▁as ▁potentially ▁extra ▁space ▁for ▁City mov es ▁dance ▁ag ency . ▁This ▁project ▁had ▁received ▁full ▁planning ▁permission , ▁secured ▁£ 9 . 5 ▁million ▁of ▁public ▁fund ing ▁from ▁Aber de en ▁City ▁Council , ▁Scottish ▁Enter prise , ▁and ▁the ▁Scottish ▁Arts ▁Council ▁and ▁was ▁scheduled ▁to ▁break ▁ground ▁in ▁late ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁before ▁being ▁rejected ▁by ▁Aber de en ▁city ▁coun c ill ors . ▁▁ ▁The ▁result ▁of ▁a ▁public ▁consult ation ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁AC SE F ▁showed ▁that ▁ 5 5 % ▁of ▁those ▁consult ed ▁were ▁against ▁the ▁City ▁Square ▁propos als ▁with ▁ 4 4 % ▁in ▁favour . ▁Non eth eless , ▁AC SE F ▁( A ber de en ▁City ▁and ▁Sh ire ▁Econom ic ▁Fut ures ), ▁decided ▁to ▁press ▁ahead ▁. with ▁the ▁project ▁and ▁asked ▁the ▁City ▁Council ▁for ▁end ors ement ▁to ▁proceed ▁to ▁a ▁further ▁stage , ▁an ▁international ▁design ▁competition . ▁The ▁City ▁Square ▁project ▁has ▁proved ▁highly ▁controvers ial ▁amongst ▁not ▁only ▁the ▁citizens ▁of ▁Aber de en , ▁but ▁many ▁exp atri ate ▁Aber d oni ans ▁and ▁others ▁from ▁further ▁af ield ▁. ▁O pp on ents ▁of ▁the ▁project ▁have ▁formed ▁a ▁campaign ▁group ▁known ▁as ▁Fri ends ▁of ▁Union ▁Terra ce ▁Gard ens . ▁The ▁campaign ▁group ▁held ▁a ▁mass ▁pic nic ▁in ▁the ▁gard ens ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁which ▁attract ed ▁over ▁a ▁thousand ▁people ▁and ▁generated ▁nearly ▁