Issue - meetings

The Council resolved:-

(i)             to agree Option 3 in the updated Streetscape Full Business Case (Appendix A and as illustrated in Appendix B);

(ii)           to agree the Market to Guild Street Phase 1 preferred route identified in Appendix C;

(iii)          to refer the projects highlighted in (i) and (ii) above to the capital planning and budget process for future years’ delivery;

(iv)          pending the outcome of the budget process, to instruct the Chief Officer -Capital to monitor projects through the capital planning process reporting progress to Finance and Resources Committee;

(v)           to instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to formally approach potential funding partners for future years’ capital funding contributions toward delivery of all streetscape projects in relation to active travel;

(vi)          recognising that segregated cycle facilities were now planned along the length of Union Street, to agree that proposals for a Queens Cross to City Centre cycle route be re-absorbed into the wider Westhill to Aberdeen Active Travel Route Outline Business Case (OBC), and instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to report the OBC to the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee later in 2024;

(vii)        to note the animation work that had been undertaken to promote the themes within the overarching City Centre and Beach Masterplan, Local Development Plan and Net Zero Aberdeen strategies to children and young people (Appendix D), and thank the young people who had been involved in the project to date; and

(viii)       to note that the Masterplan Manager would arrange for a functioning link to be circulated with regard to page 6 of Appendix A.

The Council had before it a report by the Director of Resources which provided progress updates on streetscape business case updates for Union Street East, Castlegate, Union Street West/West End, Market to Guild Street Phases 2 and 3, together with the cycle infrastructure options for Market to Guild Street Phase 1 and an overall programme update. 

The report recommended:-

that the Council -

(a)           agree Option 3 in the updated Streetscape Full Business Case (Appendix A and as illustrated in Appendix B);

(b)           agree the Market to Guild Street Phase 1 preferred route identified in Appendix C;

(c)           refer the projects highlighted in recommendations (a) and (b) to the capital planning and budget process for future years’ delivery;

(d)           pending the outcome of the budget process, instruct the Chief Officer - Capital to monitor projects through the capital planning process reporting progress to the Finance and Resources Committee;

(e)           instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to formally approach potential funding partners for future years’ capital funding contributions toward delivery of all streetscape projects in relation to active travel;

(f)             recognising that segregated cycle facilities were now planned along the length of Union Street, agree that proposals for a Queens Cross to City Centre cycle route be re-absorbed into the wider Westhill to Aberdeen Active Travel Route Outline Business Case (OBC), and instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to report the OBC to the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee later in 2024; and

(g)           note the animation work that had been undertaken to promote the themes within the overarching City Centre and Beach Masterplan, Local Development Plan and Net Zero Aberdeen strategies to children and young people (Appendix D), and thank the young people who had been involved in the project to date.

Councillor McLellan moved, seconded by the Depute Provost:-         

          That the Council approve the recommendations.

Councillor Ali moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Watson:-

          That the Council -

(1)       note with regret the decision by M&S to close its St. Nicholas Street store in spring 2025;

(2)       agree this decision by M&S has been made easier by the nonsensical decision of the Administration not to embrace pedestrianisation within the middle section of Union Street and by their introduction of bus gates, without pedestrianisation which is putting people off using the City Centre;

(3)       agree the decision by the Scottish Government not to use the Barnet consequential to replicate the 75% business rate relief for the hospitality industry matching England means that businesses in Scotland remain uncompetitive compared to the rest of the UK;

(4)       agree recommendation (f) would complement the approved segregated cycle facilities along the whole of Union Street and agree recommendation (g) of the report matches the ambition set out by the previous Administration’s Education Convener when he proposed Children and Young People should be engaged in the Council’s Net Zero strategy; and

(5)       agree pedestrianisation of the middle section of Union Street complements business and citizens requirements  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3