A futuristic video has given Aberdeen residents a glimpse into how a revamped Union Street is tipped to look by the end of this year.
Morrison Construction, which has been tasked with carrying out the works along the central stretch of the Granite Mile, today lifted the lid on the progress workers have made.
The ballroom at the Douglas Hotel on nearby Market Street was adorned with dozens of information boards outlining the stages of the £20 million scheme.
Their centrepiece was a freshly made video taking visitors on a swooping journey into the future of the historic high street.
Pavements will be widened, cycle lanes will be added and street furniture will be replaced as a plaza is created outside the new Aberdeen market.
This is also under construction, and will be known as Flint, with the video showcasing its shiny golden entrance at the former BHS department store.
What next for Union Street project?
Work to transform this section of the Granite Mile began last June.
The first stretch, from Market Street to the St Nicholas kirkyard, was supposed to be all spruced up by March.
However, engineers were “surprised” by what they found when they started digging through the surface – uncovering huge pipes and a “spaghetti” of decades-old cables.
Going over an entangled web of red, green and blue lines, Kirstie Golightly explains the challenges they have had to overcome and the reasons behind the delay.
The stakeholder and communications manager for Morrison says it turned out to be more complicated than first thought.
The revamp is being carried out in three 100 metre strips, and the whole project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
‘We will build a shiny new high street’
And while workers are still catching up with what needs to be done on the first stretch, Kirstie says they are now right on schedule with the next two stages.
She said: “There is no denying that there’s been a slight delay down at the east end of the job – we can all see it.
“And this was the purpose of today – to show people how we mitigated those challenges and what comes next when we do the footpath, because that will have a direct impact.
“The one thing I will stress, though, is that we want to do this right and built a shiny new high street for Aberdeen that is going to last for generations.”
Union Street pavements revamp to start soon
On Monday, work will start on the pavements from the corner with Market Street up to the Attic clothes shop entrance.
This will take six weeks, and once it’s completed the workers will carry on with the rest of the footpaths along this stretch.
And efforts are being made to ensure customers can still get to shops during this time, with new crossings being created leading directly to their doorsteps.
These will be placed right across to Attic and the record shop just up the road.
Kirstie adds that the work won’t affect trade at these stores, with parts of the project taking shape overnight when they are closed.
She says: “We have been working with business as we go on with the project to make sure they are aware of all details and are fully on board.
“Our main priority is to keep any impact on residents and businesses to a minimum.”
People can find out more about the project and follow the updates as they come here.
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