Decision details

With reference to article 16 of the minute of meeting of 11 May 2021, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which provided an update on the proposal for a new Aberdeen International Indoor Market element and sought instructions to progress certain elements.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the progress that has been made in the purchase of the site including all copyrights, reports, development proposals, submitted funding applications and then entering into a demolition contract for the site;

(b)      note the progress in developing the scheme to Concept Design and instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to submit a planning application for the proposal at the earliest opportunity;

(c)      instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to take forward a marketing exercise to identify an operator for the completed facility and thereafter select a preferred bidder to ensure operator input is available at the earliest opportunity;

(d)      progress with the Full Business case for the project bringing this back to this Committee on 3 November 2021;

(e)      instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to progress with the purchase of other available property within the ‘block’ on terms identified within this report;

(f)       instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to extend the scope of the project to include options to undertake environmental projects to ‘the tunnels’ area;

(g)      instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to consider option to develop and deliver options for vacant upper floors in the wider block to be brought back into economic use, bring a report back to committee on 3 February 2022; and

(h)      instruct the Chief officer – Corporate Landlord to consider a business case to bring other vacant properties within this key area of Union Street back into economic use reporting back on 3 November 2021.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to approve recommendations (a) and (b) and (d) to (h);

(ii)       to instruct the Chief Officer – Corporate Landlord to take forward a marketing exercise to identify an operator for the completed facility and thereafter select a preferred bidder, following consultation with the Convener of City Growth and Resources Committee, to ensure operator input is available at the earliest opportunity; and

(iii)      to instruct the Communications and Marketing Manager to issue a media statement outlining the progress of the new International Market project and issue further statements as other properties in the report are acquired.