Plans have emerged for a new £20million retail centre in Aberdeen this week, but many readers seem unconvinced.
The proposals for the neighbourhood centre in Bridge of Don were announced on Monday, bringing together a range of retail, leisure and community amenities to the area.
High street brands are expected to show interest in the new development – part of which could be open as early as 2024.
However since the announcement, many readers have hit out at the new plans.
Calls to invest in existing business spaces
The project is situated in Grandhome in the Bridge of Don area and is being carried out by Hargreaves Land and Grandhome Trust.
The plans for the development follow after many new houses have been built in the area with many more in the works over the next 20 years.
A lot of readers commenting on the development focused on the empty retail spaces in Aberdeen’s city centre.
Leola Mitchell from Aberdeen wrote: “Goodness we don’t need another retail centre, we need the city centre retail units occupied.”
Tracey Fraser agreed and suggested it would be better to focus on existing businesses in the city.
She posted: “Great idea, build a new shopping complex while the shops we had have disappeared and many more disappearing by the day because they can’t afford to stay open.
“It would have been a much better idea to focus on existing businesses and investing in getting our city centre sorted out.”
Luiska Kitt wrote: “We can’t fill the high street, shopping centres and retail parks that we already do have.”
‘Wasting money we don’t have’
Aberdeen has struggled to recover from the affects of the pandemic with travel chaos and the deepening of the cost-of-living crisis not helping the issue.
It has also experienced a number of big chain stores closures such as John Lewis and BHS and Debenhams. Marks and Spencer’s future in the city centre has also been in question.
Other people commenting on the issue mentioned this decline of footfall in high street stores with some mentioning the lack of funds many people face.
Lee Bishop from Peterhead posted: “Ace, somewhere to spend with no money to spend.”
Aberdeen resident, Carol Tait wrote: “More wasted money, promised cinemas, pools etc.
“Now Aberdeen is dying a slow painful death. Let’s waste money we don’t have on wee shopping centres away from the main town centre, which is the hub and life of any city. Bravo ACC.”
Moira Milne from Aberdeen suggested the investment be used at Aberdeen’s beach front leisure centre.
She wrote: “Where is the money coming from? Could it not be used to refurbish the beach leisure centre for goodness sake.”
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