DUNDEE Football Club’s plans for the build of a new 12,500 capacity stadium have received support from the Scottish football authorities.
The Scottish FA (SFA) and Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) have both welcomed the top flight club’s plans to relocate from Dens Park to a ‘state-of-the-art’ stadium and campus at Camperdown Park.
Holmes Miller Architects was announced as lead architect on the project in December last year, with Dark Blue Property Holdings Ltd submitting planning permission in principle documentation to Dundee City Council earlier this week.
The new stadium is proposed to have a capacity in excess of 12,500, with a safe standing area in the home end and the capability to host music concerts and other major entertainment events. ‘State-of-the-art’ LED screens will feature as well as tiered hospitality offerings – including a 250-capacity brew hall.
A ‘subtle but significant’ nod is made in the plans to Dens Park, which has been the club’s home since 1899, with the new stadium’s main stand entrance set to feature the iconic ‘chevron’ design. The design pays homage to the unique dimensions of the Dens Park Main Stand, which was created by legendary architect Archibald Leitch.
Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA chief executive, said, “Dens Park has been an iconic Scottish football stadium for more than 100 years and while fans of all generations will cherish their favourite memories inside the stadium, we understand the club’s wish to future-proof their home and improve the matchday experience for supporters for the next 100 years.
“The Scottish FA is supportive of plans that will improve club infrastructure, the supporter experience and the image of the national game.”
Neil Doncaster, SPFL Chief Executive, added, “Any club that seeks to invest in improving infrastructure to this scale deserves enormous credit. This project is ambitious and one that has been worked on for some time by the owners.
“The SPFL supports efforts to enhance the Scottish football experience for the hundreds of thousands of fans who attend matches on a weekly basis.”
John Nelms, MD of Dundee FC, added, “Today is a significant milestone in our stadium development plans. Thanks to the help of our expert planning team, architects and the wider group involved in the project, we have submitted an extensive document requesting Planning Permission in Principle.
“We look forward to sharing more details with supporters during this process and engaging with Dundee City Council to bring the vision to reality. We are grateful, too, to the Scottish FA and SPFL for their support.
“We have also been encouraged by our engagement so far with the local authority, who are on record as saying that they are supportive of developers who want to play a part in the regeneration of Dundee and that they will work to remove any barriers.”
