Aberdeen Football Club has revealed plans for a new £40 million stadium and training facility at Kingsford near Westhill with earlier plans to move to Loirston now abandoned.

The proposed development is situated adjacent to the Aberdeen - Westhill road (A944) and just 200 metres from the new AWPR junction.

The Dons could be playing at the new stadium within three years in front of crowds of up to 19,000.

Announcing the proposals, chairman Stewart Milne said: “Kingsford offers an opportunity to locate both the stadium and the training facilities within a single site, as was the original plan for Loirston, and it is in an ideal location for supporters travelling from all areas in and around Aberdeen.

“Crucially, we have full control of the site via a concluded missive with the landowner. Extensive site diligence has already been carried out at Kingsford to establish the feasibility of the land area and also the requirements for the planning process.”

The club abandoned plans to build at Bellfield beside Kingswells in 2003 following strong opposition from local campaigners.

The Aberdeen chairman, who is also executive chairman of the Stewart Milne Group, explained why Loirston has been replaced as the preferred location.

He added: “Since Loirston was previously identified as our site for the new stadium, there have been various changes in circumstances and furthermore the development of the AWPR will now provide easy access to the new site at Kingsford.

“AFC and Aberdeen City Council see a new stadium and training facilities as a vital part of the region’s infrastructure, and there is a strong desire by the Club to deliver these new facilities as soon as possible.

“In terms of the timescale of the proposed new facilities, which are absolutely essential to the future success of Aberdeen Football Club, we plan to have the training facilities operational by 2018, with the new stadium following in season 2019-20.

“We will also benefit from the Loirston stadium pre-development undertaken to date as a significant amount of this work can and will be utilised at Kingsford.”

Aberdeen City Council leader Jenny Laing said building the new facilities would be a “wonderful” development for fans and the local economy alike.

She said: “We recognise the value of a vibrant and successful football club in the community.

“It is good for the profile of the city and when the team is doing well, a tremendous feelgood factor ripples through our citizens.

“We are currently rolling-out the biggest regeneration programme in the city’s history and, as this progresses, it would be wonderful to see the creation of a new stadium and training facilities which match the passion and ambition of this great football club and its fans.”

A feasibility study would have to be carried out before the plans were put to the city council for approval.

There will be a twelve week period of public consultation, after which initial planning for the training facilities will be applied for, with the outcome expected later this year.