Office vacancy warning over Marischal Square development

The development is due to be finished in the summer of 2017

Only 10% of offices in a £107m development in Aberdeen are earmarked for use, according to SNP councillors in the city.

The SNP group said there could be "catastrophic consequences" for council taxpayers if large areas of Marischal Square remained vacant.

The project is due to be completed in the summer

Aberdeen City Council said the risk was "minimal" and insisted the council would not face a large bill.

The development also includes a hotel, shops and restaurants.

Aberdeen City Council's SNP group leader, Stephen Flynn, told BBC Scotland: "If there's not a higher level of uptake in this building the council could be on the line for millions of pounds.

"In a situation whereby public finances are obviously hard pressed, we can't be seen to be facilitating our own downfall in terms of the monetary situation."

The council, which is run by a coalition of Labour, Conservative and Independent councillors. has previously ruled out saying how much of Marischal Square must be occupied for the project to break even.

They said this was commercially sensitive information.

The authority's finance convener, Labour councillor Willie Young said council taxpayers were protected but there were "always risks" with large projects.

He added: "Absolutely the council will not face a bill in six months time, a year's time and in two year's time. Absolutely not. We've built in significant amounts of money to protect the council tax payer."

Muse developments, which is delivering the project, has yet to respond to request for comment.