ABERDEEN Football Club’s plans for a new 20,000 capacity stadium and associated facilities at Kingsford have been approved by Aberdeen City Council.
Councillors voted 32-9 in favour of the plans, supporting the recommendation from planners that the proposals were approved subject to a number of conditions.
As well as a new stadium for the football team, the application also includes plans for a football academy comprising outdoor pitches, pavilion and ancillary buildings, ancillary uses, access roads, parking and associated landscaping and engineering works.
Aberdeen FC chairman, Stewart Milne, welcomed the decision, which was made in the face of “considerable objections”.
He said, “After 17 years, we are one step closer to a new home that will allow us to meet our vision and ambition for Aberdeen Football Club, our city and our region. Together, we can deliver a first-class facility that will make us all proud, unlocking the potential of the Club, the Trust and the next generation of football stars and making a positive contribution to the local economy.
“We applaud the Councillors for taking this decision in the face of considerable objections. We are fully aware of and sympathetic to those in Westhill and Kingswells who have objected to our plans and I want to reassure them once more that we want to engage with them to deliver community facilities they can all enjoy and benefit from.
“I’d like to sincerely thank all those who have supported our plans and the AURORA campaign: our fans, businesses, community groups, sports organisations and individuals. I’d also like to pay tribute to our team of advisers and experts who have worked professionally, effectively and tirelessly for almost two years on this application.
“The next steps are to await final approval from the Scottish Government, agree the section 75, work through the conditions with the Council, and secure the necessary road and building warrant consents. Assuming these move at pace, we should be in a position to begin construction of phase one this summer.”
