Union Street: road closures begin this month for new Aberdeen Market

Major streetscaping work is expected to begin on Union Street by the end of April as construction on the new Aberdeen Market takes shape.

The £50 million market, replacing the prior building which has now been flattened, will host a food hall and shops.

The skeleton of the former BHS store is expected to be demolished in the coming months to make way for a modern glass-fronted building.

From 29 April, a one way traffic system will be implemented on the stretch between Bridge Street and Market Street.

Buses and cyclists will be prohibited from using the 300-metre length of the Granite Mile for safety reasons.

The streetscaping project is part of Aberdeen City Council's city centre and beach masterplan, with the aim of complementing the market.

The works, carried out by Morrison Construction, include new pavements with Scottish whin stone, locally-sourced granite for the new street surface, cycle lanes, and will help to create a plaza entrance to the new market building.

There will also be works carried out by utility companies at the same time replacing and upgrading existing utilities when the road is opened up.

Can I access Union Street during this time?

Cars are prohibited on this stretch of Union Street anyway, however cyclists will be diverted for safety reasons.

Buses will also be diverted through bus priority routes including Market Street, Guild Street, and Bridge Street, or along Union Terrace and School Hill.

The local authority has been in talks with bus operators to confirm the best possible routes and regular passengers are being urged to check company websites.

Delivery vehicles, bin collections and emergency vehicles will continue to have access while the one-way system - which will navigate east-bound - is in place and access will continue to all shops and businesses for pedestrians.

The taxi rank located outside The Royal Bank of Scotland will not be in use for the majority of the construction period and the taxi rank located on Back Wynd will be in 24-hour operation to compensate the loss of the busy night-time rank.

Council leaders stressed talks have been held with Aberdeen's taxi companies to ensure minimum disruption throughout the closure.

When taxis leave Back Wynd, they will only be able to travel east - in the direction of Castlegate.

When will the Granite Mile makeover be complete?

Constructors are carrying out the works on the Union Street central area in 100-metre sections and aim to complete the Union Street streetscape by winter 2025.

The history of Aberdeen could present an extra layer of complications as the city was built upon bridges - so constructors won't know what to expect until works begin.

The base build of the new Aberdeen Market has a completion target of summer 2026 if everything goes according to schedule.

The keys will then be handed over to McGinty's Group - who are the preferred operators of the facility.

It will then begin work on getting the building ready for public use.

It remains unclear when the much-anticipated facility will officially open, however council co-leader Ian Yuill told Northsound he hopes to see this happen "within months" of the keys behind handed over.

Attractive city centre for visitors

With a jam-packed cruise ship season for 2024 and a Tall Ships festival hosted at the harbour in summer next year, council leaders are hoping to make the city centre look more attractive for visitors.

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Christian Allard said: “The upgrading work to Union Street Central is an opportunity to create attractive new streetscaping which will complement the new market building.

“The works are being carried out using local or Scottish materials which will help the economy as well as help to reinstate the central role of Union Street by making it more attractive.”

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “The Union Street Central changes are part of the action being taken to make our city centre more attractive for residents and visitors alike.

“The investment in Union Street central, the new market building, and things such as the Council’s £500,000 Empty Shops Grant Scheme, all have key roles in creating a vibrant and exciting city centre for people to visit, shop, work and spend time.”