Aberdeen could leapfrog other Scottish cities in the race to secure millions of pounds from Westminster – with plans to spend it on the proposed new market in Union Street.
City chiefs are chasing a £20 million grant from the UK Government’s Levelling Up fund to bankroll proposals for the new development on site of the former BHS department store and adjoining indoor market in Market Street.
And council leader Jenny Laing travelled to Downing Street last week to make the case for the cash directly to Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove.
The Aberdeen Labour leader believes the local authority’s hasty application – ready to go due to ongoing work on a refresh of the city centre masterplan – could spell early success in securing the money.
UK ministers issued a priority list of local authority areas to receive ‘levelling up’ money – placing 122 above Aberdeen in the pecking order.
However, of those only 13 are Scottish – and Mrs Laing understands many could not get applications together in time to meet Westminster’s deadline.
She told us: “I was down on the trip to London with a delegation from the Scottish Cities Alliance.
“When we met before the closing date for the first round of bids, some of the leaders had asked for an extension because they were not ready yet – so that is an advantage to us, having that bid to bring forward.
“I think Mr Gove was impressed we were able move so swiftly to submit the bid.”
Of the seven main Scottish cities within the alliance, Dundee and Glasgow were deemed ‘priority one’ for the cash.
Levelling up Aberdeen: New market proposals part of £150m masterplan to reinvigorate Aberdeen city centre and beach
Eye-catching concept images for the new Aberdeen market were released by the council in May and since then, BHS, the existing market block and adjacent properties have been bought up.
Planners are looking to inject life into the city centre and Aberdeen beach by refreshing their masterplan – backed by £150m set aside in the local authority’s budget between now and March 2026.
However, we gained exclusive sight of confidential council documents revealing the cost of the full development shown in the concept images, including the pedestrianisation of Union Street between Market Street and Bridge Street, would cost nearly half of that war chest.
And that is why Mrs Laing was so eager to win over the Conservative Mr Gove, a former Aberdeen schoolboy who recently returned to the city while on holiday.
“I put forward arguments about the economic return there would be if the UK Government chose to make that investment in Aberdeen,” she said.
It is hoped hefty government funding for Union Street regeneration could inspire private sector investment in other parts of the city centre.
But photos of Mrs Laing and the leading Tory drew criticism from SNP Aberdeen South MP, Stephen Flynn, who questioned why she would be so “cheery”, given the looming cut in benefits for the poorest in the city.
He added: “The funding bid is important but let’s be clear; it’s a drop in the ocean in comparison to the damage being caused to people across our city by Brexit, tax rises, food shortages, staff shortages, energy price hikes, the end of furlough and the proposed Universal Credit cut – and those issues should have been the priorities of a council leader meeting with her political friend.”