The development will also create a 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 proposal aims to aid the city’s recovery from covid-19 by developing the site to include an 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.

The design will feature a mixture of fixed indoor units of various sizes alongside event space for temporary and pop-up facilities allowing for increased variety and will be flexible to seasonal requirements. An external, canopy-covered flexible space also features which could be used for music events or further market space.

Aberdeen City Council city growth and resources convener Councillor Alex McLellan said: “We look forward to seeing the market development come to fruition, as it will be a real asset for our city centre and it will provide a strong platform for small and start-up businesses.”

Last May, the city growth and resources committee agreed to the purchase of the former Aberdeen Market and BHS building to create a destination venue featuring international-style food and drink outlets as part of the city’s recovery from Covid-19. In November (2021), planning permission was submitted for the site.

The former BHS building had been vacant for approximately seven years and has 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 from 2015, 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.