Scottish Premiership football club Aberdeen has moved a step closer to starting work on its new stadium after it was confirmed that the Scottish government will not call in the plan.
The mooted project, which is set to cost approximately £50m (€55.9m/$69.4m), will see the club build its new home, as well as training and community facilities, in the Kingsford area of the city near Westhill.
Plans have attracted a mixed reaction from local residents, with some throwing their support behind the project, but others raising concerns over the impact that the new complex will have on traffic in the Kingsford area, as well as a loss of green belt land.
However, Aberdeen looks set to move ahead with the project after the Scottish government said in a statement, picked up by the BBC, that there are no issues with the initiative requiring a decision to be taken at national level.
Stewart Milne, chairman of Aberdeen, responded positively in a statement on the club’s website: “We welcome the Scottish government’s confirmation that Aberdeen City Council can proceed to determine our planning application. We are keen to begin construction of the community and training facilities as soon as possible.
“The next step is to progress the terms of the legal agreement with Aberdeen City Council and work with all stakeholders on agreeing and meeting the conditions.
“We will continue to work with the City, Aberdeenshire Council and the community in the lead up to and during construction. Together, we can deliver a first-class facility to be proud of that will unlock the potential of the Club, the Trust and the next generation of football stars, while making a positive contribution to the local economy.”
However, Diane Reid from ‘No Kingsford Stadium’ said that the opposition group is still in the process of pursuing a judicial review and the government decision “leaves the way clear for us to challenge the decision through the courts”.
Image: Aberdeen FC
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