Dons ‘working closely’ with Aberdeen council to make beach stadium real

Aberdeen Football Club’s chairman has said it is “working closely” with the council on proposals for a new stadium at the beach.

Talks are being held between the council and the club, as well as charity Sport Aberdeen over the proposals, which would see the stadium stay within the city.

It was announced at the start of the year that Aberdeen City Council had launched a bid to convince Aberdeen FC to rethink plans to move out of the city to Kingsford.

Instead, it has proposed a new stadium could be placed at the beach, which would also include other sports facilities to replace the ageing Beach Leisure Centre, as well as a new home for sports venue Transition Extreme.

Dons chairman Dave Cormack previously said the club would be “open to the possibility” of exploring the beach site.

Speaking in an interview last night following the appointment of new Dons manager Stephen Glass where he was speaking about the club’s plans for the future, he said it was working closely with the council.

He said: “We’ve got the new stadium venture now being driven by the council at the beach area.

“We’re working closely and jointly with the council as well.”

The club has planning permission to build a stadium at Kingsford, however progress has stalled on the site due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Evening Express also previously revealed that the local authority would be willing to stump up some of the costs of the stadium, as it would benefit the city as a whole to have it remain at the beach.

Aberdeen City Council co-leader Douglas Lumsden, said: “I’ve made my views known, the council should do everything it can to keep the stadium in the city centre.

“Especially coming off the back of the news about John Lewis, we need to keep as much as we can in the city boundaries. It’s definitely the best thing for the city as a whole.

“Council officers have been given the instruction to talk to partners such as Aberdeen Football Club and Sport Aberdeen, fingers crossed we can come to an agreement.

“Hopefully we can put plans together that works for everyone.

“There is a will from myself and many other councillors and the club as well I think to remain in the beach area, hopefully we can come to an agreement.”