A failed multi-million-pound tourist attraction in Aberdeenshire is back on the market one year after being sold to a mystery buyer.
Archaeolink Prehistory Park at Oyne near Insch cost £4 million to build, before seeing a further £2.5m of funding from Aberdeenshire Council.
Now, the site of the abandoned project is available for less than 4% of what it cost to open – with offers of £150,000 invited.
Shepherd Chartered Surveyors is in charge of the listing, which is also available for lease as a “unique development opportunity”.
A quick history lesson
Archaeolink Prehistory Park opened in 1997, receiving funding from Aberdeenshire Council, Grampian Enterprise and Scottish National Heritage.
Its aim was to blend local history, fun and education. In the same year, a protest group raised objections about the centre at a council committee meeting in Inverurie.
Their main concern was who would foot the bill if the project would ever run into financial difficulties.
Across the next 14 years, Aberdeenshire Council would plough a further £2.5m into the facility. This saw it branded as a “white elephant” by some.
What went wrong?
In April 2011, the park shut its doors when Aberdeenshire Council made the decision to withdraw all funding. The site failed to attract enough visitors to be viable
When the controversial park opened its doors 27 years ago, it had hopes of attracting 100,000 visitors to the region each year.
However, it emerged just 10,500 people had visited the year prior to its closing.
In 2015, Aberdeenshire Council brought Archaeolink Prehistory Park to the market for the first time – with no asking price published.
And it took four years before a potential buyer showed any interest, with the council revealing discussions with an interested party were taking place.
However, nothing ever came of it – and the “white elephant” remained on the market.
Until last year, when it was announced it was finally sold to a mystery buyer – with the future of the site unknown.
Archaeolink Prehistory Park back on market
Shepherd commercial surveyor Shona Boyd is hoping potential owners will see the “unique space” as an opportunity to “breathe new life” into the building.
She said: “The former Arachaeolink structure provides a distinctive opportunity for an incoming occupier.
“We would welcome enquiries of a range of natures, for the whole of the building or in part. There is scope to sub-divide the building to form separate units.
“Potential uses include industrial and storage purposes, restaurant, coffee shop, events facility, soft play centre, gym, distillery, brewery, car storage and sales, wedding venue, church, alternative healthcare, music and dance studio, or an entertainment venue.”
The structure, located a mile west of the A96, was designed to blend into its rural setting so that the landscape rolls across it.
The grass-covered roof rises like a conical hill similar to its surroundings.
Access to the site is via a pathway that enters a sheltered valley shape up the main entrance.
The building provides a predominately open plan area which allows for circulation to all parts of the building.
Were you ever at Aberdeenshire pre-history park Archaeolink? See if you can find yourself in our gallery here.
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