Union Street is the main focus of Aberdeen City Centre and plays a major role in the commercial, economic, social, civic and cultural life of Aberdeen and the wider North East. It is an important regional centre providing a focus for employment and business interaction. It offers access to a wide range of goods and services, and it's a place where many people meet socially and choose to live and visit. It is vital for the future prosperity of Aberdeen that Union Street is enhanced and promoted as a safe, attractive, accessible and well connected place which contributes to an improved quality of life.
The Union Street Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) is a six year initiative aimed at the regeneration of Aberdeen's main thoroughfare. This conservation led programme is set up to tackle the problems of run down historic buildings and streetscape where longstanding economic and structural decline has undermined the character of this historic and architecturally rich street.
CARS provides financial help for conservation area based regeneration and conservation initiatives. Aberdeen City Council in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland (HES), Aberdeen City Heritage Trust and Aberdeen Inspired, has established this CARS scheme which aims to encourage the repair and enhancement of the physical fabric of properties within a defined area of Union Street Conservation Area, please refer to the map.
It is important that the special architectural and historic interest and character of Union Street is protected and enhanced. Consideration of the architectural detail of buildings and proper repair, where necessary, replacement or reinstatement, respecting traditional fabric, details and skills, will help to achieve these aims.
The Union Street CARS is due to launch later this year and will run until 2023. The scheme will make over £2.4 million in grant funding to owners of eligible buildings to undertake high quality repair, restoration and refurbishment of buildings.
This scheme also links directly with the Aberdeen City Centre Masterplan, which includes a range of projects from community based initiatives, infrastructure proposals, economic outputs and environmental developments for the next 25 years and beyond
Aims
- Promote an integrated approach to retail and housing led regeneration that builds on Union Street's assets: built heritage, city centre location and mixed use character
- Reverse the decline and improve the quality of the built environment and quality of life for residents of the city
- Improve the quality and appearance of shop fronts on Union Street
CARS will be used to fund
- a building repair programme
- community engagement through training opportunities in traditional skills and through education programmes. These training sessions will help explain the traditional skills required to maintain historic buildings and will allow participants to experience a wide range of traditional methods
- building maintenance training opportunities that will explain the need (and advantages) of planned routine maintenance for historic properties
- training opportunities for improving traditional construction skills
Eligible works may include
- Traditional shop-front repairs and improvements
- Repair of sash and case windows
- Repair of cast iron rainwater goods
- Stonework repairs, including repointing and rendering using traditional lime mortars/ renders
- Repair or reinstatement of doors and external joinery
- Re-roofing in traditional materials
- Repair or renewal of lead work
- Chimney repairs
Items such as routine maintenance and redecoration, conversions or alterations, interior fitting out or renewal of services will not qualify for grant aid.
Please note that retrospective applications relating to completed repair will not be accepted.
Contact details
If you would like further information on the scheme, or would like to discuss a potential application, please contact:
CARS - Project Officer
Masterplanning, Design and Conservation Team
Aberdeen City Council
Business Hub 4
Ground Floor North
Marischal College
Broad Street
Aberdeen
AB10 1AB
01224 523 958
07769 932 034
UnionStreetCARS@aberdeencity.gov.uk
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