The fate of a controversial new sports facility could be sealed next week with Dundee City Council asked to approve plans.
Plans for the proposed Regional Performance Centre for Sport have proven to be a long drawn out affair.
The need for the region to have a facility with multi sports use was first identified as far back as 2003.
Caird Park was identified by Dundee City Council as the best location for the £21 million facility, which will include space for various sports including football, rugby and athletics.
However, sealing the fate of the project has been anything but simple for the administration.
Following resistance from environmental campaigners, proposals for the hub were withdrawn in November after objectors requested a pre-determination hearing.
The Scottish Government then ordered a full environmental impact assessment be carried out on the Caird Park site in December, with Dundee FC, who were considering using the centre for training, pulling out days later.
A campaign group — Protect our Parks, Care for Caird — is opposed to the building, feeling it will detract from the “green space” Caird Park provides. It has won the support of the Scottish Green Party.
Now though, plans for the centre may finally be agreed after a report was published by Dundee City Council, which will be put to councillors on the development management committee on Monday evening.
According to the report, an initial objection received from preservation group Historic Environmental Scotland has been withdrawn.
The council further argue an electronic petition which gathered the support of more than 1400 people cannot be accepted as “valid representation” as no signatures or full postal addressed were included.
The council also state any species living within the identified area are unlikely to be significantly impacted by the build.
Councillors are recommended to approve the plans as: “There are no material considerations that would justify the refusal of this application.
“The application is therefore recommended for approval subject to conditions.”
