A key legal hearing about Aberdeen FC’s proposed new stadium has been delayed by almost six weeks.
Aberdeen City Council has given the Dons permission to build a 20,000-capacity stadium and training ground at Kingsford but protest group No to Kingsford Stadium (NKS) has challenged it by petitioning for a judicial review.
A procedural hearing was to be held on November 8, but that has been pushed back to December 19.
It means the substantive hearing, which was to begin on December 19, will now start on January 29.
The outcome will not be known for three months after that hearing. If the judges rule the challenge to overturn the council’s decision unsuccessful, stadium construction could begin immediately.
If campaigners persuade the judge to overturn the decision, the club could be made to return to the council planning process.
A spokesman for the £50 million project said: “Three consecutive days are required for the substantive hearing and the end of January was the only date which suited all parties involved.”
Meanwhile, project bosses met community representatives on Wednesday evening and project director Raymond Edgar revealed more project timeline details.
Club officials have said work to clear the land that began in early June is to end by November 12, allowing the main contractor to arrive on site.
The next phase of work involves installing drainage, retaining walls and building roads. Preparation work will begin on the facility’s grass pitches and the intention is for them to be ready by July.
An NKS spokeswoman said: “We are confident the court process will bring independent and impartial scrutiny to the decision and we welcome the permission of the court to proceed to these hearings.”
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