Plans to transform the city’s Union Terrace Gardens now won’t be finished until 2021.
The flagship project was originally due to be completed by July, but had been knocked back until 2020.
Now council chiefs have confirmed the new aim is 2021, as they are still in the final stages of appointing a contractor to deliver the ambitious £25million scheme.
The transformation of the Victorian gardens includes creating shop and cafes spaces in the arches, installing water features, community gardens and a golden “halo” suspended from the central grassy zone.
Work is expected to take between 18 and 21 months to complete.
Initially priced at £17million when unveiled, planning permission for the scheme was granted last March, but has since increased to around £25million.
Last night, a council spokesman said that the process of appointing a contractor was “nearing completion”.
He said: “The procurement process is nearing conclusion. It would be inappropriate for us to comment while we are completing commercial negotiations.”
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City council culture spokeswoman Marie Boulton said the authority is now expecting a 2021 completion date, and insisted there had been interest from firms for the work.
She said: “We had always seen this as an 18 to 21 month project. We are yet to make an announcement but we are in the final stages now.”
When setting the authority’s budget for the year ahead, the opposition SNP and Liberal Democrat groups called for the the scheme be ditched.
They instead suggested spending £3.1million to make the sunken park safer.
Last night SNP group leader Stephen Flynn renewed those calls, and said: “This news confirms that when the project is complete it will be the best part of two years behind schedule.
“The reality is that with this huge expense and ridiculous delay, the project should be scrapped in favour of our much cheaper alternative.
But council co-leader Douglas Lumsden accused the opposition group of having “no ambition” for the prime spot.
He said: “Union Terrace Gardens is an important piece of our heritage and given its location it is vital that we continue to invest to guarantee the future of our city centre.
“The SNP show no ambition when it comes to the city centre while this administration will continue to improve the city for future generations.”
