A court hearing related to Aberdeen FC’s new stadium development was yesterday called-off at the last moment.
No Kingsford Stadium (NKS) is challenging the process by which Aberdeen City Council granted the Dons permission to build the 20,000-capacity stadium and training complex next to the A944 at Kingsford.
A procedural hearing had been scheduled to take place at the Court of Session in Edinburgh to ensure all documentation would be in place for a three-day substantive hearing next month.
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However, a motion was filed to the court indicating all sides had agreed to cancel the procedural hearing.
According a Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service spokeswoman, legal representatives for both NKS and the council felt plans for the substantive hearing were going well and a procedural hearing was not required.
“It means the case will proceed to the substantive hearing, which begins on January 29,” she said.
At that substantive hearing, NKS’s legal representatives are expected to challenge aspects of the way the council reached its decision.
A judge called a Lord Ordinary will consider arguments from legal representatives – including those appointed by Aberdeen FC – and will announce their decision around three months later.
Should the challenge fail, the Dons would be able to begin work on phase two of the project, including construction of the stadium.
Work on phase one is already progressing. It includes site preparation works and the building of access roads.
Should the challenge succeed, permission handed to the club by the council could be deemed void.
The club has previously said that, should that happen, it would either resubmit the application or table a new one, taking onboard any guidance from the judicial review process.