Loirston chosen for new stadium

Aberdeen FC set to move

EXCLUSIVE

By Charlie Allan

 

Published: 03/04/2009

 

THE Evening Express can today reveal the preferred location for Aberdeen’s new community stadium.

 

The £38 million community facility, which will become home to Aberdeen FC, will be at Loirston Loch in the south of the city.

 

It follows a year-long series of feasibility studies to decide if the site at Nigg would be the best location for the stadium.

 

The report on the recommendation of the Nigg site will now go out to consultation and will be referred to the council’s policy and strategy committee on April 28.

 

A number of other potential sites across the city, including one at King’s Links, were examined by Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeen FC and it was decided all of them were unsuitable.

 

Aberdeen FC managing director Duncan Fraser, who is also a member of the Arena Project Advisory and Monitoring Board created to advise of the best site and stadium design, said: “These recommendations have still to be approved and at the appropriate time, there will be a full consultation process with fans.

 

“Their feedback will be important.â€

 

For more on this story, and an exclusive image of the new arena, pick up today’s Evening Express or check back later

Always going to be the case.

Coming from Glasgow for most games it doens't make much difference to me either way, especially if they build a train station next to/near the ground

Anyone got any scans of these "exclusive" pictures?

 

 

http://www.afc.premiumtv.co.uk/javaImages/2a/a5/0,,10284~5678378,00.jpg[/img]

 

Loirston Loch in Nigg has today (Friday, April 3) been recommended as the optimum location for a new community stadium in Aberdeen.

 

It follows a year long series of feasibility studies to analyse the deliverability of both this locality and the King's Links, near Aberdeen Beach. Prior to this, a number of potential sites across the city were examined by both AFC and Aberdeen City Council and all were assessed to be undeliverable.

 

Each site was examined in three key areas - the environmental assessment; travel and transport, and finally the business and design case.

 

The Arena Project Team, a partnership between Aberdeen Football Club and Aberdeen City Council, was tasked with overseeing the process of selecting the best locality for a new community stadium.

 

Expert consultants were appointed to carry out the feasibility studies - Faber Maunsell examined the environmental assessment, while travel and transport examination was carried out by SIAS Transport Planners and finally, Gardiner and Theobald scrutinised the business and design case.

 

A previous feasibility study which was carried out by international consultants, ARUP, in late 2007 also recommended Loirston as the most deliverable site for a new stadium.

 

A summary of the report's findings include:

 

    * For the Environmental Impact Assessment, there were no insurmountable issues for either site

    * The Traffic Impact Study concluded that Loirston could be sustainable based on similar transportation models and, with the proposed building of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, would offer a good location

    * While both sites offered the potential for community facilities, given Cove Rangers FC support for Loirston, this location would offer extensive integrated community facilities while the restricted size of the King's Links site would reduce the potential for these facilities.

    * The capital costs are lower for Loirston than the King's Links - £38million, compared to £42million (and the latter figure excludes third party relocation costs). There is potential funding from prospective partners for a significant proportion of this capital spend and commitment to a deliverable site could allow AFC to bridge this funding gap.

    * In terms of ownership, the King's Links which is on Common Good land, has been deemed by legal opinion to be a riskier option and relocating the existing leaseholders could prove to be costly

    * After initial findings from the feasibility work, the focus changed last year as commercial development (for example, hotels and offices) was not deemed to be economically viable, instead the studies were to concentrate on the community facilities

 

Duncan Fraser, Managing Director of Aberdeen Football Club and a member of the Arena Project Advisory and Monitoring Board, said the findings of the report mark a vital step towards the building of a new stadium in Aberdeen.

 

"When it was first decided to look at the two sites in December 2007, we knew that it was essential to carry out a detailed examination of each site to assess which was the most deliverable," he said.

 

"The bottom line is that it isn't viable to redevelop Pittodrie. It is an outdated stadium and we absolutely have to move, we have no other option but to relocate. We recognise how difficult this is for supporters as the beach area is for many the spiritual home of Aberdeen Football Club. These recommendations have still to be approved and at the appropriate time, there will be a full consultation process with all of our stakeholders including, of course, fans as their feedback and opinion is so important.

 

"For over a year now, the consultants, with support from both Aberdeen Football Club and Aberdeen City Council, have been working exceptionally hard, examining their particular area of expertise. They have looked at the strengths and the challenges of each of the sites and have assessed that Loirston is the most deliverable across the board - in terms of capital costs, enabling opportunities, timescales, risk mitigation and economic impact.

 

"As well as having a new home for Aberdeen Football Club, we should consider the economic and social benefits to the North-east.

 

"Research has proved that a new stadium would not just enhance the local economy but would provide an overall qualitative impact to an area and we feel strongly that this would be the case in Aberdeen.

 

"It has long been acknowledged that Aberdeen needs and deserves an iconic stadium and the Loirston site would be a natural gateway to the city. This report marks an exciting new stage in the bid to provide the local community with this facility.

 

"We would like to praise the consultants for their diligence and hard work and also thank all the local businesses and representatives who were interviewed as part of overall process.

 

Keith Moorhouse, Chairman of Cove Rangers FC, welcomed the report's recommendation and believes it opens the doors for a long term development of the area.

 

"The consultants have shown that Loirston is the only deliverable site for Aberdeen FC and this opens opportunity for Cove Rangers FC to deliver our own stadium at this location. It offers a fantastic opportunity for a real community approach in the area."

 

An economic impact analysis completed in 2006 determined that Aberdeen FC contributes at least £6 million per year to the local economy. The club also supports a total of 350 full time equivalent jobs.

 

The report will now go out to consultation and will be referred to the Policy and Strategy Committee on April 28.

 

http://www.afc.premiumtv.co.uk/javaImages/20/a6/0,,10284~5678624,00.jpg[/img]

Anyone got any scans of these "exclusive" pictures?

 

 

 

Here's one:

 

 

 

Here's one:

 

 

 

 

How long did that take you to draw and scan in

And another:

 

Quite the artist aren't we But what I want to know is, do they have good pies?

So this report - on which AFC has spunked the best part of £1m due to the Council's refusal to pay - has now confirmed what an earlier, equally expensive report told us?

 

It's full of meaningless consultant wankspeak ("enabling opportunities") and says nothing which previous studies and common sense haven't already shown to be the case.

 

The most important section - which Charlie Allan (why break the habit of a scab lifetime) fails to address - is this:

 

The capital costs are lower for Loirston than the King's Links - £38million, compared to £42million (and the latter figure excludes third party relocation costs). There is potential funding from prospective partners for a significant proportion of this capital spend and commitment to a deliverable site could allow AFC to bridge this funding gap.

 

"Potential" funding from "prospective" partners? In other words, we still can't afford it, and are basing our plans on assumed contributions during the worst economic downturn in almost a century. The Council has already ruled itself out. We won't get central funding because there are no plans to host a European Championship. Our debt stands at around £6-7m, which would gobble up around 2/3 of the proceeds of Pittodrie's sale, and possibly even more, given the commercial property slump.

 

I would be delighted to hear which organisations the club thinks will be prepared to piss away £30 million on a community stadium.

 

This report from the EE - if not the full report itself (haven't read it yet) - is full of smoke and mirrors and doesn't say anything noteworthy which we didn't already know or suspect.

 

The bottom line is that without local authority funding, how on earth do we seriously expect to fund this?

Chuck the above was copied direct from afc.co.uk.  I presume, however, that Allan will print the story pretty much verbatim in the EE tonight

So this report - on which AFC has spunked the best part of £1m due to the Council's refusal to pay - has now confirmed what an earlier, equally expensive report told us?

 

It's full of meaningless consultant wankspeak ("enabling opportunities") and says nothing which previous studies and common sense haven't already shown to be the case.

 

The most important section - which Charlie Allan (why break the habit of a scab lifetime) fails to address - is this:

 

"Potential" funding from "prospective" partners? In other words, we still can't afford it, and are basing our plans on assumed contributions during the worst economic downturn in almost a century. The Council has already ruled itself out. We won't get central funding because there are no plans to host a European Championship. Our debt stands at around £6-7m, which would gobble up around 2/3 of the proceeds of Pittodrie's sale, and possibly even more, given the commercial property slump.

 

I would be delighted to hear which organisations the club thinks will be prepared to piss away £30 million on a community stadium.

 

This report from the EE - if not the full report itself (haven't read it yet) - is full of smoke and mirrors and doesn't say anything noteworthy which we didn't already know or suspect.

 

The bottom line is that without local authority funding, how on earth do we seriously expect to fund this?

 

Was going to point out that they were a bit vague on the funding again.

 

Also with regard to the transport links I would suspect that any possible raillink would needed to be funded by the stadium development as cannot see council or network rail paying for it.

Chuck the above was copied direct from afc.co.uk.  I presume, however, that Allan will print the story pretty much verbatim in the EE tonight

 

Fair enough - should have read more closely.

 

Like you, I seriously doubt that Charlie Allan will bring any intelligent perspective to bear upon the matter. He'd be hard pushed to read it, let alone spell it himself.

 

The other points - about the financing and the pathetic attempt to make the report sound meaningful and important by quoting the shit-for-brains consultantspeak - still stand, though.

The feasibility study has confirmed that a down market public bar selling watered-down lager will be built directly opposite the ground for fans wishing to stage protests before games at the new stadium.

Grounds out of town are shit 

Grounds out of town are shit 

 

Couln't agree more. I hate the idea of Loirston being our new home. Booooooooooooooo.

Just measured the distance from the Loirston Loch to the middle of town and its almost 3 miles. There is no way public transport could cope with that amount of people and it will be needed as its too far.

 

Compare it to other walks

Falkirk - 1.1 miles

Inverness - 1.2 miles

Dundee - 1.6 miles

Big tape measure?

 

 

Just measured the distance from the Loirston Loch to the middle of town and its almost 3 miles. There is no way public transport could cope with that amount of people and it will be needed as its too far.

 

Compare it to other walks

Falkirk - 1.1 miles

Inverness - 1.2 miles

Dundee - 1.6 miles

 

Always feels like fucking miles that hike.

I hate to say "I told ye so"... where's Fatshaft with all his talk of hotels and bars now?

 

And how did they decide office space and hotels weren't viable, considering planning permission has just been granted for offices and hotels at Loirston, obviously someone thinks it's viable 

 

The council granted planning permission a few weeks ago for a business park/hotel/'leisure facility' complex in the plot between the stadium site and Balmoral Group's premises.

 

The rail line that goes through Cove is about a mile from the stadium site, not sure how much it would cost to construct a station though. If they did build a station, it could link into the Inverurie-Stonehaven crosslink rail project. A concrete platform and some railings shouldn't be too expensive hopefully.

The council granted planning permission a few weeks ago for a business park/hotel/'leisure facility' complex in the plot between the stadium site and Balmoral Group's premises.

 

The rail line that goes through Cove is about a mile from the stadium site, not sure how much it would cost to construct a station though. If they did build a station, it could link into the Inverurie-Stonehaven crosslink rail project. A concrete platform and some railings shouldn't be too expensive hopefully.

 

Indeed.

They've just put a station up in Laurencekirk so I'm sure they could get one in place near Cove, in fact they'll probably have to.

Indeed.

They've just put a station up in Laurencekirk so I'm sure they could get one in place near Cove, in fact they'll probably have to.

 

Have they?

Have they?

 

Yep, although it used to be a station:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurencekirk_railway_station

Never noticed last time I was on the train and hadn't heard about it.

Grounds out of town are shit 

 

Aye, I remember everybody complaining having to get the train to the Allianz 

 

But, my understanding of what they want to build is:

 

1.) A New Community stadium (for us)

2.) A smaller stadium in the same area (for Cove)

3.) A 3rd ground for the FP's to play at

4.) An olympic swimming pool

5.) A center of excellence for golf

6.) An industrial estate

 

I doubt all of it will be built, but with even some of that, and no major link? Not even the mixture of Aberdeen City Council & whoever else is in charge can be that incompetent?!

 

For the record: I'd rather it was where it is right now, i'd give them the extra £4million to pay for it (if i had it!)

Hmmm.

 

So AFC have released no more information that we already knew about the proposed community  stadium at a time when the manager and club is under as much pressure as they've seen since the departure of Steve Paterson....just when there is talk of protests against the manager?

 

I'm setting up a donations site to help out. Get in and start the ball rolling.

 

http://www.fundastade.com/feasability/consultation/dragheels/pipedream