Sir Ian Wood says Aberdeen City Garden funding door 'open'

Aberdeen's rejected City Garden Project could still be financially supported by businessman Sir Ian Wood if it is resurrected within the next year.

Councillors voted to scrap the £140m plan to transform the historic Union Terrace Gardens on Wednesday.

Sir Ian said moves to drop the plan in favour of new proposals was bad.

He said his family trust would be looking to redistribute the £50m he had pledged to the original scheme and there could be no guarantees.

New proposals from the Independent Alliance Group were backed by 22 votes, with 20 against and one abstention.

Improvements to Union Terrace Gardens, and landmark buildings, are instead proposed.

In a referendum earlier this year, there were 45,301 votes in favour of the City Garden Project with 41,175 votes against.

The cost of the winning Granite Web design was £140m.

The council administration's senior coalition partner, Labour, had vowed to scrap the scheme.