Councillors have approved plans for a review of a long-term blueprint to revitalise Aberdeen city centre.
The administration’s growth and resources committee agreed to a review of the 25-year city centre masterplan, setting out priorities for economic recovery in the short, medium and long-term.
The document also provides a basis from which to assess the impact of Covid-19, including the loss of retail and the impact of home working.
Review is ‘vitally important’
Marie Boulton, the council’s city centre masterplan lead, said: “The review of the CCMP is welcome as it is vitally important for the recovery of the city from Covid-19 that not only the city council does what it can, but partners, stakeholders and residents also understand they have a significant role to play.
“We all want our city centre to recover and continue to be somewhere where people want to spend their leisure time in shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs and we also have to plan for how the global pandemic has shaped the area.
“Furthermore, we are looking to how the city centre can be made more attractive to people for living in, and how all of these elements tie in with our fantastic cultural venues such as the art gallery and music hall.”
The review of the city centre masterplan is designed to aid Aberdeen’s short-term economic recovery from Covid-19.
It also explores how the city can capitalise on events such as the British Art Show and the Tour of Britain.
A review of all powers available to the council to encourage more people into the city centre will also be carried out, while the masterplan will consider the possibility of more fundamental change in how the city centre operates in the future.
The committee also agreed council officers should develop bids for several UK and Scottish Government funding programmes.