We are at the design with continuous stakeholder engagement stage of this project, preparing a Development Framework for the area. Please remember the designs will change until we are agreed on a final one.
A Development Framework is being developed to ensure that many elements of the design can be developed in a consistent, efficient, and accurate manner by a large team.
At a meeting of Full Council in June 2022, members approved a Draft Beachfront Development Framework and Executive Summary which would integrate the Beach Ballroom with the potential state-of-the-art sport and leisure facilities.
The Draft Development Framework progresses with the ropes concept option which inspired by the historical rope and sail-making works which were located to the south of Queen’s Links. This concept is centred around the Beach Ballroom and it being re-imagined within the parkland setting with improved public realm.
The meeting also agreed a Draft Beachfront Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report and that an environmental report will be prepared to accompany the Development Framework.
The committee also agreed a coastal protection studies and design development plans should be developed which will inform the outline business case and progress on this is to be reported to a meeting of the Full Council in December.
The Beachfront project is split into smaller workstreams which are in turn have short, medium, and long-term timescales for completion. It also includes cross-workstreams with the Union Street Central + city centre streetscape project, connecting the two areas.
Planning applications on individual elements will be prepared in the future and that these projects will go through all the other normal statutory processes.
Short-term plans include including a new events field, new urban park areas, new sports areas, a pump track, landscaped mounding features, reconfiguration works/beach landscaping, interventions/upgrades along beach, and public realm works at Broadhill.
The Full Council meeting also agreed several short-term plans are to go to full business case including the urban park, events park, beach landscaping, public realm and landscaping changes to Broadhill and progress will be reported to Full Council in December (2022).
Medium-term items being progressed towards the detailed design/planning consent stages include significant upgrades for the Beach Ballroom, a gateway building, a hub Building; a beach pavilion building, new canopy features, a new amphitheatre with canopy structure, a Beach Ballroom plaza, a secret garden, and structures on Broadhill.
Medium-term projects to progress to outline business case include the new canopy, Beach Ballroom plaza, Broadhill structures, and the pedestrian spine, and progress on these is also to be reported to Full Council in December.
Long-term items to be progressed to detailed design/public consultation/planning consent stages include a new AFC stadium; a new leisure facility, a boardwalk, and a new slipway. The committee previously agreed an outline business case for a joint facility with AFC that it considers a funding model that requires both the Council and Aberdeen Football Club to fund their share with no cross subsidy.
The same December council meeting will also be provided with updates on longer-term interventions to outline business case including the Beach Boulevard, Surf Village, Beach Ballroom, new stadium, new leisure facility, the boardwalk, a new slipway, the energy centre, and Justice Street.
The last report to committee about this area can be viewed at item 9.5 at Agenda for Council on Wednesday, 24th August, 2022, 10.30 am (aberdeencity.gov.uk)