The new Aberdeen FC Kingsford Stadium is located adjacent to the Aberdeen-Westhill road (A944) and just 200 metres from the new Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) at Kingsford to the west of Aberdeen city.
Why Kingsford?
The Club, in conjunction with Aberdeen City Council, has undertaken a comprehensive review of all seven potential sites within the city, including the current AECC site. The details of this feasibility study are on the Council’s website along with all our documents associated with the planning application.
This shows that many of the sites are either not large enough, unavailable or under multiple ownership making them unaffordable or more complicated to deliver. For example, the site of the AECC at Bridge of Don is not large enough to accommodate a community sports hub, training academy and new stadium with the associated parking. It is owned by Aberdeen City Council who will be seeking the best value possible e.g. from residential or commercial development to invest in the new exhibition centre. The City Council has planning permission in principle for mixed use development.
Loirston is included in this study but, after the Club had been granted planning permission, the City Council changed its policy and selected part of this site for the new City South Academy. This meant that there was not enough land available for our facilities and necessary parking.
King’s Links has also been ruled out as it is under multiple ownership, including the Kings’ Links golf centre, is not large enough and would cost significantly more to build due to its coastal location with very challenging ground conditions.
Pittodrie is a land-locked site that, when redeveloped to UEFA standards, would have a much reduced capacity. The redevelopment would cause significant disruption for local residents and traffic users in a densely-populated residential area for several years – and would cost as much, if not more, than a new, purpose-built stadium with training facilities. Many of those pointing towards the redevelopment at Tynecastle now recognise the increased scope, cost and impact on schedule this type of work has created for Hearts.
Equally, Hearts have the option of playing matches at Murrayfield to overcome schedule over-run impacts but Aberdeen FC does not have such an option within our area, so where would we play AFC games during any redevelopment? Further, if we were able to redevelop Pittodrie, we would not benefit from the proceeds of the sale of the site.
We are not making an empty claim. Kingsford truly is the only remaining option. It is large enough and within the Club’s control, making it affordable and deliverable.
Getting to Kingsford
We must have a stadium that is readily accessible and safe to get to and we have done a huge amount of work in this regard with our transportation strategy and traffic management plans. It’s very much in our own interests to ensure supporters come to the new stadium and Kingsford is only 5.9 miles from the city centre. So, as well as public transport, there will be regular shuttle buses that will have priority access into the stadium – from various locations in and around the city.
