A powerful watchdog has agreed to meet campaigners battling against Aberdeen’s controversial Marischal Square scheme to hear their concerns.
Officials from Audit Scotland will hold talks with members of the Reject Marischal Square Development in the city next month.
The public spending regulator revealed last month that it would review a flood of complaints about the approval of the £107million Muse Developments project as part of its annual audit of the city council.
Opponents of the Broad Street scheme subsequently wrote to the body to request a hearing, which has now been accepted.
It is understood that Audit Scotland could decide to “pursue further” the issues raised by the group if they are considered to be within the remit of the annual review.
Lorna McHattie, a senior figure in the campaign, welcomed the decision last night.
She said: “The Reject Marischal Square Development campaigners are pleased that Audit Scotland have agreed to meet with us, following many months of dialogue regarding the processes around the rationale for, the awarding of, and the content of the contract for Marischal Square.
“Audit Scotland have acknowledged that they have received a number of items of correspondence regarding the development.
“Our supporters have been requesting information regularly from Aberdeen City Council, using the cumbersome process of freedom of information requests related to Marischal Square.
“We have kept Audit Scotland informed as we have discovered information, such as the lack of, or insufficient, business case, marketing report and investment appraisal.
“We have emphasised that investigations need to be timely as the site preparation phase appears to be progressing.”
A spokesman for Audit Scotland confirmed that it had agreed to the meeting. It is scheduled for the week beginning August 17.
The watchdog’s annual review of the city council is due to be published this autumn.
The commissioner for ethical standards has recently cleared several leading councillors of any wrongdoing over their handling of the scheme, following complaints from opponents.
Kevin Stewart, SNP MSP for Aberdeen Central, said: “I’m pleased that Audit Scotland have agreed to meet with the campaigners.
“I hope that they will take on board the concerns that the group has, because those concerns are shared by many, many Aberdonians.”