Bitter row flares over 'cynical' plan for new city square

CONTROVERSIAL plans for a new civic square in Aberdeen are at the centre of a furious row between Scotland's enterprise agency and the country's main architectural institute.

The head of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) launched a blistering attack on Scottish Enter-prise, accusing it of effectively excluding Scotland's top architects from an international design competition to transform the city's Union Terrace Gardens.

Meanwhile, Aberdeen-born rock star Annie Lennox has re-entered the row over the development by writing to every councillor in the city urging them to ditch Sir Ian Wood's scheme. She warned that to carry on with the project would be an act of "civic vandalism" and an abandonment of democracy.

RIAS secretary Neil Baxter claimed the competition was aimed at recruiting a famous international architect in a move that was "offensive" to indigenous Scottish talent. And he condemned the plan, being championed by oil tycoon Sir Ian, to transform the historic Victorian gardens into a civic square.

Mr Baxter said: "Instead of doing something that's right for the place, this whole thing is a mechanism to achieve commercial gain for a very limited clique of very wealthy people, and it's utterly cynical."

He has written to Scottish Enterprise's regional director Maggie McGinlay raising RIAS's concerns following a telephone conversation between his deputy, Sharon McCord, and Aberdeen-based Scottish Enterprise officer Nicola Moore.

Ms McGinlay, however, said: "The conversation regarding an international architect has been completely taken out of context. There is global interest from architects and engineering firms, so any design competition we launch will encourage ideas from architects across the globe – which most definitely includes Scottish and UK architects."