The results of a major public consultation into the proposed City Square project for the Union Terrace Gardens site in Aberdeen were released this month.

The City Square is a radical plan to transform Aberdeen city centre by raising Union Terrace Gardens and the Denburn Valley to the surrounding street level, and covering over the railway and the dual carriageway. The proposal would create over 5 acres of ground at street level and a further 2.5 acres of all-weather, covered space. You can read more about the City Square Plan here

Many people have expressed reservations about such a radical building project, with principle concerns involving the loss of public green space and expansion of commercial and retail space. One of the principle voices in the campaign to rethink the plans has been that of Peacock Visual Arts, who had an existing plan to site a new Centre for Visual Arts on the same site.

The results of the public consultation showed that 55% of participants did not want the City Square proposal. The majority of respondants wanted green space and a contemporary arts centre in any future development on the site. A press release from Peacock stated that:

“Reading carefully through the information released today we are delighted to see that all of the major elements that people want to see – greater accessibility, green space and cultural facilities – can be delivered in Peacock’s existing plans for Union Terrace Gardens.

“At a time of increasing pressure on the public purse Aberdeen can be seen to be leading the way in delivering quality public facilities and value for money by enabling the Peacock plans for Union Terrace Gardens to go ahead. We have a short funding window now until June to get the go-ahead for the new arts centre and we hope that in the light of the results of the public consultation ACSEF, Sir Ian Wood, and Aberdeen City Council will look positively at the Peacock scheme as the first stage of a win-win for Aberdeen.

“However, so far Sir Ian has stated the City Council must decide to proceed with the City Square as it stands or he will withdraw his ?50 million.”

Peacock have recently received the good news that the Scottish Arts Council have agreed to extend their funding of Peacock’s original scheme until June 20th. Aberdeen City Council will make a decision on the project at their Full Council meeting on May 19th.

If you’d like to support Peacock, go to: http://www.peacockvisualarts.com/

For more information on Peacock’s plans for a new arts centre, go to: http://www.peacockvisualarts.com/archive/227/arts-centre-update