A much-heralded council plan to make Union Street sparkle through an ambitious sandblasting scheme by “early 2016” was in doubt last night.
Council depute leader Marie Boulton announced in September an ambitious £2million scheme to make “the Granite Mile shine again” by working with businesses to scrub down the front of all 200 buildings.
It would be similar to the multi-million pound restoration work carried out to the facade of Marischal College in 2010 as it was transformed into the city council’s headquarters.
But last night it emerged work to implement the scheme has not yet begun, as the administration is waiting for the new city centre director to begin.
Last night opposition SNP councillors called on the administration to “get on with it” and said they doubted the scheme would be completed within the first six months of the year.
And a senior town house source said it had “fallen off the radar” since the announcement.
SNP member Graham Dickson said the set back would be a “huge disappointment” to the people of Aberdeen who mostly backed the popular plan.
He said: “This administration is very happy to announce projects to huge fanfare and get front pages but we are yet to see it delivered.
“I think the people of Aberdeen will be angered that they have been told about this but have seen no progress.
“Nothing has been done to move this forward… discussions haven’t begun with the owners on Union Street.
“It doesn’t look like this will be happening any time soon.”
The new city centre director, Marc Cole, is due to start next week and will work closely with Mrs Boulton to deliver the city centre masterplan.
Last night Mrs Boulton said the scrubbing would be “top of the to-do list” and would “absolutely” be completed this year.
She said: “I think it’s important to point out that there is £28million for city centre developments.
“Obviously we have appointed a city centre director whose whole job will be to lead these projects forward.
“I will be working very closely with him as soon as he starts and I can assure everyone that (the sandblasting) is at the very top of my to-do list.”
Separately, the authority is is planning a “deep clean” of the road and pavement surfaces, statues, street
furniture and signs, which is expected to cost about £2million.