As follows:
We fully support the beach area of Aberdeen being included as part of the City
Centre Masterplan refresh, and hope to see a welcome rejuvenation of the beach
area as part of this.
This will give an opportunity to deliver on priorities identified by the
community in and around the beach area such as Renewable Energy Charging
Points, Environmental protections for the beach, water safety, open and green
space, increased air quality and support for local business and residents.
We are proud of the history and pride of place that Aberdeen Football Club
holds in the community and the city.
If AFC want to explore the beach area as a potential site for the stadium, we
fully encourage the Club and the City Council to engage and consult with
residents, with the community and with key stakeholders across the city as
early as possible and throughout the process.
As the local Community Council, we will be glad to help facilitate this
consultation in any way that we can through all methods of communication we
have at our disposal to make sure that all views are included in any decisions
reached.
We look forward to learning more about the nature of the proposals and how we
can support opportunities for views to come forward for any plans that are
developed - as we know the outcome of this will be very close to the hearts of
many of our residents, to many in the wider city and beyond.
-
________________________________
From: Smith, Jonathan Aitken <j.a.smith.08@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: 27 January 2021 20:05
To: cpcc-committee@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <cpcc-committee@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: 'Communitycouncils' <Communitycouncils@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: C&P CC - AFC Stadium Media Inquiry (Jan, 2021)
Good evening everyone,
Over the course of this week, William as our Planning Liaison has been
contacted by a number of press outlets asking for opinion and response on the
still developing story of the possibility of the beach as a potential site for
Aberdeen Football Club.
Based on responses so far from the community, we have received a general
appreciation for the club's history and location in the city centre making it
accessible to many who live nearby and who have ties to the club.
We have also received concerns about the proposal, in particular about the
safeguarding of the playpark area that was recently refurbished, and of the
nearby green spaces that are used for fire-work evenings and other events.
Base on this and on tonight's meeting discussion, we have drafted a response to
these media inquiries.
We know that this has the potential to become if it has not already a very
divisive issue in the community, with very strong views for and against.
Given the nature of these proposals and its capacity for divisiveness, we have
resolved at this stage to encourage both AFC and ACC to provide as much
information as possible to residents and to the wider community and also to
engage and consult as early as possible with residents and the wider community.
Although this is a quickly developing story in the press and on social media,
the proposals proper are indeed not yet at the proposals stage and still very
much based on discussion and opinion in press and social media from key figures.
If anyone is contacted by the press, our recommendation is to get in touch with
William and I as soon as possible, to ensure that we are able to coordinate
responses and also in our endeavour to keep this debate as cohesive, as
positive and as constructive as possible as we move forward.
Draft Statement (27th Jan, 2021 in next e-mail)
Thank you all, and with very best wishes.
We fully support the beach area of Aberdeen being included as part of the City
Centre Masterplan refresh, and hope to see the inclusion beach in this refresh.
This will give an opportunity to deliver on priorities identified by the
community in and around the beach areas such as Renewable Energy Charging
Points, Environmental protections for the beach, water safety, open and green
space, increased air quality and support for local business and residents.
We are proud of the history and pride of place that Aberdeen Football Club
holds in the community and the city.
If AFC want to explore the beach as a potential site for the stadium, we fully
encourage the Club and the City Council to engage and consult with residents,
with the community and with key stakeholders across the city as early as
possible and throughout the process.
As the local Community Council, we will be glad to help facilitate this
consultation in any way that we can through all methods of communication we
have at our disposable to make sure that all views are included in this process
and in any decisions reached – as we know the outcome of this will be very
close to the hearts of many of our residents, the wider city and beyond.