Civic chiefs defended Aberdeen’s architecture yesterday, after it emerged the city is in the running to be named Scotland’s biggest eyesore.
The Granite City has been shortlisted for the annual Carbuncle Awards, and is among the nominees for the Plook on a Plinth category, which seeks Scotland’s most dismal town.
But yesterday one senior councillor said he was “shocked, surprised and disgusted” that the city had bee nominated.
Councillor Ian Yuill said it was “laughable” the city had been shortlisted for the dishonour.
The Liberal Democrat group leader said: “I was shocked, surprised and disgusted when I heard.
“You do wonder if the person who nominated it has actually ever visited Aberdeen.
“We have got a city with wonderful architecture and some fantastic buildings.
“What we need to do is enhance what we have.”
Mr Yuill said the key to improving Union Street was to find new uses for its buildings.
He said: “We have got to recognise that a lot of retailers don’t want shops on Union Street anymore – they want units in modern open malls.
“We have got to find new uses for the buildings on Union Street to ensure that it is as vibrant as it was in the past.”
Also in the running for the Plook on a Plinth dishonour are Cumbernauld, Kirkintilloch, Leven, Lochgelly and Maddiston.
SNP group leader Callum McCaig said Aberdeen’s nomination was clearly “a step too far”.
However, he warned that without action, the city ran the risk of becoming overrun by poorer-quality, modern-day developments.
He said: “Some of the city’s more recent architecture is pretty brutal and we need to waken up to the fact that before too long, the quality buildings will be outnumbered by those that are not up to scratch.
“I’m not aware of any planning applications that have been turned down on design alone and until that is addressed, we are going to get more of these utilitarian buildings.
“Saying that, what is being said about Aberdeen, about poor architecture, could be applied to most cities.”
The awards are run by Scottish architecture and planning magazine Urban Realm.
Editor John Glenday highlighted the decline of Union Street and said the decision to build one of Britain’s largest shopping malls beside Aberdeen’s train station had exacerbated the city centre’s deterioration.