Aberdeen’s Beach Leisure Centre to be demolished by spring 2025 as ‘costly’ replacement put on hold

The demolition of the waterfront building with its iconic blue flumes will cost the local authority £500,000.

By Denny Andonova

August 16 2024, 6:00 am

Council papers say demolition works are already under way - althought there are no visible changes to the Beach Leisure Centre just yet. Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson.

Aberdeen’s iconic Beach Leisure Centre will be reduced to rubble by spring next year – while the future of its new replacement has been left in limbo.

Fresh documents have revealed the second phase of the multi-million-pound beach revamp – which includes building a pier and a new Dons stadium – could be put on hold.

Finance chiefs think any work on the future of the seafront should be shelved “until additional resources can be identified” to pay for it.

An idea of how city planners envisaged the upgraded beach area could look. Image: Aberdeen City Council.

The whole scheme – which would also eventually feature a brand new replacement of the Beach Leisure Centre – is expected to cost a whopping £441 million.

How far along is the demolition?

The seaside building and its fondly remembered blue flumes have been fenced off for more than a year, with work to demolish it already under way.

There are no visible changes to the 30-year-old structure just yet, however, council papers say the project is on track.

Work was delayed by “complexities arising from the connectivity of buildings”, with efforts to make sure the adjoining Ice Arena is not impacted.

The leisure centre’s fate was sealed in council budget cuts last March. Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson.

Earlier this year, city leaders revealed tearing down the complex will cost £500,000.

And it could all be gone by April 2025 – even if the new sports and leisure facility planned to replace it is kicked into the long grass.

But what about the proposed new sports and leisure centre?

City leaders will discuss the future of the beach transformation next week.

Council officers are recommending the local authority focus on the first phase of the project, and delay the rest until more funding is secured.

This means residents might have to wait even longer to see the proposed waterfront boardwalk stretching into the North Sea, and the potential new Dons stadium.

Construction work has already started on Links Road beside its junction with Cotton Street at the beach. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson.

What the area next to the Beach Ballroom could look like in the future as part of the FIRST stage of the masterplan. Image: Aberdeen City Council.

Preparations to turn the grassland adjacent to the Beach Ballroom into a futuristic playpark with an amphitheatre and an eye-catching gateway building are ongoing.

And as it stands, these are still to go forward.

However, the prospect of the rest of the projects will be decided next Wednesday, August 21.

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