Issue - meetings

(i)       to 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;

(ii)       to 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;

(iii)      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;

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

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

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

(vii)     to 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;

(viii)    to 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; and

(ix)      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.

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.