Dundee FC’s proposed new stadium at Camperdown is one of the most talked-about subjects among readers of The Courier.
We have dedicated hundreds of pages online and in print to the Dark Blues’ plans to leave Dens Park – and what the club’s departure from its historic ground would mean for the city.
The ambitious project includes building a 12,500-seater stadium, up to 183 residential units and a crematorium.
A 100-bedroom hotel, restaurant, safe standing area and beer hall are also included in the proposals, along with the expansion of the Dundee Ice Arena.
Last month, in our opinion section, Dee managing director John Nelms wrote that he dreamed of Camperdown being “a crown jewel in the regeneration of Dundee”.
He said: “We want to make our stadium a part of the city’s vibrant entertainment footprint: bringing concerts, major events and conferences on a regular basis and providing a place for supporters of all generations to enjoy pre and post-match entertainment and hospitality, as well as consuming other forms of entertainment on non-matchdays.”
‘230 full-time job’
The spectacular concept images – created by Holmes Miller Architects – paint a positive picture of what the future could look like for Dark Blues supporters.
Mr Nelms, whose vision has the support of the Scottish football authorities, added: “For our part the total investment in the project directly and indirectly has been estimated at £95m…
“That investment will in turn deliver an estimated £162m of Gross Value Added [benefits above and beyond the investment itself] to the local economy in the first 25 years alone.
“That can be broken down into the creation of 230 ongoing full-time jobs – creating almost £6m of new income to the workforce – and 180 additional one-off construction jobs, generating around £4.5m of income.”
These are eye-catching figures.
Project director Ian Cooney, of Holmes Miller, says: “Dundee is a place beloved by its people and possesses many cultural assets, and this project is an offering to a future-facing city.
“Holmes Miller’s design will offer a 21st century fan experience to engage a new generation of Dundee FC supporters and citizens at this multi-use venue.
“Our stadium concept will embrace the spirit and heritage of Dens Park, with authenticity key to the design.
“It will be centred around a modern matchday experience for Dundee fans – with the ability to flex for a variety of cultural and civic events on non-matchdays.”
‘Stadium project must be right for city of Dundee, not just football club’
The Courier is supportive of this proposal.
We believe a new Dark Blues stadium, as Mr Nelms says, could provide a huge boost to the local economy and underpin a bright future for one of Dundee’s two major sides.
But it is crucial these plans are right for the whole city – not just for the football club.
And central to the debate are important issues that may impact the lives of our readers, local residents.
Dundee chiefs admit the new stadium could cause congestion on the Kingsway on matchdays, with an access road directly from the A90 into the Camperdown complex proposed.
It would see a new junction positioned between the BP petrol station and the Coupar Angus Road roundabout.
There will also be access through the current leisure park, with work funded by Dundee to be done on the roundabout at the entrance to Camperdown Park.
Answering Dundee FC stadium questions
Weekend games involving the Old Firm would prove the biggest challenge.
Dundee Civic Trust – a charitable trust which aims to encourage the highest standards of design in new buildings and regeneration projects – claims car crashes, congestion and increased pollution will be “inevitable”.
“The roundabout will simply not be able to handle a huge injection of football traffic seeking to make a 180-degree turn”, the group says.
It’s also claimed the stadium development could be “detrimental’ to Camperdown Country Park, popular with dog walkers, families and runners.
SEPA, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, have responded with no objections to Dundee’s planning permission in principal application.
John Nelms deserves credit for addressing some of the concerns in his recent column in The Courier.
Dark Blue Property Holdings (DBPH) – the company set up by Mr Nelms and Dundee owner Tim Keyes to build the new stadium – has also answered questions submitted by the club’s second largest shareholder, Dee4Life.
Such transparency at this stage is vital.
‘Robust process and fierce debate’
But we are only at the beginning of this process, with objections to the planning permission in principle yet to be published by Dundee City Council and a decision not expected until August.
During this period, people on both sides of the argument will make their points heard.
Many will highlight the exciting opportunities the project presents while some will flag the disruption they feel could impact their day-to-day lives.
Others, like The Courier columnist Jim Crumley did earlier this week, will question the leadership of the stadium project and the ramifications for Dens Park, 125 years old.
We must not shy away from robust process and fierce debate around this subject – it is what the city of Dundee deserves.
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