Castlegate resurfacing won't be 'aesthetically pleasing' - council

Some of the Castlegate's flagstones need to be replaced

Part of Aberdeen's historic Castlegate is to be temporarily resurfaced with waste materials from roadworks around the city.

Aberdeen City Council said it would cost more than £1.5m to properly repair the current flagstones in the square.

However they would then have to be taken up again as part of moves to use the Castlegate for an improved link between the city centre and the beach.

The temporary surface will use compacted road planings - material dug up during roadworks elsewhere in Aberdeen.

The council admitted that it would not be the most "aesthetically-pleasing of surfaces".

The compacted material will be laid on a large area of the Castlegate

In a statement, the council said: "It is acknowledged that while the compacted road planings will not be the most aesthetically-pleasing of surfaces, the works will allow the area to be kept safe whilst minimising expenditure on an area which will soon be redeveloped".

It will create a surface for vehicular traffic using the Castlgate, while repair work will also be carried out on the traditional granite cassies in the square's pedestrian areas.

The flagstones, which were laid on the historic square at the east end of Union Street in the 1990s, will be kept for potential future use in other projects.

The work is expected to be carried out in the coming weeks.