The City Centre and Beachfront Masterplan offers a unique opportunity to create a transformational new waterfront destination for Aberdeen. The £50 million of works are the biggest redevelopment of the beach area for 35-years and includes key new facilities such as exciting new play and events parks.
The beachfront has a unique relationship with the city centre by virtue of its proximity. By focusing on enhancing footpaths, cycleways, and desire routes, particularly along the boulevard, the Masterplan will create an environment which is designed for people rather than vehicles, supporting greater levels of activity and engagement within the area.
Construction began in January 2025 with the first phase – the enhancement of local landmark, the Broadhill – completed and opened in July 2025 in time for the visit of the Tall Ships Race.
The five-hectare Broadhill site has been transformed with new access, footpaths, viewpoints, drystone dykes, timber and concrete seating and landscaping which includes more than 10,000 new trees.
Work is progressing on the rest of the beachfront area to create a new play park and an events field, which are due to be completed in the autumn of 2026.
The play park has been designed with help from the young people of Aberdeen through a ‘Young Ambassadors’ group who used the history of the city’s former rope making industry to create a large-scale bespoke play feature which includes a 23m-tall play tower.
There is also a unique skate landscape which has been designed by leading European skatepark design and construction firm Betongpark.
The 2.5-hectare events field includes an amphitheatre and will be able to host festivals and larger concerts and gatherings. Other works include five new buildings and shelters on the play and event parks.
The Beach Boulevard between Links Road and the Esplanade has been permanently closed to road vehicles and will be redeveloped to become part of the beach park area and provide active travel opportunities for walking and cycling.
The demolition of the former beach leisure centre will begin in the autumn of 2025 and will include removing a connecting link to the Beach Ballroom. The Lynx Ice Arena will remain open and continue to operate as normal during the works.
Future proposals for the beachfront include replacing the leisure centre, upgrading the Beach Ballroom, improving the beach interface, a beach village, and a Footdee Club House for swimmers, surfers and life saving clubs.
The revitalisation of the beachfront will support the local economy by increasing footfall, improve the health and wellbeing of citizens, improve sustainable links to the city centre, and reinstate Aberdeen’s reputation as the ‘Silver City by the Sea’ by creating the finest beach and holiday resort in Britain.
Our Journey to the Beach
This video highlights how Aberdeen City Council engaged with children and young people to develop the ideas for the new beachfront improvements.
Gallery of development