February 26th 2017
Strictly embargoed until 0001 hours Monday 27th February 2017
No Kingsford Stadium Campaign Lodges Official Objection
Highlighting Negative Impact on City Centre Economy
No Kingsford Stadium (NKS), the campaign group fighting Aberdeen Football Club’s planning application to build a new stadium and training facility at Westhill, today (Monday 27th February) lodged their official objection, highlighting the negative impact the plans would have on the Kingswells/Westhill area and on Aberdeen’s city centre.
NKS, has highlighted the economic impact of removing hundreds of thousands of visits to Aberdeen city centre each year should the stadium be located at Kingsford, seven miles outside the city as a city centre stadium attracts visitors to Aberdeen boosting the local economy.
The Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Planning Development Authority (SPDA), in their response to the proposals, have highlighted a move from Pittodrie to Kingsford would have a devastating impact on the Seaton area of Aberdeen, removing much needed income from one of Scotland’s 20% most disadvantaged communities. The area strategic plan proposes Kings Links as a site for a new community stadium.
Alistair McKelvie, spokesman for NKS, said: “Aberdeen’s City Centre Masterplan, which has cross-party support in the council, is focused on delivering a vibrant and prosperous city centre for future generations. Locating a new stadium, close to the heart of the city would be in keeping with the aspirations of this plan and would fully support the desire to invest in our city centre making it an attractive visitor location for sport, leisure and commerce.”
NKS, set up by concerned residents of Westhill in reaction to AFC’s plans to build a stadium, immediately outside the area on protected Green Belt land, has raised £14,000 to help them in their fight with the majority of this money given as donations from the community. The funding has allowed NKS to commission independent reviews of AFC’s planning application and associated traffic assessment.
Alistair McKelvie added: “The reviews have highlighted major deviations from planning policy presented by the stadium plans and the highly inadequate traffic assessment which significantly underestimates car useage and the impact on local infrastructure.
“The consultants have provided us with detailed reports which form the basis of our objection. Fundamentally the traffic assessment does not comply with Scottish government transport policy or demonstrate a sustainable and accessible development. In addition, the proposal is in clear contradiction with National and Local planning policies.”
Echoing No Kingsford Stadium’s concerns regarding AFC’s traffic assessment, the perceived economic benefits, and the clear breaches of both local and national planning policies, the Aberdeenshire Garioch Area committee voted to recommend refusal of the planning application, and both Kingswells and WesthillElrick Community Councils will be objecting to the planning application.
With the support of three prominent North-East MSPs (Alexander Burnett, Liam Kerr and Mike Rumbles), West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP Stuart Donaldson, Aberdeenshire Council, and over 4500 local people, NKS has been campaigning since May 2016 to raise awareness of the proposals and to highlight the negative impact of the stadium plans on the local area.
Mr McKelvie said: “Over 4500 people have objected to the planning proposal. This demonstrates the strength of local feeling and the clear desire of the community to protect the Green belt and prevent coalescence between the two communities.
“No Kingsford Stadium is passionate about retaining the community feel of Westhill, Kingswells and the surrounding area. A development of this size and scale on the only green belt area between Westhill and Kingswells on the north side of the A944 will have a significantly negative effect on the area, fundamentally changing its nature and perception.”
For more information about the campaign visit
ENDS
Issued by Elaine Fleming, Ginger PR Ltd
On behalf of No Kingsford Stadium
For more information please call 07766 207 954 or email: