I'm no bully, insists tycoon in row over £140m plans for Aberdeen's Union Terrace

OIL tycoon Sir Ian Wood has claimed the people of north-east Scotland will be the loser if his controversial plans for a new civic square in Aberdeen fail to secure the backing of the city council.

• Rival plans for Union Terrace Gardens propose an arts centre at a cost of 13.5 million. Picture: Complimentary

And he warned yesterday that the reaction to last week's public rejection of the scheme by some politicians and sections of the media could jeopardise future philanthropy in the city.

Sir Ian, head of the Aberdeen-based oil service company the Wood Group, was abroad on business last week when it was revealed the majority of people who took part in a public consultation on plans to create a civic square above Union Terrace Gardens had opposed the plan.

Scotland's second richest man has offered to invest 50 million of his personal fortune in the proposed 140 million development.

But Sir Ian has already said he will withdraw his offer of support if the council rejects the scheme.

The future of the gardens will be decided at a meeting of Aberdeen City Council on 19 May when the local authority will debate the city square proposals as part of wider plans to regenerate the city centre.

Opposition Labour councillors claimed last week that the public would not be "bullied" into supporting the civic square project and have urged local politicians to back rival plans by Peacock Visual Arts for a 13.5 million contemporary arts centre in the gardens.

In a statement released yesterday by the Wood Group, Sir Ian said:

"What is referred to as 'my vision' is in fact the vision, aspiration and hopes of many, many Aberdonians for the future economic and civic wellbeing of our city and region as North Sea oil winds down.

"The vision is to maximise the attractiveness of our city to win the new energy opportunities and become a World Energy City.

"My offer of funds was to help achieve that, not to spruce up our city centre."

He stressed that his offer to invest 50 million in the scheme, first made in November 2008, was "clearly conditional" on achieving transformational change and on Aberdeen City Council and the people of Aberdeen supporting the vision.

Sir Ian added: "In confirming these two conditions last week, it is extremely unfair that I am being accused of issuing some kind of ultimatum, or even bullying.

"My offer of funds gives Aberdeen the opportunity to choose the city centre transformation option.

"If that's not what Aberdeen wants, a range of alternative developments can take place, but without my funding support.

"I believe the future citizens of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire will be serious losers in terms of economic and employment opportunities and all possible steps must be taken now to ensure we don't go backwards as North Sea oil winds down. However, if that's the democratic choice, so be it."

And he concluded with the warning: "The tenor of some of the media and political comments last week won't encourage future philanthropic activities in our city."