Openreach, the telecommunications infrastructure provider, has responded to public criticism from Aberdeen City Council regarding alleged delays in utility works beneath the Castlegate redevelopment site.
The council had previously accused the BT Group-owned company of hindering progress on the multi-million-pound regeneration scheme.
The Castlegate project is a key component of Aberdeen City Council’s broader City Centre and Beachfront Masterplan, a £150 million commitment aimed at revitalising the city. Specifically, the Castlegate streetscape transformation is valued at approximately £14 million and seeks to re-establish the area as a central civic space, enhancing pedestrian and cyclist access and strengthening its connection between Union Street and the beachfront.
The extensive work, for which Morrison Construction serves as the main contractor, began in March 2026 and is anticipated to conclude by summer 2027.
Sandy Beattie, Aberdeen City Council’s Masterplan Manager, informed councillors last week that efforts to engage with Openreach by the council and its delivery partner, Hub North Scotland, had been ongoing for “something like the last 12 months.”
Mr Beattie stated: “What I would suggest is it’s a lack of commitment from the utilities company to meet with the programme that has been shared with them for quite some time.”
Openreach, a legally separate and independently governed subsidiary of BT Group plc, is responsible for installing and maintaining the UK’s core telecoms network, serving over 690 communications providers. The company plays a vital role in urban developments by constructing fibre infrastructure for new sites and facilitating alterations or relocations of existing telecoms equipment.
Responding to the council’s remarks, an Openreach spokesperson acknowledged the situation:
“We understand the frustration around delays to a high-profile project like Castlegate, and we know how important it is to the city and the people who use the area every day.”
“We’ve been working with Aberdeen City Council and its delivery partners for some time on the complex network changes needed beneath the square. This isn’t a single piece of work – there are different sections of Castlegate at different stages, and our engineering can only move forward once access, traffic management and sequencing are agreed for each part.”
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The company emphasised its focus on “detailed planning and regular discussions, so the work can be done safely, at the right time, and without creating unnecessary disruption for people.”
The spokesperson concluded by reaffirming Openreach’s commitment: “We’re committed to supporting the project and we’ll continue working with the council to agree the next steps and get on with the job as soon as conditions on site allow.”
Aberdeen City Council has previously noted that the overall project timeline is “bound by the utilities companies’ commitments and performance” as the council cannot directly control these entities.
