Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen execs have "defended plans" for a £50M ($62.5M) new stadium as a force for "positive change" -- despite northeast planning chiefs highlighting a "string of concerns," according to Blair Dingwall of the PRESS AND JOURNAL. Aberdeenshire Council's planning service has conceded that the application to move the Dons from Pittodrie to Kingsford could provide "considerable benefits to the nearby community." However, they warned there were still "a number of issues which needed to be addressed." Aberdeen Exec Vice-Chair George Yule said, "All major planning proposals have some challenges associated with them." Despite accepting that the proposed 20,000-seat Dons stadium will add "considerable benefits" to the surrounding area, Aberdeenshire planners have also "tabled a list of concerns arising from the planning application." These include "the affects of noise pollution, loss of greenbelt land and the impact on local roads and walkways." Issues were further raised over whether early kickoff times would affect "peak traffic periods" (PRESS AND JOURNAL, 2/16).
