Construction jobs could be created in Aberdeen

13/11/2008 11:42:13

New Scottish construction jobs will be provided in Aberdeen if Scotland's second-richest man gets his way.

Sir Ian Wood, who has seen his family's fishing business grow into a major player in the North Sea oil industry, has pledged £50 million of his £890 million personal fortune towards restoring the heart of the city centre.

He wants to oversee construction work of a new square above the valley housing the Union Terrace Gardens, the Denburn dual carriageway and the Aberdeen to Inverness railway line.

The square would be somewhere between a grand Italian piazza and a scale-down version of New York's Central Park, according to The Scotsman.

Commenting on his proposals, Sir Ian said he wanted to give Aberdeen a "vibrant new heart" to reflect its status as a leading northern European city.

"This development is of significant regional, national and international importance and will be a clear statement of Scotland's ambition in the energy industry worldwide," he said.

A feasibility study into Sir Ian's proposals will take around four months, with a final decision on the project not due to be made until December next year.

Sir Ian is head of Aberdeen-based Wood Group, which specialises in a range of engineering, production support and maintenance management.

Construction Jobs in Scotland

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