Feature

Aberdeen bid for new stadium suffers setback

Scottish Premiership football club Aberdeen has had its new stadium plans halted after a local council committee said that it had breached “multiple planning policies.”

Claiming that the construction is planned for green belt land, the Garioch area committee recommended the project should be refused permission.

The Aberdeen City Council consulted the Garioch committee, as the area would border the Kingsford development.

Chairman Fergus Hood said: “The main issue is that the stadium is planned for green belt land, and we also don’t think the site has good connectivity to the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. We feel there could be noise issues, and there were also concerns that the local roads will be unable to cope with match day traffic.”

Aberdeen is proposing a 20,000-capacity replacement for Pittodrie Stadium, the club’s home since it was formed in 1903, with the development to include three professional training pitches, two community 3G pitches, a pavilion, gymnasium and club heritage centre.

Aberdeen vice-chairman George Yule said: “We welcomed the opportunity to address the Garioch area committee on our plans, and are pleased that other parties were also allowed to speak, both in support and to raise concerns.

“We recognise the meeting was the beginning of the process that will enable the council to reach a final view on the proposals, and now await the matter going before the infrastructure services committee next month (on March 16).

“Our view remains the proposals will deliver significant benefits to the city and shire, and represent a rare opportunity to deliver major private sector investment in sporting and community infrastructure at a time of economic challenge for the region.”

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