A public consultation into plans to build a civic square in Aberdeen city centre was launched on Monday.
The £140million plan for Union Terrace Gardens is being backed by businessman Sir Ian Wood who is putting up a third of the money.
The plans have attracted criticism from Peacock Visual Arts which has seen its plan for an arts development in the gardens put in jeapordy.
Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future (Acsef) launched the consultation to get the views of the Aberdeen public on the future of the gardens.
It claims The City Square Project would improve the quality of life for people in the region and also help safeguard the north-east’s economic future.
Tom Smith of Acsef said: “When it’s finally designed (the civic square) will have a much wider cultural proposition for the city of Aberdeen rather than the narrower visual arts concept that Peacock have.
“If the public get behind the scheme, and I’m sure they will, I think you’ll see plenty of businesses getting behind this transformational project. The funding will not impact on the normal running costs of the city council.”
The city square model involves raising the gardens to street level and creating a concrete piazza with further facilities below.
At the gardens on Monday, protest group - I Heart UTG - unveiled three metre banners emblazoned with the message ‘Save Me’.
Group founder Katie Guthrie described the civic square proposal as a massive drain on the public purse coupled with the loss of Aberdeen’s historic and unique city-centre Gardens.
She said: “At the core of Sir Ian’s plans is the complete destruction of the Gardens as they exist currently. They will not be “raised” as ACSEF publicity tells us, but completely removed to make way for a concrete-and steel substructure.
“At a time where cities around the world are trying to maintain Urban Green Space and areas of significant and cultural interest, we find it ridiculous that ACSEF and Aberdeen City Council are considering removing Union Terrace Gardens.
Peacock Visual Arts say the proposals rule out their existing plans for a new contemporary arts centre in the gardens, which already has planning permission and most of the funding it would require.
Elly Rothnie of Peacock Visual Arts said: “We’re very disappointed on behalf of the people of Aberdeen that they’re not going to get the chance to be consulted on the full range of options for Union Terrace Gardens.
“This is a massive consultation on the future of the green heart of our city and we think its only right that the people of Aberdeen get the chance to be consulted on an option that has full planning permission.”
Aberdeen City Council, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Arts Council had already backed the Peacock scheme prior to the civic square concept being drawn up.
