Former council planning chiefs have called for the expansion of Union Square to be axed to prevent Aberdeen’s historic heart becoming “a wasteland”.
Michael Hastie, who was convener of Aberdeen City Council’s planning committee during the 1990s, and George Massie, who was head of development control in the 1980s, believe the £200million extension of the shopping centre will sound the death knell for Union Street.
Both have demanded that the decision to permit the expansion – which was made by planning officers rather than councillors – be brought back to the table for elected members to vote upon.
The planning experts believe that councillors should then sink the scheme to protect Union Street.
But last night, the authority refused to budge as a spokeswoman defended the move to delegate the decision to officers and insisted that Union Square and Union Street were considered “equal priorities”.
Mr Hastie, who served as leader of the city’s Conservative group and deputy leader of the council, was heavily involved in planning during his 20-year stint in local politics from 1977 to 1999 – when Union Street was a bustling thoroughfare.
Yesterday, he echoed concerns raised by local businessman Alan Massie that the council is damaging trade on Union Street by backing retail ventures which could cause its footfall levels to plummet.
Mr Hastie said: “I know Alan Massie and quite often our views are diametrically opposed but I agree with him on Union Street entirely.
“We have to protect the heritage that we have, and Union Street should be given priority over anything else in regards to shopping.
“It will become a wasteland if we are not careful.”
Last week, it emerged that planning staff had given permission in principle to proposals for 30 new retail units, space for a 120-bedroom hotel and 294 extra parking spaces at Union Square.
Mr Massie, the managing director of developer Carlton Rock, believes the move flies in the face of a 25-year project designed to rejuvenate the city centre.
He referenced several firms which have closed or moved their premises from Union Street in recent years, including BHS, Waterstones and legendary music shop Bruce Millers.
He said Union Square was “becoming a mini town centre all of its own”, while Union Street was “being thrown to the dogs”.
Mr Hastie said the shopping centre’s application must now be hauled back before the council’s planning committee.
He said: “If anything can be done to stop that extension, it should be done.
“This is a monumentally important decision that should have been taken by councillors.”
His appeal was seconded by George Massie, who now works as a development consultant in Inverness.
The city council’s former development chief said: “The significance of Union Street to the future health of the city centre required this application to be referred to the full planning committee.
“Councillors should do what they can to ensure that they get a say on whether it goes forward.
“This will, to mind, impact on the future viability of Union Street as a retail location.”
But last night a council spokeswoman stood by the decision.
She said: “The decision to give planning permission in principle for the proposed £200m expansion of Union Square was taken in line with the council’s adopted scheme of delegation approved by in March.
“A report on the handling of the application, which sets out in detail the planning rationale for the decision, is available on the council’s website along with other relevant documents.
“Both Union Street and Union Square fall within the identified city centre; as such both have equal planning status in terms of locational preference and are priorities for the council.”
A spokeswoman for Union Square said that she had nothing to add.
