Tycoon Wood in £400,000 kickstart to gardens plan

OIL tycoon Sir Ian Wood yesterday announced £400,000 in funding to kickstart a controversial redevelopment of Aberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens.

Aberdeen City Council has already agreed in principle to accept an offer of 50 million from Scotland's second richest man for the proposed 140m transformation of the Victorian gardens into a "mini Central Park" in the heart of the city.

But the City Garden project has bitterly divided public opinion. Annie Lennox, the Aberdeen-born rock star, is among the thousands of people who have voiced their opposition to the scheme, branding the project an act of civic vandalism.

Yesterday, after months of inactivity, Sir Ian gave plans for the project a major boost when he announced a commitment of over 400,000 from the Wood Family Trust to help fund the next steps in the project programme. A further 375,000 in funding has also been pledged by Scottish Enterprise.

The money will be used to help fund the international design competition to choose the winning architect for the prestigious project as well as public consultation on the proposals.

The Aberdeen City Gardens Trust has now been set up, under the auspices of the City Garden Project management board, to spearhead the delivery of key stages in the development of the project.

Sir Ian, the chairman of energy giant the Wood Group, said: "I think we will see real progress in the next nine months but the key thing has got to be to get the citizens of Aberdeen to really see the potential. It could and will transform our city."

He added: "Radically improving our city centre leading to the regeneration of Union Street has always been the ultimate aim of this project. A critical step forward is the launch of the design competition so that we can see what can be achieved in this central location and capture people's imagination and excitement about what could truly be an amazing transformation of our city centre."

Tom Smith, the chairman of ACSEF, the local economic forum, welcomed the funding boost. He said: "This is about creating something unique and very special for Aberdeen. We have to demonstrate a can-do attitude here.

"The designs will demonstrate how the City Garden Project will deliver on its promises of a bigger and brighter garden, open space for cultural and recreational activities, restoring and retaining key parts of our history and heritage, making it easier to get around, regenerating the whole city centre and, in turn, helping safeguard and create jobs and prosperity."

But Mike Shepherd, the chairman of the opposition group, Friends of Union Terrace Gardens, condemned the funding announcement.He said: "The grand old lady of Aberdeen doesn't need a new mini-skirt to make herself look attractive.

"The local business community want to develop our city centre park. The public don't want this, but neither Aberdeen Council or the Scottish Government are taking the slightest bit of notice."