Aberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens set to re-open before Christmas

Aberdeen's historic Union Terrace Gardens (UTG) are set to re-open to the public before Christmas, three years after closing for a regeneration.

The gardens have been undergoing a £28m redevelopment since 2019.

A so-called soft opening of a section of UTG was expected back in April, but was cancelled.

In a report to be discussed next week, officials say they expect work to end in December. The main lawn would be turfed later due to weather.

The gardens originally opened in 1879.

The council's finance and resources committee will hear the materials needed for the one of the remaining jobs - cladding on two of the walkways - are now on site and are being installed.

This is expected to allow for the practical completion of the park before Christmas, which would allow it to open to visitors for the first time since 2019.

But due to the likelihood of frost and rain over winter, the turfing of the central lawn could take place after next February's Spectra light festival, elements of which will take place in UTG.

The project was due to be completed last year, but was put back to this year following delays caused in part by the pandemic.

It emerged last year that slab steps from the gardens had been piled in a residential garden.

A council report later confirmed all materials previously stored at an "unapproved location" have been returned and stored securely.

Plans to breathe new life into the gardens had first received the council's backing in 2007.

The following year, businessman Sir Ian Wood said he would contribute up to £50m towards a rival scheme to raise the gardens and develop a new street-level square.

Those plans were eventually rejected in 2012, when backing was instead given to proposals to improve the gardens.

Fresh plans for a revitalisation of the historic park were unveiled in December 2016, then given approval in 2018.

Work began on the site the following year.