Real estate specialists Savills will consult with residents and stakeholders to identify ways to help draw people back into the heart of the city.

A “living city for everyone” is one of the Masterplan’s eight objectives and the aim is to add 3,000 new residents to the city centre over the next 25 years.

City council leader Councillor Jenny Laing said: “Aberdeen has been ranked as the most liveable city in Scotland and we continue to be a vibrant and forward-looking place to live and work.

“This Masterplan-backed study will give us an understanding of what’s needed to persuade more people to make the city centre their home.

“By listening to the public and partners we can start to deliver the necessary improvements on the ground.”

Deputy council leader Councillor Marie Boulton added: “Bringing people back into the city centre will benefit everyone.

“It will help to animate our streets and give businesses fresh custom, making trading in the city centre even more attractive.

“The Masterplan recognises that people are the real key to transforming our city centre and this study will inform decision-making for a number of individual projects.”

The City Centre Masterplan, which was unanimously approved by council in 2015, aims to widen the choice of housing so that a more diverse population in terms of age, income and lifestyle can enjoy an urban lifestyle.

It describes a need to create a more “liveable” environment by providing a range of housing options; improving the environment; and enhancing accessibility to local amenities such as childcare, greenspace and community facilities.

In order to promote the city centre as a desirable proposition to prospective buyers, occupiers and developers, the Masterplan also looks to create new and distinctive housing opportunities in terms of setting and scale.

Example projects include the proposed Queen Street quarter, a new residential led mixed use development opportunity, and the proposed Torry Waterfront on the south bank of the River Dee at Torry, with new pedestrian bridge over the river.

Simpson Buglass of Savills said: “Aberdeen will continue to be underpinned by high quality housing, top-performing schools, universities, good local amenities, improving infrastructure and an increasingly diversified local economy, which is not solely dependent on oil.

“The council should be congratulated on innovative forward planning and we are very pleased to be working with them in order to help bring the community element of the Masterplan to life.

“By bringing together our planning, development, residential and research knowledge we are well placed to do so.”

The study can be found here.