The future of the prominent Lang Stracht site which was home to the now demolished Aberdeen Journals headquarters remains uncertain, following the withdrawal of supermarket giant Lidl from a planned acquisition.
Aberdeen City Council has confirmed that Lidl has rwithdrawn its offer for the cleared plot, leading to a swift, behind-closed-doors agreement with an undisclosed new bidder for the significant development opportunity.
Councillors convened earlier this week to consider a fresh proposal for the land, located at 16 Lang Stracht, ultimately accepting an offer from a party whose identity has not yet been revealed. The site is currently listed as “Under Offer” on Aberdeen City Council’s official website, marketed for business and industrial development.
Lidl had been designated the preferred bidder for the site in May 2025, following extensive negotiations with the local authority over several years. The German supermarket chain had intended to construct a new store there, prompted by the expiration of the lease on its previous Lang Stracht premises, Aberdeen’s oldest Lidl store, which closed around July 2025. Farmfoods subsequently occupied Lidl’s former leased unit.
The community had actively supported Lidl’s ambition to remain in the area. In late 2024, the retailer engaged with nearby residents, encouraging them to advocate for its plans for the demolished site, which garnered hundreds of endorsements.
In Case You Missed it:
A spokeswoman for Aberdeen City Council confirmed the change in prospective buyers, stating: “Following the withdrawal of the previous preferred bidder for the site agreed in May 2025, the Finance and Resources Committee considered an updated report on the site and approved an offer from another party be progressed.”
Alex McLellan, the council’s finance convener, expressed disappointment regarding the supermarket’s decision. “The community got right behind Lidl’s bid to stay in the local area, and this was supported by Aberdeen City Council when we agreed to do a deal,” McLellan told The Press and Journal. He added: “Lidl’s decision to walk away from the Lang Stracht site, after building up a lot of expectation within the community, is disappointing.”
The former Aberdeen Journals HQ, a site where the Press & Journal and Evening Express operated for 48 years before relocating to Marischal Square in the city centre in August 2018, has since been cleared following the demolition of its old offices around 2021 or 2022. The land is zoned for B1 – Business & Industry use within the Aberdeen City Local Development Plan, adopted in 2023.
