Aberdeen FC’s proposed new £50million stadium faces a significant delay before any final decision is taken on the scheme.
City councillors had been expected to consider the application for the new 20,000-seat arena and training academy at Kingsford, between Westhill and Kingswells, next month.
But it has emerged local authority officials have asked club chiefs for more information and the application will not be considered until the October meeting of the full council.
The club has carried out the additional work requested and submitted the relevant reports.
And last night, the Dons released new images of the stadium – which would replace Pittodrie as the club’s home.
The project would be delivered in two phases, with the community and sports facilities and football academy constructed first and the stadium built in the second phase.
Executive vice-chairman of Aberdeen FC, George Yule, said: “Although this is later than we had hoped, we are confident that, if planning permission is granted in October, we will still meet the original target timescales of completing the community sports campus and football training academy in 2018 and the new stadium for the 2020-21 season.
“We have already invested considerable resource, both internally and with our team of external experts, in developing a comprehensive planning application package.
“This important development will deliver real benefit in sporting, social and economic terms for stakeholders and we look forward to it being considered on its merits via the statutory planning process.
“We provided the additional information requested as part of a positive and co-operative two-way process between the club and the city council, both of whom are committed to ensuring the application brought forward is considered rigorously against a comprehensive package of supporting information.”
“These images show that AFC is taking on-board the feedback from the planners and has responded to their request for a design that softens the external façade of the building.
“A delay of a few weeks at this stage is not unduly concerning as we can make specific adjustments to our project schedule.
“However, further slippage, beyond October, or a negative outcome, will result in us missing our target timescales.
“This will have a material impact on the club’s ability to recruit and retain talent and maintain our current position within Scottish football at a time when our football staff are delivering success for the city, the local community and the club.”