‘Half-empty’ Marischal College council HQ could be leased out to ‘big business’ tenants

Marischal College could become a money-spinner for the local authority.

By Alastair Gossip

March 7 2024, 6:00 am

Marischal College is too big for the council. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

“Half-empty” Marischal College could soon be up for rent as cash-strapped Aberdeen City Council looks for new ways to make money.

The local authority’s HQ, said to be the second largest granite building in the world, was restored and converted into offices at a cost of £65 million in 2011.

But since the Covid pandemic, its A-listed halls have been empty.

The Town House too could be leased out to willing takers, as the council scrambles for income.

The old St Nicholas House office complex was knocked down amid the move to Marischal College. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

A recent Press and Journal probe found council chief executive Angela Scott failed to set foot in Marischal College for nearly 500 days during the coronavirus pandemic.

Her attendance rate from March to October last year was around 53%.

Others, such as planning chief David Dunne, were even lower.

Work taking place in 2010. Image: Raymond Besant

Marischal College: Hopes of bringing high earners back to Aberdeen city centre

Now, as the council adjusts to 21st century working practices, officials have been tasked with finding a way to fill one of the city’s most famous buildings once more.

And there are hopes of emulating the success of the Silver Fin development at the top of Union Street in drawing high-earning jobs back to the city centre.

Hundreds of UK civil service jobs are to be moved to Aberdeen in the near future.

The Silver Fin office complex on Union Street. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Energy Security and Net Zero Minister Graham Stuart pledged earlier this year to keep efforts to revive the city centre in mind when looking for a Granite City base.

And around Aberdeen Town House, councillors are hoping their multi-million-pound offices might prove the perfect spot.

Chief landlord Stephen Booth – who is overseeing the Torry Raac crisis – has now been tasked with reviewing all council assets – “including but not limited to Marischal College and the Town House” – to potentially rationalise space used by the local authority.

Then, he’s to report back on how the council might “maximise alternative uses for space identified for income generating opportunities”.

The idea was one of few things all politicians agreed on in the meeting. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

‘Half-empty’ Marischal College offices could be rented out

Finance convener Alex McLellan, who brought forward the idea in the SNP and Lib Dem budget, told The P&J it was “just sensible” to look at marketing Marischal College as it’s usually “half-empty”.

He added: “The council has done a deal to get Shell in the city centre.

“If we get other big businesses into the city centre that would increase footfall, get folk into shops and hospitality venues throughout the week.

“I think it’s really important we get people back into the office. Equally, we will not be forcing council staff who may be working from home in the main to return to the office.”

Councillor Alex McLellan sitting. — SNP finance convener Alex McLellan made the announcement at today’s council budget. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson.

‘We need to maximise income’

He added: “But we need to be realistic; Marischal College is a very big building. And there are associated costs with that: rates, electricity, heating.

“We need to be sensible if we are not using the whole building and see who else may want to use it, and maximise income from our assets.”

The move was also brought forward as part of the Conservative budget proposals.

But it was the SNP and Liberal Democrat administration’s spending plan which passed comfortably in the end.