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Boot gets go-ahead for £333m exhibition centre

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Aberdeen council has backed development partner Henry Boot’s funding proposals for a £333m conference and exhibition centre on the outskirts of the city.

The planned £333m Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre will be built at Bucksburn near the Dyce airport and will replace the existing AECC at the Bridge of Don, which was built in 1985.

A mixed-use residential-led scheme is proposed for the Bridge of Don site once the new centre is up and running.

Boot will submit detailed plans targeting a planning permission by the end of 2015 to develop the initial phase of the project, including the 750,000 sq ft exhibition and conference centre, two hotels and an anaerobic digestion green energy centre.

Construction is penciled in to start in mid-2016 and run through to the end of 2018.

Aberdeen City Council Chief Executive Angela Scott added: “We have worked very hard to reduce the council’s financial exposure for this essential new facility to the council by more than £50m in the face of the overall development costs increasing as a result of a number of factors, including inflation and increasing construction and infrastructure costs.

“The expanded development now includes a second hotel and an energy centre, which have been added to bring in additional income streams to offset the development costs.

“The AECC generates more than £80m for the north-east economy each year and approximately £140m in Offshore Europe years, but the existing centre is no longer fit for purpose or big enough to accommodate the growing industry conferences or entertainment events.

“Without a new facility, there is no doubt Aberdeen will lose out on these events and the significant economic benefits they bring.”

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Civils specialist is first casualty of GB Group turmoil

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Leeds-based McFadden Construction has become the first victim of the financial turmoil at construction business GB Group.

Yesterday the local civil engineering firm itself filed for administration after being locked in a long-running payment dispute with GB Group over work on a major Leeds hotel project.

McFadden boss Martin Horne said: “There are several contractors that have not been fully paid on the Leeds hotel.

“We were in the throes of a second adjudication for around £700,000, after winning £450,000 in an earlier ruling for work on the reinforced concrete basement.

“But with GB Group filing for administration there is now obviously a big question mark over the case, which has been putting a big strain on our cashflow.

“This payment dispute has hit more than 120 staff and site workers as well as our suppliers. Many of these have been with us since we set up 17 years ago.”

The 14-storey Leeds hotel project is being developed by GB Group, which hailed the job six months ago as its first major venture into property development.

The construction arm GB Building has been building the project for the development arm under a £21m contract, which is half complete.

Thursday the £200m turnover GB Group filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators after attempts with banker to put a financial rescue deal together failed.

GB chairman Martin Smout said: “Alongside our advisors, we are continuing to explore funding solutions for the business and discussions are ongoing with various parties. We remain hopeful of a positive outcome.”

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