A public hearing will be held to examine £107million plans for Aberdeen City Council’s former headquarters, it was agreed today.
Members of the local authority’s planning development management committee unanimously backed the recommendation of officials.
The hearing is scheduled for August 28, but convener Ramsay Milne said it could continue on August 29 if required.
Councillors were told that the Muse Developments proposal for the old St Nicholas House site met the criteria for a hearing because of the council’s financial interest in the property and the large number of objections.
Muse tabled plans for a hotel, office and retail development after entering into a deal for the land with the city council.
The authority will effectively lease the site to Muse for a period of 35 years, before it is returned to council control.
During the debate, councillors questioned who would be able to take part in the hearing.
Head of planning Margaret Bochel told them only those who made representations on the planning application will be able to take part.
The hearing is designed to allow people opposed and in favour of the development to have their say. A report will be compiled afterwards to be considered by the committee.
However, the planning application itself will not be revised before it returns to councillors to be determined.
Hazlehead, Ashley and Queen’s Cross councillor Jennifer Stewart said many of the people who took part in public consultation events thought their comments at the time were formal objections that would be taken into consideration.
She said: “The public don’t necessarily know that unless they object to the planning application they won’t be allowed to come along to the hearing. We have seen this happen before with the consultation on plans for the art gallery and Union Terrace Gardens.”
Head of planning Margaret Bochel said the application had been subject to “more consultation exercises than most” and pointed out that the council was not required to hold a hearing at all.
SNP councillor John Corral said the public were “unhappy” about the project and questioned why people were not given the opportunity to have a say earlier.
He said: “This is a case of the cart before the horse. Why this hearing now? Why was there not a proper consultation before Muse were given their brief for the development?”
Ms Bochel said the deal between the local authority and Muse, agreed last year, was a “decision of council”.