10 before-and-after images show potential Aberdeen city future

A striking vision of the future of Aberdeen’s city center has been unveiled in a series of artist’s renditions.

Today a consultation has been launched to get the public’s feedback on a huge range of major transformation proposals for the heart of the Granite City.

From lining Union Street with trees, to installing halo-shaped lighting, the plans are extremely extensive.

Click on or touch these 10 interactive images to peek into the potential future of Aberdeen

The following artist’s impressions have been taken from consultation documents for the plans, which are part of a £150 million project to reinvigorate the city center and beach.

Alongside each before-and-after image, we’ll include the intention behind the proposals for each area.

Belmont Street

The overhaul of Belmont Street incorporates new outdoor seating areas for businesses, to “animate the streets while supporting the local economy”.

The pedestrian connections between Union Street and the Art Gallery would also be improved.

Public art and lighting are also intended to be installed, in order to “add color and life”.

Castlegate

The Castlegate area at the eastern end of Union Street has long been neglected, but under these proposals it would be turned into an “accessible, attractive, and flexible space for day-to-day use, civic gatherings and events”, according to the plans

This would include new trees, a play area, “public art” and plenty of seating.

The changes are aimed at increasing the “attractiveness of the area” for residents, businesses and visitors, and turn it into a “key destination”.

Schoolhill and Upperkirkgate

The proposals for the Schoolhill and Upperkirkgate areas would include wider footpaths and more street crossing points, in order to create “more comfortable pedestrian movement”.

More trees would be planted, and the plans have been drawn up with the intention to “enhance the setting of the Art Gallery”.

An improved connection with the currently-under-construction Union Terrace Gardens would also be part of the plans for the future of Aberdeen.

West End

The proposals are designed to support West End businesses by “increasing the attractiveness of the area”.

Included in the plans for the future of the area are widened footpaths to make safer spaces for pedestrians, create new outdoor seating, and plant more trees.

Public art and lighting have also been put forward.

Aberdeen Market and the Merchant Quarter

Changes in the Green and the Merchant Quarter are hoped to improve links between Union Street and the railway and bus stations.

Aberdeen’s chief planning officer David Dunne recently described desired changes in the Guild Street area as providing a “welcome mat” for visitors.

It is hoped people will find it easier to get to the city center from the station through the new £50m Aberdeen market and surrounding streets.

Plans for the majority of the Green, pictured, are still being drawn up.

Meanwhile proposals for phase one – including Guild Street, Wapping Street and Carmelite Street – and phase two – Carmelite Lane, Carnegie’s Brae and St Nicholas Street – were put to councilors in August.

East end of Union Street

Union Street East – or the bottom of Union Street – could be changed to better prioritize pedestrians, cycling and wheelchair users.

This would involve widening footpaths and improving crossings, as well as planting trees and maintaining public transport links.

The existing space at Plainstanes – referred to as a plaza by planners in their consultation document – would be “enhanced” to accommodate events too.

There would likely be less traffic here with the looming introduction of more bus gates around Market Street…

Union Street Central

Council planners and consultants Streets-UK visualize the Market Street to Bridge Street stretch as the “focal point in the heart of the city center” for the future of Aberdeen.

The goal is to improve connections between the planned £50m Aberdeen market, due-to-be-completed-soon Union Terrace Gardens and the art gallery.

Although the pedestrianization debate looks settled for five years, they are keen to make the 200-metre section “flexible and adaptable for future needs”.

“Colour and life” will be added through more public art and creative lighting (which looks quite like the halo light in Union Terrace Gardens).

Union Street West

At Union Street West, or the top of Union Street, planners share aspirations with the central stretch in wanting more plaza spaces in front of key buildings. Think the Aberdeen Music Hall, as pictured below.

This, Streets-UK says, will allow people “to gather and celebrate the city’s rich heritage”.

They also want to plant more trees to line the roads and make it a pedestrian, bike and wheelchair friendly area.

They also want to prioritize buses and local access as can be seen in the council’s images.