Plans for a new £333 million conference centre in Aberdeen have been given the go-ahead by the city council. The planned Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre will be built at Bucksburn near Dyce airport and will replace the existing AECC at the Bridge of Don, which was built in 1985.

Plans for the new centre include a 750,000 sq. ft. exhibition and conference centre, two hotels and an anaerobic digestion green energy centre. Planners are in discussion with Aloft Hotels and Hilton over the two hotels which will include up to 350 bedrooms.

Construction is pencilled-in to start in mid-2016 with a completion planned by the end of 2018.

Whilst the existing Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre generates more than £80million for the Scottish economy each year, the building is considered no longer fit for purpose or big enough to accommodate the growing number of industry conferences or entertainment events. Without a new facility it is feared that Aberdeen will lose out on hosting major events, particularly those relating to the international oil and offshore industries.