Aberdeen, Aspc Stats

[quine]

I always seem to be depressing you, quine. I'm sorry. Don't worry, tho. There's many more like me, active at grass roots, infiltrating the likes of Aberdeen Civic Society and making nuisances of ourselves in the local press. The capitalists I decried above will not get a free-run with our 'braif toun'. Let them be capitalists, I have no problem with that. It is when they use their money as a lever over civic society and impinge upon the public realm that they invite the reaction of leviathan. We, all of us, are leviathan and we are all participants in the social contract.

Did you read the rubbish that Tory candidate Amanda Harvie wrote about her candidacy in Aberdeen South?

She said "I am honoured to have this opportunity to champion the interests of the people and businesses of Aberdeen..."

and then went on to talk of issues related exclusively to business interests only. It's almost as if she genuinely believes that business interests are the only thing that matters. Oh, hang on. Right enough; Tory candidate, links to George Osbourne, Chief Exec of Abdn Chamber of Commerce and Scottish Financial Enterprise; clearly she believes that business interests are the only things that matter. What does this woman have to say about health, education, transport, foreign affairs and the pressing social problems which Aberdeen faces? I'll tell you what, she has to say: nothing! These things do not concern her and her pencilneck sponsors who are also her clients.

From the Scottish Tory website:

This talk of 'the big society' from the Cameroons is simply a loincloth for people like this. A future Tory government will roll back the state, not (as they would have us believe) so that 'little platoons' of civic virtue will fill the void, setting up primary schools and cottage hospitals like busybody boyscouts (horrifying though that prospect may be). Rather, that void will be filled by business interests who will lever their financial and real capital into usable political power over ordinary people. What we see in Aberdeen with the unelected ACC and ACSEF business lobby groups calling the shots over our elected council is a foretaste and a warning of the plutarchy the country can expect should the state be allowed to derogate from the social contract. It's 'Capitalism with Russian Characteristics' as Ken Macleod warns.

Meantime, (to cheer you up) here are some of the things which make it worthwhile living in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire:

The hillwalking; the ornithology; the archaeology; the mountain-biking; the angling; the skiing; autumn on Royal Deeside; the long summer evenings and the crisp blue winter mornings; the sands to the north and the cliffs to the south; the symphony, ballet and opera; world-class local produce; the (relatively) dark skies; the sleeper to London and the ferry to Shetland. And a sh1te football team. Oh, and the golf (if you must - ugh!)

"Fit a rare place tae bide!"

[quine]

Ha ha: now you've made me homesick:(

The hillwalking; the ornithology; the archaeology; the mountain-biking; the angling; the skiing; autumn on Royal Deeside; the long summer evenings and the crisp blue winter mornings; the sands to the north and the cliffs to the south; the symphony, ballet and opera; world-class local produce; the (relatively) dark skies; the sleeper to London and the ferry to Shetland.

[The McGlashan]

Ha ha: now you've made me homesick:(

Homesick?

I missed these from my list....

[quine]

Homesick?

I missed these from my list....

Aitkens butteries...if Carlsberg made butteries...

[Jadoube]

I have to say that is one of the most entertaining, erudite, well argued posts I've seen for a long while. Apart from visiting to play the odd game of rugby many years ago I have no knowledge of Aberdeen so I gained a lot of insight.

Thank you for the pleasure I had reading it.

I find this forelock-tugging servile excuse for ongoing blind consumerism nauseating. I am tired of reviewing young people's CV's where they list 'shopping' under hobbies and interests.

This very large city-centre site which hosts Union Sq would much better have been utilised as a marina (plans were drawn up in the late 90's); the site for the new community stadium and/or concert arena (mass attendance venue alongside transport hub - joined up planning!) or even returned to being the tidal estuary of the Denburn (which it was until the 1880's). But without doubt, the best use for this site was what it was originally created for, the reason the estuary was drained. This is a rail-freight and rail-engineering hub, fully integrated with the sea-port. It is now uncontroversial to point out that rail transport has a bright future. In that context, the recent destruction of this huge piece of rail infrastructure seems short-sighted at best.

The business practices of Hammerson Developments (owners of Union Sq) used in attracting tenants to the development are probably the aspect of the mall most harmful to Aberdeen in the short-term. All of the large retailers which have chosen to occupy units in the mall are there rent-free for a year. The blight that this has caused in other areas of the city centre is clear to all those who have eyes to see. It will be interesting to see what happens when the rent-free year expires.

The mall is not 'nice' inside. It's unoriginal rubbish badly done; you could be anywhere. It has been designed by accountants - I can assure you that no architect has been near this. Open your eyes and look at the detail - cheap materials and a poor standard of finish typify the approach to this development which was thrown up with unseemly haste. Being in Union Square is like being in an underpass. It's alienating and dehumanising.

Go and see Dundee's new Overgate redevelopment if you want to see a decent shopping mall which has original charm and quality and actually integrates with it's immediate and wider location. Both it and Glasgow's recent Buchanan Galleries knock Union Sq into a cocked hat for quality of design. But still, they do contain the same identikit crappy shoppies selling the same crappy products to the same over-indebted advertising-conditioned consumerist automata - is this what is meant by 'aspirational'? I note that there's been a 'surprise' 12% decline in burglary since 2008. No surprise to me: 'What's the use of robbery when nothing is worth taking?'. It's all crap.

The 'themed' restaurants upstairs at Union Sq make me laugh. One of them celebrates the conquest of the Inca. So false is everything about it that the laminate photocopies of wooden floorboards which they have glued to the concrete floor actually include *cigarette burns*! (The irony being, of course, that smoking was banned in public spaces long before the building was constructed). The standard of food seems to be an afterthought (non-thought, actually). Maybe one day we'll get a 'restaurant' themed restaurant.

There is one civic aspect which Union Square contributes to Aberdeen which is unparalleled. The view over the harbour from the top-deck of the car-park is panoramic and dramatic. Go and see - well worth it.

Do you mean that in a monetary sense? You are in danger of confusing standard of living with quality of life - the two are quite different.

Hmm, "a good 5 solid years left".

Then what? What good is that to kids sitting their Standard Grades right now? What good will these shiny new shops be then? Where is Aberdeen's economic future?

Just a generation ago, Aberdeen had a diverse industrial economy: stone dressing; paper and board manufacture; meat-packing and fish processing; textile weaving, bleaching and dyeing; hide tanning; cabinetmaking; glove and comb manufacture (!); shipbuilding; locomotive engineering; medical research; fisheries and agricultural research; blue-sky scientific research. Not a lot remains, and that which does has largely been co-opted in support of the North Sea O&G industry . This is called 'the resource curse'. (Sort-of). Maybe it's a bit like Gresham's Law.

I think you are mistaking what you perceive to be negativity against Aberdeen with what is actually negativity against the civic direction the city fathers may continue to allow Aberdeen to take. I can only speak for myself, of course, but I regard the fight for a sustainable future for the city which I love as being very important. Too important to leave to the Chamber of Commerce and ACSEF, who, in common with their Conservative Party Candidate, represent business interests and far-off shareholders only. One of the main problems with the ongoing free-market obsession with shareholder value is that it is very short-sighted (based upon reporting periods and annual dividend payments) and tends to discount the future. The problem with that is that I have every intention of living in that future.

The business interests making their current putch on civic Aberdeen seek to 'farm' us Aberdonians as compliant and unquestioning producer-consumers good only for enhancing their shareholder value: the remainder of the public realm does not matter to these people. This is important. All Aberdonians who care about their city should be aware that a handful of rich business players are at present attempting to gain full control over council decisions.

Read this

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/the-tycoon-the-secret-meeting-and-the-battle-for-the-soul-of-aberdeen-city-1.1021429

and weep.

[rookie]

I find this forelock-tugging servile excuse for ongoing blind consumerism nauseating. I am tired of reviewing young people's CV's where they list 'shopping' under hobbies and interests.

This very large city-centre site which hosts Union Sq would much better have been utilised as a marina (plans were drawn up in the late 90's); the site for the new community stadium and/or concert arena (mass attendance venue alongside transport hub - joined up planning!) or even returned to being the tidal estuary of the Denburn (which it was until the 1880's). But without doubt, the best use for this site was what it was originally created for, the reason the estuary was drained. This is a rail-freight and rail-engineering hub, fully integrated with the sea-port. It is now uncontroversial to point out that rail transport has a bright future. In that context, the recent destruction of this huge piece of rail infrastructure seems short-sighted at best.

The business practices of Hammerson Developments (owners of Union Sq) used in attracting tenants to the development are probably the aspect of the mall most harmful to Aberdeen in the short-term. All of the large retailers which have chosen to occupy units in the mall are there rent-free for a year. The blight that this has caused in other areas of the city centre is clear to all those who have eyes to see. It will be interesting to see what happens when the rent-free year expires.

The mall is not 'nice' inside. It's unoriginal rubbish badly done; you could be anywhere. It has been designed by accountants - I can assure you that no architect has been near this. Open your eyes and look at the detail - cheap materials and a poor standard of finish typify the approach to this development which was thrown up with unseemly haste. Being in Union Square is like being in an underpass. It's alienating and dehumanising.

Go and see Dundee's new Overgate redevelopment if you want to see a decent shopping mall which has original charm and quality and actually integrates with it's immediate and wider location. Both it and Glasgow's recent Buchanan Galleries knock Union Sq into a cocked hat for quality of design. But still, they do contain the same identikit crappy shoppies selling the same crappy products to the same over-indebted advertising-conditioned consumerist automata - is this what is meant by 'aspirational'? I note that there's been a 'surprise' 12% decline in burglary since 2008. No surprise to me: 'What's the use of robbery when nothing is worth taking?'. It's all crap.

The 'themed' restaurants upstairs at Union Sq make me laugh. One of them celebrates the conquest of the Inca. So false is everything about it that the laminate photocopies of wooden floorboards which they have glued to the concrete floor actually include *cigarette burns*! (The irony being, of course, that smoking was banned in public spaces long before the building was constructed). The standard of food seems to be an afterthought (non-thought, actually). Maybe one day we'll get a 'restaurant' themed restaurant.

There is one civic aspect which Union Square contributes to Aberdeen which is unparalleled. The view over the harbour from the top-deck of the car-park is panoramic and dramatic. Go and see - well worth it.

Do you mean that in a monetary sense? You are in danger of confusing standard of living with quality of life - the two are quite different.

Hmm, "a good 5 solid years left".

Then what? What good is that to kids sitting their Standard Grades right now? What good will these shiny new shops be then? Where is Aberdeen's economic future?

Just a generation ago, Aberdeen had a diverse industrial economy: stone dressing; paper and board manufacture; meat-packing and fish processing; textile weaving, bleaching and dyeing; hide tanning; cabinetmaking; glove and comb manufacture (!); shipbuilding; locomotive engineering; medical research; fisheries and agricultural research; blue-sky scientific research. Not a lot remains, and that which does has largely been co-opted in support of the North Sea O&G industry . This is called 'the resource curse'. (Sort-of). Maybe it's a bit like Gresham's Law.

I think you are mistaking what you perceive to be negativity against Aberdeen with what is actually negativity against the civic direction the city fathers may continue to allow Aberdeen to take. I can only speak for myself, of course, but I regard the fight for a sustainable future for the city which I love as being very important. Too important to leave to the Chamber of Commerce and ACSEF, who, in common with their Conservative Party Candidate, represent business interests and far-off shareholders only. One of the main problems with the ongoing free-market obsession with shareholder value is that it is very short-sighted (based upon reporting periods and annual dividend payments) and tends to discount the future. The problem with that is that I have every intention of living in that future.

The business interests making their current putch on civic Aberdeen seek to 'farm' us Aberdonians as compliant and unquestioning producer-consumers good only for enhancing their shareholder value: the remainder of the public realm does not matter to these people. This is important. All Aberdonians who care about their city should be aware that a handful of rich business players are at present attempting to gain full control over council decisions.

Read this

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/the-tycoon-the-secret-meeting-and-the-battle-for-the-soul-of-aberdeen-city-1.1021429

and weep.

McGlashan.......

CHEER UP MIN!

[maxdiver]

Actually, that Union Square would have been a great place to have the new football stadium.

They are planning to move the stadium from King St. out to somewhere I will never go.

Union Sq. would have been perfect - I guess there is enough space - and you could have still had hotel, bars, shops etc...

That is a big site - look at it from South College St. - it even looks like a football stadium.

I think that Aberdeen is badly planned - joined up thinking is not evident.

Anyway - here is a report on the rental market in Aberdeen and Scottish Cities (but not Dundee cos it's a hole)

This is also in the Belfast Telegraph.

City Lets report page

Enjoy!

[The McGlashan]

RoS Monthly Figures...

http://www.ros.gov.uk/pdfs/local%20authorities%20mar%202010.pdf

Down -1.5% MoM on rising volumes.

Up +12% YoY

Down -10% from July 07 Peak.

RoS Quarterly Figures...

http://www.ros.gov.uk/pdfs/Statistical%20Report(final)%20-%20Jan%20-Mar%202010.pdf

Useful mix-adjusted figures to be found within the depths of the report.

Here's graphs of some of the headline data for Aberdeen...

Edited May 7, 2010 by The McGlashan

[The McGlashan]

Small drop in Abdn unemployment

[The McGlashan]

I've just been reading ACC's City Centre Vision Report.

http://committees.aberdeencity.gov.uk/Published/C00000122/M00000371/AI00005499/AberdeenCityCentre.pdf

It's a lengthy read, but contains some vital information.

The oil and gas Industry has put Aberdeen in a privileged position since the discovery of the first North Sea oil field in 1969. Aberdeen has seen itself as a leading City in a truly global industry and its businesses have increasingly seen opportunities to export their innovative products and services around the world. But peak oil production is now in the distant past and current predictions suggest that as much as 25 billion barrels of oil might still be able to be produced with most of that being in the next 10 years. The current position is that there are 6 years of proven reserves.

Eeek!

[The McGlashan]

RoS time...

http://www.ros.gov.uk/professional/eservices/land_property_data/lpd_stats.html

Aberdeen +4% MoM, +13.7% YoY. (!)

-7% from peak.

Volume steady on month, but still less than half of peak volume.

[The McGlashan]

For sale on ASPC:

Today (1 June 2009)

For sale : 1176

Added in last week : 75 (6%)

Added in last month : 298 (25%)

Over a month : 878 (75%)

Not looked at this for a while, interesting to compare with this time last year...

Today (8 June 2010)

For sale : 1400 - a big uplift from this time last year.

Added in last week : 121 (9% of total)

Added in last month : 546 (39%)

Over a month : 854 (61%)

[The McGlashan]

Nothing grasping about our BTL landlords in Aberdeen,

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1767004

[abdn]

not a stat but came across this today...

http://www-w.aspc.co.uk/cgi-bin/public/LiveProperty/281022?ID=ILIFAHCG#picture

i'd buy it..... but the Mrs. seems to think we don't need it

[The McGlashan]

not a stat but came across this today...

http://www-w.aspc.co.uk/cgi-bin/public/LiveProperty/281022?ID=ILIFAHCG#picture

i'd buy it..... but the Mrs. seems to think we don't need it

I love the description:

"....something out of the James Bond movie Dr No."

By contrast to yours - my wife really wants it!

[ccc]

I love the description:

"....something out of the James Bond movie Dr No."

By contrast to yours - my wife really wants it!

10ft thick walls ?!

That is a TPF'ers dream. I think this should be noted on the main forum.

It sounds absolutely huge. I am not one for illegal raves and all - but this place is pretty much as perfect as you could get ?

[quine]

I've just been to Aberdeen for a visit and had a drive around the Tillydrone of the West End (as a taxi driver told me it's called). There's nearly one complete row of Stewart Milne's (sold and occupied) houses for sale 4, 6, 8, and 12 Rubislaw Drive: with number 12 only bought 5 months ago. Something amiss at the Kepplestone Development (apart from the obvious of course?) Lots and lots of other empty ones for sale.

http://www-n.aspc.co.uk/cgi-bin/public/LiveProperty/281494?ID=MKJMALOM#picture

[The McGlashan]

Who lives in a house like this...

http://otheraberdeen.blogspot.com/2010/07/disneyland-for-aberdeen.html

Read the comments and links therefrom...

[The McGlashan]

RoS monthly figures...

http://www.ros.gov.uk/professional/eservices/land_property_data/lpd_stats.html

Aberdeen down -2% MoM (volume up a bit, about the same as this time last year, about half of peak volume)

Up +3.9% YoY

Down -8.7% from July 07 peak

[The McGlashan]

While I'm here....

ASPC for sale.

Today (9 July)

For sale : 1513 (up 113 from last month)

Added in last week : 107 (7% of total)

Added in last month : 497 (33%)

Over a month : 1016 (67%)

IIRC, that's the first time I've ever seen more than 1000 sticking for a month or more.

[quine]

Who lives in a house like this...

http://otheraberdeen...r-aberdeen.html

Read the comments and links therefrom...

Looks like the kind of poor taste place that Stewartie Milne would build himself. Do you know who's it is?

[quine]

RoS monthly figures...

http://www.ros.gov.u.../lpd_stats.html

Aberdeen down -2% MoM (volume up a bit, about the same as this time last year, about half of peak volume)

Up +3.9% YoY

Down -8.7% from July 07 peak

Ha. Not looking good in Aberdeen then. Like you I can't remember there being such a high number of properties for sale for such a long time. Lots of flats just sticking there.

[abdn]

today (all aberdeenshire)

houses 1950

flats 945

taken from my random snapshots - please note these are for the whole of Aberdeenshire

next nearest comparison for houses (02/03/2009) total 1967

next nearest comparison for flats (12/01/2009) total 828

least number of houses for sale(03/02/2010) total 1320

least number of flats for sale (08/01/2010) total 494

most number of houses for sale (25/09/2008) total 2233

most number of flats for sale (25/09/2008) total 1072

(^^^ funnily enough that's when i started noting down totals - available properties declined in number every month until feb of this year)

[The McGlashan]

Looks like the kind of poor taste place that Stewartie Milne would build himself. Do you know who's it is?

Hiya quine,

http://otheraberdeen.blogspot.com/2010/07/disneyland-for-aberdeen.html

If you read down the comments on the link above, and follow the link on the last comment, all will become clear!

Edited July 9, 2010 by The McGlashan

[The McGlashan]

I've just been to Aberdeen for a visit and had a drive around the Tillydrone of the West End (as a taxi driver told me it's called). There's nearly one complete row of Stewart Milne's (sold and occupied) houses for sale 4, 6, 8, and 12 Rubislaw Drive: with number 12 only bought 5 months ago. Something amiss at the Kepplestone Development (apart from the obvious of course?) Lots and lots of other empty ones for sale.

http://www-n.aspc.co.uk/cgi-bin/public/LiveProperty/281494?ID=MKJMALOM#picture

OMG. I don't know why this didn't sell immediately. It's got a TV in every room!

EDIT

Actually, i take it back. Bare bulb in lounge. Unforgivable.

Edited July 9, 2010 by The McGlashan