The Club have received a number of enquiries regarding the following press release from Dundee City Council.
We have received correspondence from the council that the development was approved at the meeting on the 24th of August and are looking forward to working alongside the council throughout this development process and beyond.
Please see below for Press Release by the council from the 18th of August.
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PRESS RELEASE
A progress report on development of a Regional Performance Centre for Sport in Dundee’s Caird Park will be considered by councillors on Monday August 24.
The council has identified £12 million in its Capital Plan 2016-21 for the centre, and this funding will be combined with a grant of £5 million from sportscotland for a £17 million facility that will include:
indoor full size artificial pitch for football and rugby training;
8 court size multi-sports hall with spectator seating and storage for basketball; volleyball, netball, badminton and cricket;
outdoor artificial pitch suitable for rugby and football;
high standard grass Football pitch;
medium standard grass Football pitch (suitable for Community use);
indoor running straight;
associated parking and infrastructure;
strength and conditioning Facilities;
meeting rooms suitable for conferences, etc. with catering facilities; and assorted support facilities including Sportscience.
Policy and resources convener Councillor Ken Guild said: “The eastern end of Caird Park is an ideal location for this impressive centre as it will integrate with the existing athletics stadium and velodrome and offer good transport access.
“This progress report shows how hard we have been working with our partners to provide a top-class facility that can be open for both performance and community use.
“The centre is another exciting development for the city and is another addition to our superb range of sporting facilities.”
Councillor Guild added: “We have a long track record of working with sportscotland to successfully deliver major sports investment in Dundee including the Dick McTaggart Regional Gymnastics Training Centre and the new Olympia.
“I am keen that as many people as possible in the city can benefit from this excellent range of facilities
Work has been progressing on the design of the Regional Performance Centre with sportscotland and national governing bodies, local sports leagues, Dundee Disability Sport, Scottish Football Association, Tayside and Fife Regional Institute of Sport and Sports Partnerships.
This has been overseen by a partnership group including representatives from the council, local higher education establishments, sportscotland, Scottish Football Association, Leisure & Culture Dundee and NHS Tayside.
A stage one application has been made to sportscotland for £5 million of support. Councillors will hear that recent feedback has indicated that this has been agreed in principle and that a stage two application will be welcomed.
Both professional football clubs in the city have been involved with the project. While Dundee United FC wishes to continue with current training facilities in St Andrews at this time, Dundee FC wishes to pursue an option to use land next to the centre. This would be developed separately and fully funded from prudential borrowing based on a long-term rental by Dundee FC.
The report contains an outline construction programme which would see the project completed in December 2017. A project board would be established to oversee delivery.
Councillors will also hear that the centre would be managed by Leisure & Culture Dundee.
