Aberdeen’s new market might not open until late 2026 – nearly a year later than first hoped.
Work is beginning on the shell of the former BHS building on Union Street this month.
High viz staff were spotted at the Aberdeen market building site this week, nearly two years after the department store and the indoor market were bulldozed.
The update comes as officials set a timeline spelling out the future of various high-profile projects.
Aberdeen to wait another summer for new market
Now Aberdeen City Council’s chief capital officer John Wilson has confirmed the new market won’t be completed until the summer or autumn of 2026.
Morrison Construction has been hired by the local authority to build the £40 million attraction.
And McGinty’s Group has been unveiled as the firm to run the market once it finally opens.
When plans were approved, demolition of the empty eyesores began in 2022.
But then the council tweaked its plans, taking months to get sign-off on proposals to tear down the last remaining piece of BHS, the Union Street frontage.
It was previously estimated work on the new Aberdeen market would take 98 weeks.
Aberdeen market work: Short-term pain for long-term gain
In a letter sent to city centre residents and businesses, and seen by the P&J, Mr Wilson warned of “short-term inconvenience” during construction.
Under the Generation Aberdeen letterhead, he added: “However, the long-term benefits of making Aberdeen a world-class city encouraging people to come to spend time and money in the city centre and beach areas will be a lasting legacy for generations to come.
“The next phase of improvements includes the new market building, Union Street Central streetscape, a new playpark and associated works at the beachfront, and the Queen Street project which includes the design development of an urban park and first stage demolition of the former Police Scotland headquarters.”
In the letter, Mr Wilson added that changes already rolled out on Aberdeen roads – the South College Street improvements and much-protested city centre bus gates – “enable” the upcoming projects.
The senior official also provided updates on those other projects within the £150m Aberdeen city centre and beach masterplan refresh.
Will the city centre pain be worth the gain when the new Aberdeen market opens? Let us know your thoughts on the works in the comment section below.
Central Union Street, outside Aberdeen market
Probing to get an idea of what lies beneath Union Street began at the weekend.
The central, Market Street to Bridge Street, stretch is in-line for a £20m facelift.
It will include the first piece of a segregated bike lane which will eventually run the length of the north side of Union Street.
Mr Wilson has announced there will be a second weekend of investigation work before March in Union Street.
It comes as the council tries to work out if there are any unknown utility lines – forgotten electric, gas or water lines – beneath the Granite Mile.
The 15-month construction work is then expected to start on central Union Street some time between April and June.
Work will be carried out in three phrases, beginning at the Market Street junction and moving westward.
Aberdeen beachfront
Meanwhile, roads are expected to be closed before March to allow work to begin down at Aberdeen beach.
The £48m first phase of vast plans for the waterfront are expected to be completed by the end of next year.
It includes a new park at Aberdeen beach as well as a building and better links to the city centre.
Only this week councillors debated pausing the project due to the council’s dire finances – but they will proceed.
The boarded up Beach Leisure Centre will be torn down as part of this work, starting late spring or early summer.
Mr Wilson hopes it will be razed by the end of next winter, eventually to be replaced with a new sports and leisure facility.
Late in 2023, council chiefs said road closures would begin “probably” in February.
The eastern stretch of the Beach Boulevard will close, with traffic diverted along Links Road.
Former police HQ at Queen Street
The chief official overseeing Aberdeen’s capital project also revealed the “soft strip” of the former Queen Street police HQ will begin “very soon”.
With the north-east force already out and working from nearby Marischal College, that work is expected to be completed by October.
Among the council’s plans for the area is a £60m new urban park, compared to Manchester’s Mayfield project.
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