The development will also improve pedestrian connectivity between Union Street and the bus and railway stations via The Green and enliven Hadden Street and Market Street with urban realm improvements in and around The Green.

The site is to be developed with attractive market-style floorspace to create a destination venue with marketplace elements promoting local produce and goods alongside continental-style delicatessen, cafes, and food outlets.

Planning permission for the new venue was granted last May and revisions have now been submitted to reflect feedback from potential operators. The revisions include:

• External canopy to The Green removed to allow for a more flexible open events space and opening up the site and surrounding space more;
• Planting and lighting totem features added to perimeter of the events space to define the edge of the area;
• The former BHS space will become a covered link to the market and an interactive mixed-use space;
• A statement ‘floating roof’ which sits on top of the main building;
• Lifts and escalators moved to the inside of the market hall to be fully weather protected;
• Upper floors and concrete frame to Union Street removed to improve physical connections to the market;
• Improved landscaping and accessibility to the Market Street entrance with external public space extended and access route straightened;
• Disabled WC with a hoist and other facilities moved to upper level adjacent to Market Street level.

The design of the market building will feature a mixture of fixed indoor units of various sizes alongside space for temporary and pop-up facilities to allow for increased variety and would be flexible to seasonal requirements. There will also be a flexible-use outside space which could be used for music, watching major sporting events, or for further market space.

The council purchased the former Aberdeen Market and BHS building to create a destination venue featuring international-style food and drink outlets. The former BHS building had been vacant for approximately seven years and previously had planning consent for a major office development which has not proved to be deliverable.

The central section of Union Street and Aberdeen Market are critical components in the “Heart of the City” area of intervention identified in the approved City Centre Masterplan, which has the key objective to reinstate the central role of Union Street in the life of the city, establishing stronger linkages north and south and creating a destination not just for shopping but for many city activities.

The council is to receive £20 million from the UK Levelling Up Fund which will be used towards the development of the new market building and nearby streetscaping.