A special showcase event in the city by developer and urban regeneration specialist Muse Developments revealed that two-thirds of the mixed-use project’s exterior is set to be glass with the rest made of granite.

Work on the development began when Morgan Sindall moved on site back in April, however the type of building materials to be used for the project had not been finalised.

Muse was given until this month to tell Aberdeen City Council what mix of concrete, glass and granite would be used.

The local authority said it had reached an agreement in principle with the developers in terms of the details of finishes and materials, and a final formal submission was expected shortly.

Muse also announced it is working with Aberdeen City Council and Historic Scotland to bring the historic Provost Skene’s House to greater prominence as a feature of the scheme with a £500,000 investment.

Concerns have been raised that the new retail and leisure complex will block the view of Provost Skene’s House, which sits at the centre of the Broad Street site.

But developer Muse said it plans to “rejuvenate” the 16th Century building and create a “modern civic space”.

Yesterday’s launch event showcased the Halliday Fraser Munro designed buildings through an animated film, allowing Muse to share its vision of the way in which the different elements of the mixed-use development will integrate with its location.

All Bar One and Burger & Lobster have agreed to take restaurant space at the development while a number of other bar and restaurant operators have agreed ‘Heads of Terms’ with Muse to occupy the ground floor leisure space.

The commitment of international hotel operator, Marriott, to operate the 126-bedroom, 4-star Residence Inn, was agreed in 2014.

Morgan Sindall is 10 weeks into the 116-week construction contract and on programme to deliver the scheme as planned in July 2017.

The project is providing 300 jobs during the construction process with the potential creation of 1,500 new jobs in the area when the project is complete.

Fully funded by Aviva Investors, Marischal Square will deliver a vibrant new quarter for the city including:

Muse regional director for Scotland, Stephen Turner, said he was delighted with the progress made so far and that Muse and its partner Aviva Investors has been in a position to deliver the structure that it proposed to the city council from the outset.

He said: “Marischal Square will be a keystone of the vision of the council’s City Centre Masterplan proposals, providing a new civic square for Aberdeen and creating an enhanced setting for Marischal College. It will also deliver a vibrant new mixed-use development in keeping with Aberdeen’s justifiable position as one of the UK’s leading business destinations.

“The development will make a long-term impact on the local economy and it is encouraging that our vision for the project, and that of our partners at the council and Aviva, has already been shared by leading businesses including Marriott, All Bar One and Burger & Lobster.

“It is vital the city has the right mix of office and commercial space to capitalise on the business opportunities of the future. Muse and its experienced advisors are confident of having tenants taking up space within the Grade ‘A’ office accommodation by the summer of 2017.”

With plans to make Broad Street a ‘shared space’ (buses and taxis only) part of the proposals included in the council’s wider City Centre Masterplan discussions, Aberdeen City Council Depute Leader, Councillor Marie Boulton said Marischal Square balanced the essential commercial requirements of the project with a scheme which would reflect positively on the city and those ‘living and breathing’ the development in the years to come.