Dundee FC chief John Nelms on new stadium planning costs


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Delays and Rising Costs

Dundee FC's proposed new stadium near Camperdown faces significant delays, pushing back the anticipated move from Dens Park by at least two years. The planning application, submitted in February 2024, is stalled due to Transport Scotland requesting further information on addressing road network concerns. This delay has increased the project's costs to nearly £3 million, a figure that continues to grow.

Dens Park to Remain Home

Dundee FC managing director, John Nelms, confirmed that the club will likely remain at Dens Park for another two years due to the ongoing planning issues. The original hope was to move into the new stadium by 2025.

Commitment to the Project

Despite the setbacks, Nelms and chairman Tim Keyes remain committed to the Camperdown stadium project. They intend to appeal any potential planning refusal to the Scottish Government ministers. Nelms expressed confidence that the project will proceed, emphasizing that they have addressed objections raised so far.

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Dundee FC chief John Nelms says the club are likely to remain at Dens for another two years, as the wait for a new stadium decision goes on.

A planning in principle application was submitted in February last year seeking permission for a 12,500-seater stadium near Camperdown.

The fate of the application currently lies with Dundee City Council’s planning committee, who are yet to make a decision.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Nelms suggested the delay was due to Transport Scotland seeking more information over the “finer details”.

However, transport chiefs hit back in a rare public rebuke, accusing Dark Blues bosses of failing to provide solutions to the road network issue crucial to the ground’s approval.

Dens Park to remain home for foreseeable

Nelms had previously said he hoped Dundee would be in their new stadium by this year but delays in the planning process has scuppered this ambition.

And the Dark Blues managing director admits the cost of the project is continuing to rise as the wait continues.

“We will probably be at Dens Park for another two years,” he said.

Dundee players celebrate in front of fans at Dens Park. Image: Vagelis Georgariou/Shutterstock.

“(And) we are nearing £3 million in planning and development costs. That number will continue to grow as times goes on.

“For what they are asking, there is tens of thousands of pounds more potentially to do.”

‘We will keep fighting’, says Nelms

Despite the delays and increasing costs, Nelms says he and Dundee FC chairman Tim Keyes remain committed to the Camperdown stadium project ,even if planners refuse permission.

If they wish, they may decide to appeal to Scottish Government ministers who have the power to overturn planning refusal.

Nelms added: “We will keep fighting until we are not allowed to fight.

“But we don’t anticipate anybody saying we shouldn’t do this project – there’s no reason.

Dundee managing director John Nelms and owner Tim Keyes. Image: SNS.

“You will never make everyone happy and the people that have come out so far with objections, if you look at our (planning) documents we have answers for them.

“Moving forward, we will listen and do what we can do to be part of the community that everyone is proud of.”

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