Sir Ian’s £50m pledge for city

Sir Ian Wood’s offer to raise Aberdeen’s Union Terrace Gardens

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OIL TYCOON Sir Ian Wood today pledged £50 million of his own money to give Aberdeen a new heart.

The businessman wants to raise Aberdeen’s Union Terrace Gardens to street level and create a civic square.

Sir Ian Wood today said the scheme would only go ahead if they could physically do it, if it was backed by the people of the North-east and received “significant” public funding.

He said: “The goal is to give Aberdeen a vibrant new heart to reflect both the success of the region and its position as a leading Northern European city.

“I personally believe it has the potential to transform our city and could be one of the major developments of the 21st century.”

The Wood Group chairman’s vision was unveiled at The Foyer in Aberdeen attended by the country’s leader Alex Salmond.

It would see the gardens covered over as well as the adjacent railway line and Denburn dual carriageway, linking Union Street, Union Terrace, Rosemount Viaduct and Belmont Street.

Sir Ian said: “The new heart should be an open leisure and recreational area with significant green landscaping, possible water features and certainly year-round cultural activities, including leisure and arts facilities and some all-weather facilities.

“Like many of the outstanding city centre squares in Europe, it could aim to host major events such as concerts, street theatre, ice-skating and seasonal displays and exhibits.”

First Minister Mr Salmond said: “It strikes me that in these tough economic times there is all the more reason to think big for the future of the North-east of Scotland.

“We should be excited by the scale of his vision and his commitment to ensure great things can be made to happen.”

A study funded by Scottish Enterprise – expected to be completed in March next year – will look at the feasibility, design and cost.

It will also consider raising only the area of the Gardens, and at improving the existing site, but neither of these plans would receive backing from Sir Ian.

Sir Ian said he was looking for “significant” funding from the public sector. He said: “With regard to the public sector funding, this will be a five-year project and when the costs are known, provided they are within a reasonable budget, discussions will take place with a range of public sector sources, as well as possible private sector participants.”

Mr Salmond said the Scottish Government was not in a position to discuss funding until the results of the feasibility study was completed and costings were known.

However, he added: “Such a project would have an extremely strong case of going forward to seek public funding, not just from the city council but from the Scottish Government and from the identifiable Lottery fundings which are available for such major projects.”

The square would link with the planned pedestrianisation of Union Street.

Sir Ian said: “The square will effectively integrate the Union Street retail and business thoroughfare with the cultural heart of His Majesty’s Theatre and the Art Gallery and this is a critical element of the proposal.

“Significant space will be created both within and below the new square for a range of social, leisure, cultural and commercial activities all year round. There is also the opportunity to explore the potential for direct rail and bus transport links from the lower levels into the square.”

He added: “I am only prepared to provide up to £50 million if it has strong support from the people of Aberdeen and the North-east of Scotland.

“I see this as the ‘people’s’ square with something for everyone, and how that square will be developed, both above and below ground, is open to public debate – but I personally don’t see significant building above-ground or significant car parking underground.”

Sir Ian warned that if the costs were above £100 million it would be “very difficult” to make it happen.

But he added that there had been a “positive” response to the concept from colleagues in the energy industry.

The Gardens are currently earmarked as the base for the £13 million Peacock Visual Arts Contemporary Arts Centre, which would be offered a home in the new square.

But a Peacock spokesman said Sir Ian’s announcement put its plans in jeopardy.

“A delay in proceeding will likely mean that we will lose our design team, architect and campaign team,” he said. “There would be immediate redundancies at Peacock.”

Any revamp would be led by the Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future.

Chairman Tom Smith said: “Today, we have an example of the private sector putting its money where its mouth is.”

Aberdeen City Council leader Kate Dean said: “For the first time we now have the prospect of significant private sector financing, which has never been on the table before.”

What do you think of the scheme?

dewen@ajl.co.uk