THE first phase of a £50 million redevelopment of Aberdeen Beach has officially been opened today.
Hub North Scotland is delivering the redevelopment of the beach area on behalf of Aberdeen City Council, with Robertson Construction being the main contractor.
The five-hectare Broadhill area has been transformed to include new access steps, footpaths, viewpoints, drystone walls, timber and concrete seating, and landscaping.
Aberdeen lord provost, councillor David Cameron, toasted the occasion with a cup of tea from a tartan flask and a traditional rowie at a striking new viewpoint on top of the well-known landmark.
As he surveyed the completed works, the lord provost said, “This is an exciting occasion to toast with the first part of the beachfront works finished.
“As thousands of people come into the city for the Tall Ships Races, the revamped Broadhill with additional seating and a viewpoint will be a prime place to watch the vessels sail into the harbour as well as the spectacular Red Arrows display.”
Broadhill is part of the biggest redevelopment of Aberdeen beach for 35 years with work well under way in creating a beach park and a large events field. The Broadhill works have seen more than 10,000 new trees, shrubs, and underlying vegetation planted across the site to help enhance the natural environment by further diversifying the habitat and ecological value of the area.
Five new buildings and shelters are currently being constructed for the beach masterplan’s play and event sites, with the 2.5 hectare events field set to have an amphitheatre and will be able to host festivals, large concerts, and gatherings.
A new skate landscape will also be created and foundations have been laid for a large bespoke play structure called the Rope Factory – with the council saying it’ll become an ‘iconic’ attraction.
Richard Park, chief executive of hub North Scotland, said, “This is a landmark moment for the beach redevelopment with the transformation of Broadhill and the progress on the other works. Robertson has done a fantastic job in completing the Broadhill and every day now you can see the progress on the rest of the area. This will be a ‘must-visit’ destination when completed.”
Elliot Robertson, chief executive officer of Robertson Construction Group, added, “The opening of Broadhill is the first completed project as part of the overall transformation of Aberdeen’s beach. Being the trusted delivery partner, we understand the importance of bringing the vision of Aberdeen City Council and the local community to life.
“Working closely with hub North Scotland and the Council, significant progress is being made in the creation of well-designed, connected spaces which will be home to high-quality facilities. The vision to redevelop the beach will benefit the community through the provision of public realm spaces that will inspire wellbeing and activity and contribute to the local and regional economy.”
Work is progressing on stripping out the former Beach Leisure Centre in preparation for demolition of the building, which is due to begin next month. The Linx Ice Arena is open for business as normal during the works.
The beach improvements are part of a £150 million commitment by Aberdeen City Council towards the city centre and beach master plan. Works are well under way on a new streetscape for the Union Street Central area while construction on the new market building is progressing as planned. Work is also due to begin on new streetscape improvements to the Castlegate next month. These areas will create vibrant and accessible areas to help make the city a destination of choice for the benefit of residents, visitors, and businesses, the council added.
