Aberdeen Art Gallery £30m redevelopment delayed

The completion of a £30m redevelopment of Aberdeen Art Gallery has been delayed, the council has said.

It closed in 2015 and was originally due to reopen in late 2017.

However, Aberdeen City Council said the construction schedule for the redevelopment is now to be extended. The gallery is now expected to reopen in late 2018 or early 2019.

The council's culture lead Marie Boulton said the delay was "unacceptable".

A report to the finance, policy and resources committee on 1 December will outline the revised schedule, and potential budget implications.

'Important project'

The redesign of the Schoolhill art gallery building was backed by 27 votes to 15 by the council in 2013.

The art gallery is being redeveloped

Ms Boulton said: "High level discussions with the main contractor for the Aberdeen Art Gallery redevelopment, McLaughlin and Harvey, are ongoing to finalise a revised schedule for the project.

"This is an important project for Aberdeen and it is imperative that what will be a lasting legacy for the city is completed to the exacting standards required for a development of this significance - but a delay of this nature is unacceptable.

"With any building of this age and complexity there will always be complications which can impact on the programme, and that has been the case with Aberdeen Art Gallery.

"However, we are in discussions with the contractor regarding the circumstances of the extension to the programme."

SNP councillor Alex Nicoll said: "I wonder if the next public art installation in Aberdeen will just be a pile of burning cash."