Officials ‘ignored’ majority choice for Aberdeen’s City Garden Project

By ALISTAIR MUNRO
Published on 21/07/2012 02:22

THE design favoured by 80 per cent of Aberdeen residents who voted in the Union Terrace Garden consultation was overlooked by the scheme’s organisers who went with a rival option, it emerged yesterday.

A public consultation outlining six options saw 5,847 people vote in favour of a Winter Garden proposal. But those behind the scheme – backed by a £50 million donation from philanthropist Sir Ian Wood – picked the Granite Web design, which attracted just 1,378 public votes, instead.

Figures on the public consultation have emerged nine months after thousands of people visited an exhibition to cast their votes on six designs.

Liberal democrat Ian Yuill lobbied for the results to be published earlier this year. Yesterday he said the information should have been revealed sooner.

He said: “It is always a mistake to try to keep information secret from the public.”

Labour group secretary, Willie Young, said: “This just shows you that they had no trust in the people of Aberdeen and have wanted it all their own way - we have been saying that from the beginning.”

The ruling Labour group has already voiced its opposition to the scheme. However project leaders warned yesterday that councillors will become a “laughing stock” if they dump a controversial £140 million garden project in Aberdeen city centre. The Aberdeen City Garden Trust (ACGT) rejected the suggestion that they had “ignored” the public’s view on the project.

Tom Smith, director of ACGT, said: “The winning design – the Granite Web – secured a 52 per cent majority in the referendum and that is what is important.

“We now need to demonstrate we are a city with a bold ambition for the future and a can-do approach to making things happen with this unique opportunity to transform and regenerate our city centre.

“Failure to deliver on this when we have a world-class design, an internationally acclaimed, award-winning design team, public support, a robust and compelling business case and much of the funding through philanthropic donations will make us a laughing stock and severely damage the city’s reputation and ability to attract future investment.

“We hope that our councillors will abide by the referendum and make the right decision in the best interests of our city on the 22nd of August.”

He said the public’s two favourite designs were selected by the jury in the first phase of judging towards the end of 2011.

As a result of the jury evaluation, both design teams involved were asked to clarify and provide more detail on their concepts.

This work “considerably improved” the understanding of how each of the final two teams optimised the use of the space below and above ground.

As a result, the selection team favoured the Web design.

Chairman of the jury, Sir Duncan Rice said at the time of the announcement of the winning design: “This is an exciting outcome and a great coup for the city. This ingenious and inspiring design for Aberdeen’s key public space gives the city a new social landscape but one rooted in its extraordinarily rich heritage and natural assets.

“The Diller Scofidio team had thought long and hard about Aberdeen’s special history and unique needs. Answer by answer, they overwhelmed the jury with their vision and their sensitivity to the whole downtown context.”