Cultural projects in the north of Aberdeenshire “making progress”

CULTURAL projects that are being supported by the UK Government in the north of Aberdeenshire are said to be “making progress”.

This was confirmed to the Aberdeenshire Council on Thursday, January 16, who were given a briefing on the progress so far, with approval then being provided for updated business cases for the individual projects.

The projects being developed under the banner “Cultural Tides: North Sea Connections in Aberdeenshire” are receiving £20m of ring-fenced money—formerly known as Levelling Up—for the construction of a Museum of Aberdeenshire and new Peterhead Library, as well as the renovation and extension of Macduff Marine Aquarium.

The broader development of the facilities is also being supported financially through a range of external funding streams, including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Crown Estate Scotland Net Revenues, and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

They also approved the appointment of the contractor for the aquarium improvements. Work is expected to start on-site next month.

Aberdeenshire Council leader, Councillor Gillian Owen, said: “We are very conscious that some people take the view that this UK Government funding can be used to support other services or activities across Aberdeenshire – but that is simply not the case.

“This money – together with all external funding sources – can only be used to deliver these specific capital projects.

“I am heartened to hear that progress on that delivery – while admittedly somewhat slower than we had anticipated – continues to be made on all aspects of this suite of works.

“As with all complex capital projects, there are risks around matters such as supply chain challenges and price inflation, which makes it so important that officers continue to revise the business cases and ensure we remain within the agreed cost estimate and timescale.”

Depute leader Councillor Anne Stirling also said: “While these projects will, of course, bring tremendous benefits to both the towns of Macduff and Peterhead, as a council, we remain clear that they must also deliver for the whole of Aberdeenshire.

“It is imperative that we continue to pursue external funding streams to ensure the entire cost of these complex and challenging projects is covered and I would like to thank those officers for their diligence around that aspect of this work.”

Following positive feedback from the online public engagement in the spring of 2022, Aberdeenshire Council developed the business cases for the two projects.

It successfully applied to the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund, which operated on a competitive basis. 

The Macduff Marine Aquarium project will modernise the existing aquarium at Macduff to improve the visitor experiencewill include expanded exhibits and enhanced facilities.

A two-storey extension will also aim to take advantage of coastal views and include a new café-restaurant, education suite, and community space.

The project will also involve revamping the building externally, creating a new children’s play area, and constructing path links along the coastline.

Meanwhile, in Peterhead, councillors heard that the plans for the museum and library were proceeding through the consultation process and would eventually be presented to the Buchan Area Committee for discussion.

The project will see the listed Arbuthnot House at the lower end of Broad Street sensitively restored and extended to house both the town’s library and a new museum showcasing Aberdeenshire’s extensive heritage collections and artwork.

The new museum will provide many opportunities for local communities to learn about their area’s heritage, giving visitors a glimpse into the full breadth and richness of the region’s stories and past.

The new Peterhead Library will be on the ground floor of the new extension alongside Arbuthnot House. It will have access to a sunken seating area in the garden for readings and events.

As part of the cultural quarter, there will also be a new ground floor café offering somewhere for a quick coffee or a leisurely lunch with family and friends, with seating spilling out onto a garden terrace.

Members also received an update on the Carnegie Building on St Peter Street. For decades, it housed the Arbuthnot Museum and Library, but now, it is being cleared to allow improvements before a new cultural operator takes on the lease.