A pedestrian spine is to be built along part of Aberdeen’s Beach Boulevard to act as a gateway from the city centre to the area’s new £50 million facilities.
The spine, on a section of the Boulevard from Links Road to the Esplanade, was agreed at Aberdeen City Council’s finance and resources committee and will be the last part of the current works upgrading and refurbishing the beach area as part of the city centre and beach masterplan.
The pedestrian spine will have designated pedestrian routes to interface with key access points of the Beach Park and Events Field including from the accessible parking locations; a designated, segregated, cycle path; soft landscaping designed to complement the adjacent park areas; seating locations strategically placed along the route; and bicycle parking at key locations.
Further to this, the materials used will be impermeable buff coloured asphalt on the pedestrian routes and hot rolled asphalt with red granite chips on the cycle route, and increased accessibility, safe use, and integration of the spaces.
The wider beach works include five new buildings and shelters currently being constructed for the play and events sites along with a new skate landscape. The foundations have been laid for a large bespoke play structure called the Rope Factory which is set to become an iconic attraction.
Committee convener, councillor Alex McLellan, said, “The pedestrian spine will be the gateway from the city centre for people going to all the new attractions in the beach area. Having better connectivity between both areas will mean businesses at each end will benefit by bringing a greater footfall which helps to the overall aim of making the city an attractive place to live, work, and visit.”
The first part of the £50 million phase on beach redevelopment was completed last month, when Broad Hill was refurbished – seeing new access steps, footpaths, viewpoints, drystone walls, timber, and concrete seating and landscaping. The work was completed in time for the public to enjoy the site as a vantage point for the Tall Ships Races.
The beach improvements form part of a £150 million commitment by Aberdeen City Council towards the city centre and beach masterplan. Works are underway 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.
