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

Under the plans “football special” buses would run for two hours before and after each game, ferrying people to and from the city centre and the stadium every two minutes.

 

:lolabove: :lolabove:

 

Going on my experience of Aberdeen public transport that means the 255pm bus will arrive at the same time as the 1pm bus

 

Just build the fucking thing (somewhere else).

 

1 bus every 2 minutes for 2 hours... 60 buses.

 

Even if a bus held 100 people (which it doesn't) that would still only be 6000.

 

Even if there was 1 bus every minute - each carrying 100 people, ye'd still have just over half the capacity of the stadium on buses.

 

Crock of shite.

 

I think that will be adequate come the time...

Not everyone will need or want a bus.

 

Travelling support will have own transport and I'm sure a lot of our support will be arriving by car or supporter club busses.

 

 

but they're planning on room for 81 coaches worth of the OF filth)

 

Jesus fuck.

but they're planning on room for 81 coaches worth of the OF filth

 

Can you just imagine the smell!!!!!

What sort of parking capacity does Pittodrie have?

What sort of parking capacity does Pittodrie have?

 

Has a car park behind the Main Stand, there's onstreet parking for more than is needed, both the bus and train station are within walking distance and plenty of fans are able to simply walk there from home.

 

 

If the club has any ambition then they should push for a small railway station to be built at Cove and have shuttle buses running from there too. I reckon Scotrail would see that as a potential money spinner for commuter trains Mon-fri especially given the success of the Laurencekirk station (cost 3million to re-open that one)

So how about we name the place the 'first scotrail stadium' and see if that can prize a few million out of them. Especially since they will most likely be doing the shuttle buses.

 

Anyone old enough to know where the old Cove bay railway station was?

 

Maybe not ambitious, but realistic.

 

Actually when did we last have 21 000? Maybe not that unambitious?

Not a fan of that plan tbh Tom.

 

If the train station (or just even a platform) was at the stadium it could work, but bus+train+bus = lots of hastle.

 

If they're gonna do it, a bus that went all the way would be best IMO.

Its not a question of personal preference dave

 

The club seem to be bigging up this shuttle bus ideal which is a pipe dream. As someone has already pointed out even if each bus held 100 people that is still only 6000 fans and also relies hevaily on people wanting to be at the stadium for up to 2hrs in advance of kick off.

 

Having a second means of public transport which will drop fans off less than 1mile from the new stadium (as the crow flies. Fuck shuttle buses, they can walk. Construct an actual direct pedestrian route to the stadium and new footbridge over the A956) and can also be sold to the local government and train networks as having an every day use (at peak times every single southbound train out of Aberdeen could stop there, reducing to say 1-2 trains an hour the rest of the time) is an option the club and infact the local council dont even seem to be trying to approach.

 

This isnt a dig at you but in the last few weeks ive been inundated with complaints from friends, family and colleagues over 'ooh its such a hassle, lets not bother' for various activities. When did everyone become such a bunch of soft cunts?

Queing up with 6000plus pissed up dons fans between 2 and 3pm (lets face it how many people are seriously going to use the 1-2pm bus service?) when you can get on any of the south bound trains and walk for a bit? I know what im choosing.

Ill lay a bet Rainbow taxis and co would be sniffing about Cove bay station on match days anyway. Bus, taxi or walk the last mile

Was the train station in Munich not quite a distance from the stadium? People didnt seem to be bothered there.

 

What sort of transport is available to Inverness' ground? Folk seem to have that down as one of the top away days so it must be at a city centre stadium or one with a direct train/monorail link, yeh?

Was the train station in Munich not quite a distance from the stadium? People didnt seem to be bothered there.

 

What sort of transport is available to Inverness' ground? Folk seem to have that down as one of the top away days so it must be at a city centre stadium or one with a direct train/monorail link, yeh?

 

Biggest pain in the arse about Inverness is the journey from the town to the ground.

Was the train station in Munich not quite a distance from the stadium? People didnt seem to be bothered there.

 

What sort of transport is available to Inverness' ground? Folk seem to have that down as one of the top away days so it must be at a city centre stadium or one with a direct train/monorail link, yeh?

 

You get out of the train and you walk.

 

Probably local buses but ive always walked and its no big deal. Infact its easier than walking from Dundee station to tanndice given the stadium isnt up a hill.

 

I disagree about the biggest pain in the arse being the journey to the ground. The biggest pain in the arse is the lack of train and bus services to and from Inverness.

If a rail link is built at Cove a mile away from the stadium, this is gonna be no problem whatsoever for fans. All fans arriving from south of the city already walk 1.5 miles from Guild Street to Pittodrie as it is. And there's not that many SPL stadiums that are actually within a mile of the nearest train station anyway.

 

Ever tried to get to McDiarmid Park from Perth train station?

If a rail link is built at Cove a mile away from the stadium, this is gonna be no problem whatsoever for fans. All fans arriving from south of the city already walk 1.5 miles from Guild Street to Pittodrie as it is. And there's not that many SPL stadiums that are actually within a mile of the nearest train station anyway.

 

Ever tried to get to McDiarmid Park from Perth train station?

 

Sure I remember reading that network rail  had already said no need for a station at Cove so would not be building one as part of the crossrail project so if there is to be a staion there is it something we would need to fund. As a guide it cost £3M for station at Alloa.

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1849756/

 

Highland League Cove Rangers have struck a deal with Aberdeen Football Club to sell Allan Park and build a new 1,000-seat stadium next to the Dons’ proposed new ground.

 

The two teams will join forces to create a huge football and sports centre at Calder Park – with Pittodrie chairman Stewart Milne willing to put up his own money to make Cove’s dream of joining the Scottish Football League (SFL) come true.

 

In return, the multimillionaire’s construction firm will redevelop Cove’s existing ground, and the Dons will finally get the purpose-built training ground they have wanted for decades.

 

The deal clears the way for Calder Park – which lies behind the city’s Makro superstore at Wellington Circle – to become one of the best sport complexes in Europe.

 

Cove’s new stadium will be the centrepiece of the site, beside Aberdeen’s new training facilities. There will also be room for a community sports centre and gymnasium.

 

The site is about half a mile from where Aberdeen FC wants to build a 21,000-capacity stadium, at Loirston Loch.

 

The club is eager to leave Pittodrie, which will be transformed into homes to fund the ambitious move.

 

Cove already had a long-term lease deal and planning permission for Calder Park – conditional on the club delivering a viable business plan to Aberdeen City Council.

 

Most of the money will come from selling Allan Park – but Mr Milne and fellow businessman Bert McIntosh, owner of McIntosh Plant Hire, will give Cove an undisclosed interest-free loan to make the move happen.

 

Mr Milne said: “These proposals solve three different issues – Cove gets a new stadium, the community gets a brand new sports facility and AFC gets its long-awaited training facilities.

 

“The deal for Allan Park is an arm’s length commercial deal on which appropriate advice was taken by all parties. Bert and I were pleased to be able to make a financial contribution to allow AFC to have access to permanent, first-class training facilities.”

 

Cove bought Allan Park in 1948 from a local farmer. However, the size of the ground cost the club a place in the Scottish Football League.

 

Cove chairman, Keith Moorhouse, said: “The constraints at Allan Park mean that if we are to play a role in any future reorganisation of the game, we have no alternative but to relocate.

 

“This was recognised when we applied for, and only missed out by one vote on, joining the Scottish Football League.

 

“We have had an agreement in place with Aberdeen City Council for some time, but have been unable to come up with the funding.

 

“But thanks to Stewart Milne, Bert McIntosh and our close co-operation with AFC, we now have a way forward for the club.”

 

Aberdeen FC managing director, Duncan Fraser, added: “This innovative solution, made possible by Stuart and Bert’s generosity, will enable Aberdeen to develop the long-established aim of delivering first-class training facilities.

 

“The bonus is that they can be integrated with the proposed stadium at Loirston.”

 

The council’s planning and infrastructure convener, Kate Dean, said the deal would bring “much-needed” sports facilities to the area.

 

She added: “I am delighted that at long last the finances are in place to allow this development to go ahead.”

 

That sounds promising.

Well done Wiggy!

All sounds very good, please let it come to fruition!

Jesus, been a progressive few weeks here.

 

My only question is WTF?

He should make it conditonal for the loan that they have to drop the 'R' bit form their name!

Cove Anges?

Just read all this in the paper. Very impressed by it all.

Just read all this in the paper. Very impressed by it all.

 

Yip, all very positive!