The biggest redevelopment of Aberdeen beachfront for 35-years is about to get fully underway as part of Aberdeen City Council’s City Centre and Beach Master Plan.
Construction teams will begin work on three key sites next week as part of a £50 million programme to help make the beach area a must-visit destination.
Work will also shortly begin on stripping out the former beach leisure centre and detaching it from the adjoining Beach Ballroom before demolition proceeds. The Linx ice arena will remain open as normal during the works.
The major improvements will see the creation of a class-leading beach park, a large events field and the enhancement of the famed Broadhill in Phase A of the beachfront works.
Aberdeen City Council’s Co-Leaders welcomed the move as a key moment in the overall plan to make Aberdeen Beach a destination of choice for the public.
Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “Aberdeen Beach and the Links are a great asset for the city and wider North-east. The council is committed to working with beach users, partner organisations, and businesses at the beach to make Aberdeen Beach and the Links the envy of other cities and a place where local people and visitors alike will want to return to again and again.
“This new, exciting and high-quality development is the next step to make Aberdeen an even better place for residents and visitors to enjoy.”
Co-Leader Councillor Christian Allard said: “The start of the biggest redevelopment the beachfront has had for 35 years is an important milestone and we look forward to continuing to drive forward with our plans for transforming the beach area for the enjoyment of everyone.
“This investment in the beachfront is alongside the current redevelopment on Union Street Central and the new market building and these all have key roles in ensuring we have a vibrant and exciting city which will be enjoyed for generations.”
The main works can now begin as completion of diversion work on key underground services nears an end. A large gas pipe across the two sites has been diverted via Links Road along with work on water, electricity and broadband services around the boundary of the scheme.
The three sites will start to be fenced off from next week and the construction compound will follow on the former cricket pitch behind the beach leisure complex and the events field.
The beach park will include a play park, sports area/pump track, a gateway building, a hub building and a canopy shelter. The park will act as a key entry point between the city centre and the wider beach area.
A central feature of the play park will be the Rope Factory, a large-scale bespoke play structure, which is set to become an iconic beach attraction. This was shaped through workshops with Aberdeen school children and young people and was inspired by the city’s rope making history.
Within the play area there will be four zones – Sport, Adventure, Woodland, and Coastal – all with different activities in them.
The 2.5 hectare events field will be able to host festivals, larger concerts and gatherings. At its heart will be a 1 hectare flexible open area which can also be used as an informal space and will be semi-enclosed by woodland.
Broadhill is a beachfront landmark sitting between the Kings and Queens Links and offering outstanding views across the city and out to sea. The existing path network will be upgraded with improved surfacing along with viewing platforms and seating areas.
The biodiversity of the five-hectare Broadhill site will be enhanced with additional planting which will add to the distinctive natural environment of the area and increase habitat and ecological value.
During the works on the beach and events parks, the Beach Boulevard will be temporarily closed between Links Road and the Esplanade from the beginning of October with diversions clearly signposted.
The Broadhill works are due to be completed in the summer of 2025 while the beach and events parks are planned to be completed in 2026.
A site team will shortly begin separating and reconfiguring service connections between the Beach Ballroom, the ice arena and the adjoining former leisure centre. That will allow the strip out of the leisure centre followed by a start to demolition works. The demolition is expected to be completed by the summer of 2025.
The beach works are part of a £150 million commitment by Aberdeen City Council towards the City Centre and Beach Master Plan. Works are currently under way on streetscape improvements for the Union Street Central area while construction on the new market will begin this month. Public consultations have also been held for a new urban park in Queen Street and improvements to the Castlegate.