Aberdeenshire council is set to quit the city that bears its name and move to the heart of the restructured county.
Since local government restructuring in 1996, when the city of Aberdeen was made a unitary authority, Aberdeenshire council has been in the strange position of having its civic headquarters situated in a neighbouring borough.
Although the council has a lease deal in Aberdeen until at least 2001, an authority spokesman said it was looking for development partners to build offices in its own area. He said the building would cover nearly 11,300 sq m (121,640 sq ft), accommodate up to 500 staff and be located in central Aberdeenshire, possibly around Inverurie which has a population of 10,600.
The spokesman added that the new mixed-use development should also have good transport links and be energy efficient. No budget has yet been earmarked for the project.
Dr Colin Millar, convener of Aberdeenshire council, said: “We are seeking a building spec which will strengthen the identity of Aberdeenshire council, but which will also be a versatile, energy-efficient, purpose-built facility, making best use of the limited capital available to us.”
EGi News 10/07/98
