An action plan for Aberdeen’s old streets should be put in place by council chiefs, a city MSP has urged.
Aberdeen Central SNP member Kevin Stewart said a capital programme should be set aside to cover repairs to cassies, otherwise known as setts or cobbles, following high profile blunders.
In May, council workers tarred over a stretch of the ancient cobbles at the entrance to Old Aberdeen’s High Street.
Correcting this to the previous standards would cost £106,000 but there is no money in this year’s budget.
The controversy followed an incident two years ago where blundering council workers covered cobbles on the city’s Windmill Brae, which are hundreds of years old, entirely in tarmac which cost the council £10,000.
Mr Stewart said: “It is incredibly disappointing that Old Aberdeen has been defaced after the council failed learn its lesson the first time round on temporary tarmacking of historic roads.
“This time round though, the city faces a bill for ten-times what the blunder made on Windmill Brae cost.
“It really is embarrassing to see this carry-on happening again, so I am calling on the council to future-proof itself and get a capital programme in to stop this kind of muck-up repeating.”
But council roads spokesman Ross Grant said: “As regeneration spokesperson I am fully aware of our heritage and of course I want to ensure our cobbled roads are protected and that is why I have already met with and I’m sitting down with officers again to map out a solution as to a clear course of action, which is what the community are looking for.
“I am positive Kevin Stewart MSP will be delighted that Aberdeen City Council’s administration has increased funding for roads and pavements by an extra £10m over the next four years.”