket and Rosemount councillor Bill Cormie pointed out it was currently “impossible” for two buses to pass each other at the corner of Back Wynd and Upperkirkgate.
He also questioned whether taxi firms and bus operators had been fully consulted.
Bridge of Don ward member Muriel Jafffrey said that she understood 67 buses an hour, which normally travel along Broad Street, would be pushed on to Upperkirkgate and Schoolhill.
Richard Slipper, a senior director at planning consultant GVA James Barr, appearing on behalf of F&C REIT, investment and asset managers of the Bon Accord and St Nicholas centres, said his clients were supportive of the plans, which could bring “vitality” to the area.
However, the retailers were objecting on the grounds of the pedestrianisation of Broad Street.
He said there were concerns about pinch points, but also the movement of shoppers around the area.
The two centres, which have expansion plans of their own, record an 11 million annual footfall and have a turnover of £200million a year.
Mr Slipper said: “We respectfully suggest that an accelerated priority brief is given to the master-planning team, working with our own consultants and Muse, to work as fast as possible on a suitable Broad Street solution.”
Speaking afterwards, the council’s planning development management committee convener, Ramsay Milne, said any such discussions would be a matter for the developer, but said he was pleased with the exchange of views during the hearing.
He said: “There were some interesting ideas, and some things of course that conflicted with each other.
“It will make the task of the committee less easy in determining the application, but I thought that everybody had a fair hearing.”