Government ministers requested an environmental impact assessment be carried out on plans to build a sport centre at Caird Park, days before Dundee FC withdrew their interest.
The club announced on Monday they had abandoned plans to use the Regional Performance Centre for Sport (RPCS) as a permanent training base.
It is understood the Dark Blues will be looking to base their training facilities at a different location.
An objector to the sport centre plans had asked the Scottish Government to intervene, after council planners did not initially carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
The Scottish Government wrote to the council on December 13, six days before Dundee FC’s withdrawal was announced.
Dundee City Council, like all local planning authorities in Scotland, are not required to conduct an EIA if its own planners say it is unnecessary.
But the Scottish Government decided the size and scale of buildings proposed and alterations to the landscape would likely have a significant environmental effect on the local area.
The government also concluded the proposed development would cause a loss of open space and greenfield land.
As a result of Dundee FC withdrawing their interest in the RPCS, the council will submit an amended planning application for the centre to be built at the eastern end of Caird Park.
The Care for Caird campaign group is opposed to building the sport centre in the park – gifted to the people of Dundee by Sir James Caird at the beginning of the 20th century – and said members would continue their campaign.
Campaign organiser Amy Paterson said: “Our main focus now is to see whether the council will hold a proper consultation process for all residents for the amended plans.
“We do not oppose the idea of the Regional Performance Centre for Sport being built in Dundee, we just feel it should not be built in Caird Park.”
Scottish Conservative MSP for the North East region Liam Kerr said: “This is clearly disappointing news in terms of the overall development and will delay the process further following the late withdrawal of the planning application last month.
“I will be interested to see any updated designs, but I think the people of Dundee will also need some reassurance that the financing of this project remains on track.
“While I remain fully supportive of the plans and the huge benefit this will bring to the region, it is vital that we get best value for public funds.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “In November 2016, Scottish Ministers received a request to determine whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was required for this proposal and, based on the information presented to them, decided in December that it was.”
“It is for planning authorities in the first instance to consider whether a proposed development requires Environmental Impact Assessment.
“However in this case a screening direction was requested and Scottish Ministers determined that an EIA was required.”
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council said: “We are aware, and take note of the Scottish Government’s decision on the planning application for the Regional Performance Centre for Sport as it was originally submitted.
“An amended application for the RPCS at Caird Park will be brought forward in due course.”
Dundee FC were approached for comment, but none was forthcoming at time of going to print.
