Dundee Football Club Community Trust (DFCCT) have proposed the development of a new football training centre and community hub at Riverside Pitches.

The proposed facility will offer combined training amenities for a diverse range of youth teams and will facilitate an enhanced girls' and women's programme as well as other inclusive initiatives such as walking football, women's recreational football, healthy lifestyle and wellbeing initiatives. The facility will also be a training centre for Dundee Football Club's first team.

Dundee Football Club will serve as an anchor for this application and the community-based activities of the proposed centre, while also strengthening the connection between professional and community-based sports in Dundee.

Dundee-based LJRH Architects were commissioned to produce the planning application.

DFCCT has secured investment through the Scottish FA's Grassroots Pitch and Facilities Fund and the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund. The investment will be match-funded by the owners of Dundee Football Club, who are committed supporters of the club's charitable trust.

Laura Costello, DFCCT Manager: "The overall aims of Dundee FC Community Trust are to inspire and support communities across Dundee and beyond through the power of football and the power of the Dundee crest.


"The opportunity to have a dedicated training centre and community hub would be transformative for the Trust. We want to break down barriers for people of all ages within our local communities, and to provide a safe and welcoming space for those engaged in our many programmes, whose lives have been transformed through the power of football.

"We would like to thank Dundee City Council for being so supportive during initial discussions and to the Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Committee for unanimously approving the lease of the land.

"We are also grateful to the Scottish FA for their grant via the Grassroots Pitch and Facilities Fund and to the UK Government's Levelling Up fund. We are proud to submit a planning application that will enable us to super-charge our ability to improve the health, education, physical, social and emotional wellbeing of people of all ages and backgrounds in communities across Dundee and beyond."

The planning application is separate to the Planning Application in Principle submitted by Dark Blue Property Holdings Ltd in respect of the Camperdown Stadium project.

Nonetheless, the opportunity to build the training centre and community, if approved, would remove the need for a training ground to be built adjected to the Camperdown Stadium. This would be addressed within the Planning Application process.

John Nelms, Dark Blue Property Holdings Ltd: "The team at the Trust do an incredible job throughout the community and they have our full support with their application, which DBPH will match-fund.

"As you know, we have already submitted an extensive Planning Permission in Principle proposal to the council in February and are in dialogue with the council with a view to going to full permission stage as soon as is practicably possible.

"We remain encouraged by the overwhelming support of respondents during the consultation phase. The Trust's training centre and community hub application would remove the need for a training ground within the Camperdown project and we would reflect that in our planning application.

"This would, in turn, alleviate one recurring request from respondents regarding the potential impact on walkways within the Camperdown proposal – so it would represent a win/win for everyone.

"It is our intention to update fans soon with some more details and visuals of the development, so stay tuned in the coming weeks."