Dundee FC are to showcase designs for their ambitious new stadium development near Camperdown Park next week.
The football club hopes to get the backing of fans and residents in the city in an event taking place at the Landmark Hotel on Monday.
The major investment would see a 15,000-seater modern stadium created which could also be used for concerts.
Here’s all you need to know.
What are Dundee FC’s stadium plans and what is happening now?
The club’s owners want to create a huge development which would, as well as a stadium, include a crematorium, 210 homes, a hotel, commercial space, training pitches and restaurants.
It would be located on vacant land next to Camperdown Park, just off the Kingsway, which has already led to the nickname ‘The Nou Campy’ after FC Barcelona’s famous ground.
The club’s owners want the stadium to be completed and in use by the team in 2024, a timeframe one planning expert describes as “ambitious”.
The stage it’s at just now is the first step called a proposal of application (PAN) notice, which only offers up a general idea of the plans, rather than full details.
It has been submitted by Dark Blue Property Holdings Ltd – the firm owned by club directors John Nelms and Tim Keyes.
The address listed in planning documents is 7 Dayton Drive, which is next to Dundee Ice Arena.
The next part, which is happening on Monday, will see the plans put on public display at the Landmark Hotel on Kingsway West from 2pm – 7.30pm.
The first time the idea was made public was in 2016 but despite a similar PAN being submitted, it never came to fruition.
The estimated cost of the plan has not yet been revealed.
What can people expect from the public exhibition?
As part of the planning process, Dundee have to outline these fresh proposals to the public and allow locals to have their say in a free event.
There will likely be design images and a few representatives from the developers who can answer questions and explain things in more detail.
Additionally, there’s also a virtual exhibition taking place on October 24, also from 2pm-7.30pm, which people will be able to access for free online.
It’s worth noting a full planning application hasn’t been submitted yet so we won’t find out the finer details until then.
That likely won’t happen until early 2023 and then – because there’s a backlog of planning applications at councils across Scotland just now – it could be around another four months until it’s approved or rejected by the planning committee.
This committee is made up of elected councillors from across Dundee’s eight wards, who will also take on board a formal recommendation from the council’s planning officers.
This complex process means it could be next summer or even later before the final plans are approved, if they are.
What has the reaction been to the idea so far?
There have been concerns over access, specifically whether traffic would enter direct from the busy Kingsway, and the proximity to Camperdown Park.
Some fans also don’t want to see the team leave Dens Park, which has been their home for the last 123 years, particularly because it’s in the heart of a well-populated area and easy for fans to get to – with plenty of shops and pubs nearby.
On the other hand, many fans also complain about the state of sections of the current ground, known officially as the Kilmac Stadium.
Having survived being plunged into administration twice — in 2003 and 2010 — there has been little cash available to maintain or improve it.
The club also argue the development could be a huge boost to their commercial operations and also help Dundee’s economy.
They may be able to make big sums from corporate events, conferences, and potentially concerts.
Conversation