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Dundee FC chief John Nelms on new stadium planning costs and staying at Dens for another two years

The fate of the club's application to build a new ground at Camperdown lies with Dundee City Council's planning committee and Transport Scotland.

By Laura Devlin

April 9 2025, 5:00pm

Dundee managing director John Nelms. Image: Mark Scates/SNS

Dundee FC chief John Nelms says the club are likely to remain at Dens for another two years, as the wait for a new stadium decision goes on.

A planning in principle application was submitted in February last year seeking permission for a 12,500-seater stadium near Camperdown.

The fate of the application currently lies with Dundee City Council’s planning committee, who are yet to make a decision.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Nelms suggested the delay was due to Transport Scotland seeking more information over the “finer details”.

However, transport chiefs hit back in a rare public rebuke, accusing Dark Blues bosses of failing to provide solutions to the road network issue crucial to the ground’s approval.

Dens Park to remain home for foreseeable

Nelms had previously said he hoped Dundee would be in their new stadium by this year but delays in the planning process has scuppered this ambition.

And the Dark Blues managing director admits the cost of the project is continuing to rise as the wait continues.

“We will probably be at Dens Park for another two years,” he said.

Dundee and Donnelly celebrate in front of fans at Dens Park. Image: Vagelis Georgariou/Shutterstock — Dundee players celebrate in front of fans at Dens Park. Image: Vagelis Georgariou/Shutterstock.

“(And) we are nearing £3 million in planning and development costs. That number will continue to grow as times goes on.

“For what they are asking, there is tens of thousands of pounds more potentially to do.”

‘We will keep fighting’, says Nelms

Despite the delays and increasing costs, Nelms says he and Dundee FC chairman Tim Keyes remain committed to the Camperdown stadium project ,even if planners refuse permission.

If they wish, they may decide to appeal to Scottish Government ministers who have the power to overturn planning refusal.

Nelms added: “We will keep fighting until we are not allowed to fight.

“But we don’t anticipate anybody saying we shouldn’t do this project – there’s no reason.

Dundee FC managing director John Nelms and owner Tim Keyes in the stand at a game — Dundee managing director John Nelms and owner Tim Keyes. Image: SNS.

“You will never make everyone happy and the people that have come out so far with objections, if you look at our (planning) documents we have answers for them.

“Moving forward, we will listen and do what we can do to be part of the community that everyone is proud of.”