The public is being asked for their opinions on major plans to completely transform Aberdeen’s famous beachfront.
Pedestrianisation, a pier and a new look for the Beach Ballroom are all on the cards in one of the most ambitious proposals to be considered by the city council in decades.
If it goes ahead, a large section of the seafront will be turned into an ‘urban park’ with play areas and sports fields, which could also be used for hosting events in the future.
However, the highest-profile sporting development being considered for the area – the new Aberdeen FC stadium – is separate, and will not be included in the latest consultation.
An online survey is now live and will run until October 24.
Two drop-in consultation events will also take place at the Beach Ballroom from 2pm to 8pm on September 29 and from 12pm to 6pm on October 8.
What is included in the plans?
Artists’ impressions of the proposed beach redesign show a vast amount of green space, with several plazas linked up by a cobweb of pathways.
People visiting the site would mainly enter through a gateway building, described by the council as a “sculptural landmark”, “drawing people down towards the new waterfront destination from the city centre”.
Included in the sports area could be a ‘pump track’ with small hills and banked turns for people using BMXs, skateboards or wheelchairs.
Last month, Aberdeen City Council submitted a bid for £20 million in Levelling Up funds from the UK government to go towards the plans.
The local authority’s co-leader Alex Nicoll said: “The plans for the beach are being designed to provide an exciting new destination for residents and visitors to our city – whilst still retaining the open green spaces which are an important part of our beach area.
“The proposals would also encourage more people to make the shift to walking, cycling, or public transport.
“I hope as many people as possible will come along to the drop-in consultation and let the council know their views of the proposals.”
What do we know ahead of the Aberdeen beach consultation?
After we revealed plans to change the appearance of the Beach Ballroom, many of our readers reacted with dismay on social media.
The images that were released show a large pedestrianised area around the venue, complete with water features and a sunken garden for hosting events.
However, when we carried out a poll to gather a wider response, we found a majority were in favour of the work – with 253 votes for the revamp and 144 against.
The poll found 201 thought vehicles shouldn’t be restricted along the seafront, with 190 in favour.
Whether Aberdeen City Council’s findings from the consultation on the beach line up with our own remains to be seen.
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