Residents of Aberdeen have voted to go ahead with Diller, Scofidio and Renfro’s designs for a new garden in the city centre.

The American practice, which designed the High Line in New York, is working with local architects Keppie Design on the project known as Granite Web.

David Ross from Keppie Design said: “Our team have lived and breathed this project for a long time now and it’s satisfying that there has been a positive response.

“Our focus now is to work with everyone in the city, no matter which side of the argument they have been on, to deliver a project which helps the gardens to reach their potential. Good design can change lives. This is a unique project for so many reasons and we look forward to bringing it to life.”

The referendum showed 41,175 citizens of Aberdeen voted to retain the existing gardens and 45,301 have voted in favour of the City Garden Project.

Charles Renfro added: “We are thrilled that the public have come out in favour of the City Garden Project, albeit by a small majority.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to bring a new pulse to the heart of Aberdeen through year-round activities and groundbreaking design. We look forward to continuing our work with the citizens of Aberdeen as we fine tune the design and deliver a project for allAberdeen to use and enjoy.” 

Detailed plans will now be drawn up before a planning application is submitted later this year.