Decision details

(i)       approve recommendations 2.1 to 2.13 and 2.15 and 2.17;

(ii)       instruct the Director of Resources to carry out a review of the Aberdeen City Centre Master plan Objectives and their associated workstreams as contained within the 2015 approved Masterplan and to report back findings to the City Growth and Resources Committee on 10 August 2021 and also to report back on the Phase 1 and 2 projects contained within the city centre masterplan as approved in 2015;

(iii)       instruct the Chief Officer - City Growth and the Communication and Marketing Manager to use the CCMP Review to integrate further “smart city thinking” into our medium-term plans to develop and undertake engagement exercise with the public, all appropriate partners and stakeholders to seek their views on the City Centre Review, what it would take to attract them back to the city centre in the short-term, how the changed travel patterns and reductions in travel experienced throughout the pandemic can be embedded and report the results to the City Growth & Resources Committee in August 2021, as part of the CCMP report detailing how best the city can be a leader in the digital economy;

(iv)      instruct Chief Officer - City Growth to use the CCMP review and the Local Development Plan to ensure that the ambition to secure sustainable inclusive economic growth by attracting businesses operating in energy transition or low carbon sectors to the city is realised;

(v)      instruct the Director of Resources in consultation with the Convener and Vice Convener of City Growth & Resources Committee and Convener of the Capital Programme Committee and the Chief Officer (City Growth) to develop bids for potential submission to the following UK and Scottish Government programmes (with deadlines as noted below):-

·            Scottish Government Placed Based programme (17 June 2021);

·            UK Government Levelling Up Fund (18 June 2021);

·            UK Government Community Renewal Fund (18 June 2021);

·            Scottish Government Green Growth Accelerator Pathfinder (date to be confirmed); and

·            UK Shared Prosperity Fund (date to be confirmed);

(vi)      agree the Aberdeen City Centre Master Plan is a regeneration blue print that is transforming the City Centre while conserving its proud heritage;

(vii)     agree the Aberdeen CCMP was shaped following an extensive public consultation and was unanimously approved at Full Council in June 2015;

(viii)    notwithstanding any decision taken by Committee in respect of item 12.2 on the agenda, agrees to instruct the Director of Resources to carry out a review and visioning exercise on the streetscape and infrastructure works for the whole length of Union Street and to report back the outcomes to the August 2021 Committee; and

(ix)      instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to review the City Centre Living Strategy and informed by the CCMP review bring forward Aberdeen Planning Guidance to support the City Centre in line with the Local Development Plan.