Plans for an Aberdeen cable car have been left up in the air – with the council ruling out investment.
The Press and Journal can today reveal that Town House bigwigs have plunged the ambitious aspirations to link the beach with the Castlegate into doubt.
The plans have been brought forward by Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce and private firm Skyline.
The cable car company previously said public backing was one option – with hopes remaining that it could become a reality through the land being gifted and sponsorship deals.
But they also took a swipe at council bosses for leaving them hanging for a year without any feedback.
It all comes after a bruising few weeks for the local authority.
The SNP and Liberal Democrat ruling group has faced condemnation since passing their first budget, having taken charge last May.
Aberdeen council leadership won’t splash public cash on cable car
With the council continuing to receive the least funding of all 32 local authorities in Scotland, leaders closed six libraries, a swimming pool and an entire sports centre.
Ongoing protests could end in a legal challenge under equalities law.
Against that background, and a new bid to slash staffing costs by £40 million by 2028, council leaders have kiboshed calls for public investment in a cable car.
In an unattributed joint statement, they said: “At a time when councils are under severe financial pressure, our partnership’s priority is focussing on assisting citizens through this ongoing cost of living crisis and delivering key services.
“We have no plans to spend any public money on this cable car proposal.
“If those proposing this scheme wish to take it forward on a commercial basis, we wish them well.”
Find all you need to know about the proposals here.
The question of the rights for the cableway to glide over the Beach Boulevard, passing nearby homes, remains.
Council bosses were asked whether they were open to discussions on that element of the scheme – and the potential to allow the towers to be built on public land.
But they did not address those issues in a response that took days – and plenty prodding – to come to light.
Cable car firm hits out at near year-long silence on Aberdeen plans
Council leaders seemed flummoxed when initially asked for comment on the Aberdeen cable car last week.
That is despite top officials having met with the chamber of commerce and consultants Skyline at least three times since the SNP and Lib Dems took over last May.
Council co-leaders Alex Nicoll and Ian Yuill, as well as the finance convener Alex McLellan and communities convener Miranda Radley, were also in meetings where the cable car was discussed, chamber of commerce bosses claim.
Even with them sitting in on talks, Skyline’s Mr Spencer claimed to have had no meaningful response since submitting detailed plans to the local authority as the SNP and Liberal Democrats took charge.
The chief executive, who is in talks with other cities including Oxford, Newcastle and Glasgow, said: “I think what we would like, which we haven’t had, is just some feedback from Aberdeen.
“We do get feedback from other places. Some of it has been, ‘we have plans we’re working on and we can’t look at this at the moment’.
“But we can’t speak to our funders and we can’t speak to sponsors if we don’t get feedback from a council.
“The first thing they would say is ‘What’s Aberdeen’s view on this?’ And we can’t say we don’t know. We need to know.”
“It’s very early days and this cable car would take months to build.
“What takes the time is all the lead-up, all the consultations, all the permissions you have to gain and all this political manoeuvring as well.”
Cable car the latest snub of ideas for Aberdeen beach
The “well wishes” of the council leadership echo the wording of a Liberal Democrat election pledge which eventually ruled out council cash for Aberdeen FC’s planned beachfront stadium.
“Whilst wishing Aberdeen Football Club well, not provide any public funds for the
construction of a stadium for AFC,” the group’s manifesto read.
The cash snub was a win for the Lib Dems in talks with the far larger SNP group in coalition talks. They had promised to “work with Aberdeen FC to deliver new sports facilities and a new stadium”.
Now, the same language which sunk hopes of council support for the stadium appears to be a blow for Skyline too.
Calls for planners to include cableway in £150m city centre and beach masterplan options
Meanwhile, opposition councillors claim to be in the dark on the proposals, which were detailed in a confidential report submitted to top brass in May.
A £150 million refresh of the city centre and beach – two areas that Skyline believes the cable car could help bridge – is still being sculpted.
Labour group leader Barney Crockett called for city planners to include it in the options for the multi-million-pound masterplan.
“A report is soon scheduled to go to council to discuss the city centre and beach masterplan, which Labour invested £150m in,” he said.
“I would be surprised if there was not a mention of the merits of a cable car within that report.
“This cableway in Aberdeen can only be brought forward by the SNP administration.
“We look forward to seeing if they are serious about it – or if it is another project that they will consign to the bucket.”
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