A £150 million transformation of Aberdeen’s Queen Street could be scrapped to make way for a new city park – if power changes hands at May’s council election.
The SNP has unveiled proposals for an ‘urban garden’ in the east end of the city centre – tearing up plans for the Queen’s Square redevelopment earmarked for the land.
Nestled between Marischal College and the Town House, the street is in line to be bulldozed for a new urban quarter including 350 new homes as well as hotels and shops.
New park could replace Queen Street plans
But the nationalists – who unveiled several key promises ahead of their official manifesto launch – are pledging to find a different way forward inspired by major cities around the world, if they find themselves in control of the council after the local election on May 5.
Having already announced their backing for the beach masterplan – and adding even more of the waterfront to the regeneration effort – the Aberdeen SNP group claim the two projects would be joined up with an overhaul of the Castlegate.
The new-look sands, complete with a new pier and a potential replacement for Aberdeen FC’s Pittodrie stadium, would have walking and cycling links to the new park.
The group’s capital programme spokesman, Michael Hutchison, told The P&J: “Our city centre needs more green space.
“It’s something that has been acknowledged in recent years, with small-scale projects to try to address this, but I think we need to move beyond half-measures.”
SNP look around the world for inspiration for new Aberdeen park
The George Street and Harbour incumbent said his group had taken inspiration from the likes of Hong Kong, where several new parks have opened over the decades, and Manchester’s Mayfield project.
The £1.4 billion regeneration scheme in the north-western English city includes designs for a 6.5-acre public park, homes, office space and shopping and leisure space.
Mayfield Park is expected to open this autumn, next to Manchester’s Piccadilly Station.
The new park – the first to be built in the city for 100 years – will also include a huge play area, featuring an 60ft slide, crossing the River Medlock.
Queen Street redevelopment already in motion in Aberdeen
Further north, Aberdeen City Council has already consolidated much of the required land for the Queen’s Square, which was first mooted as part of the city centre masterplan in summer 2016.
The former police headquarters in Queen Street is hoped to be demolished by next March – but legal wrangles with the telecoms company which owns phone masts on its roof could slow progress.
So too could delays in the construction of a new mortuary at Foresterhill, being built to replace the police station facility and another on the health campus.
Demolition was hoped to begin last month after other nearby properties, including the McKay’s clothing shop, were already knocked down.
A 10-minute walk away, the city is already spending £28m on a revamp of Union Terrace Gardens.
The Labour-led coalition, partnered with the Conservatives and independents, announced the long-awaited reopening of the Victorian parks is expected by the end of next month.
But Mr Hutchison claimed the new urban garden would be a different prospect for citizens, bashing the UTG work for reducing green space and “commercialising” the much-loved spot.
He added: “When we say that we want a greener future for Aberdeen, that is going to involve actual green spaces that people can use and enjoy, rather than just stone and concrete.
“There are a lot of benefits that people get from actual parks and gardens – including better physical and mental health and generally just feeling happier – and I would love to see our new urban garden helping with that.
“Alongside our proposals for a waterfront masterplan and connections to the Castlegate, this ties in with our wider plans to make Aberdeen a more attractive destination and a better place to live, work, study and grow-up.”
Full list of candidates standing in George Street and Harbour
Desmond Bouse, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Mac Ahmed Chaudry, independent
Dell Hendrickson, SNP
Michael Hutchison, SNP
Guy Ingerson, Scottish Green Party
Sandra Macdonald, Aberdeen Labour
Shane Painter, Scottish Conservative and Unionist
