Colourful hoarding panels being installed from today as part of biggest change in 200-plus years to Aberdeen’s Union Street

A set of colourful and informative hoarding panels are being installed from today as part of works upgrading a section of Aberdeen's main thoroughfare of Union Street - the biggest change to the street since it was built more than 200 years ago.

The construction works to the Union Street Central area - between the Market Street and Bridge Street junctions - will make it more attractive and vibrant while promoting walking and cycling as part of the City Centre and Beach Masterplan. The works include new pavements with locally-sourced granite, a road surface, and cycle lanes, and will help to create a plaza entrance to the new market building.

During the works, access will continue to all shops and businesses for pedestrians, as well as access for delivery vehicles.

The hoarding panels being installed on the hoarding around the construction site will have information about the major works to the area, lists of shops and businesses as part of the Open for Business campaign, locations of taxi ranks and bus stops, how the works relate to the new market building, promotion for the Art Gallery and Provost Skene's House, information about attractions in the city centre and further around Aberdeen, and also promote Dave and Sam, a pair of friendly seagulls created by schoolchildren.

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: "The colourful hoarding panels will add to the Open for Business campaign aimed to show people that the traders in Union Street Central are open while the construction works are ongoing.

"The new high-quality streetscaping for Union Street Central is the next step to make Aberdeen's city centre a great destination for residents and visitors to enjoy."

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Christian Allard said: "At 200 years old, Union Street is due a makeover which will help to attract people to the area and spend money with local businesses.

"This investment in Union Street Central, the new market building, and other initiatives such as the Council's £1million Empty Shops Grant Scheme, all have key roles in creating a vibrant and exciting city centre and the hoarding panels will help locals and visitors during the construction works."

The design for the hoarding panels were created in-house by Aberdeen City Council and local signage company Compass Print has manufactured and is installing them. Additional panels will be added in the coming months promoting events such as the Tall Ships. They come after Open for Business panels were recently installed on the overhead wires on that section of Union Street.

The construction works, which are being carried out by Morrison Construction in parallel to the works being carried out at the new market building, will move east to west (from Market Street to Bridge Street). The area is being split into three sections of 100m each, with each phase of work starting in the first 100m on east side (closest to Market Street) before moving on to the second section and then the third (closest to Bridge Street).

The works are due to be completed, depending on what is uncovered by utility companies, weather, and world-wide supply-chain availability of materials, in autumn 2025.

The City Council is to receive £20million from the UK Levelling Up Fund which will be used towards the development of Union Street Central and the new market building.

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