Dundee are planning to build a new training complex at Riverside Drive, Courier Sport can exclusively reveal.
The Dark Blues received a boost in the project this week after council leaders agreed to a long-term lease of land next to the River Tay.
That green light has kickstarted work behind the scenes to get a planning permission application submitted as soon as possible.
The new complex will be built and managed by the Dundee FC Community Trust.
The facility will be available to the wider community, the Dark Blues youth academy, girls and women’s teams and more.
It could also be used by the Dundee first team.
Where
The land is situated south of Riverside Drive between the University of Dundee Playing Fields – a facility the club already use to train at from time to time – and the Bridgeview Station Restaurant.
The land is already used for amateur football matches every week at the Riverside Pitches.
The area in question stretches from the carpark and path along the Tay across to Riverside Drive and from the Bridgeview Restaurant to the university land which is sectioned off by a line of trees.
Who is funding it?
The Community Trust has secured investment through the SFA Grassroots Pitch and Facilities Fund as well as the UK Government Levelling Up Fund.
That money will be matched by Dundee FC owners – the Keyes family – who have been long-time backers of the club’s charity arm.
Because of the nature of the funding and being very much a Community Trust initiative, much of the focus will be on grassroots football and the wider community.
However, it could also provide fresh facilities for Dundee FC staff and players.
What about Gardyne Campus and the new stadium?
The Dark Blues have been very happy with their tie-in with Dundee and Angus College to use the facility at Gardyne Campus.
And there will continue to be a club presence at that site.
Such has been the positive impact of the move to Gardyne, plans for this new complex and the new stadium project at Camperdown Park have been influenced by the facility at D&A College.
As for the new stadium at Camperdown Park, that is a Dark Blue Property Holdings project and is separate from the Riverside plans.
It is, though, unlikely that a new training facility would be built at Riverside – should all funding and permissions be granted – and then a further facility also built at Camperdown.
The new stadium project is currently going through the process to obtain Planning Permission in Principle.
It’s understood this Riverside project has already obtained that and a full planning permission application is now being worked on.
Another DFC Community Trust project is also in the works – construction of an astroturf training pitch at D&A College.
That is at the recommendation and/or committee stage of the planning process.
Conversation