The new football training centre and community hub involves DFCCT, Riverside West End, and Dundee FC. It will offer combined training amenities for a diverse range of youth teams and facilitate an enhanced girls’ and women’s programme. It will also deliver other inclusive initiatives such as walking football, women’s recreational football, healthy lifestyle and wellbeing initiatives. The facility will also be a training centre for Dundee Football Club’s first team.

Laura Costello, manager of DFCCT, said: “We are over the moon to find out that the football training centre and community hub at Riverside has been approved by the Council. This new facility will change things dramatically for the Trust and will really serve the people of Dundee.

“The one big problem we have is trying to get facilities in the city meaning our programmes are currently operating out of different venues, having a permanent home at Riverside will mean that all of our programmes will run from the same location. It will also be massive for our girls’ and women’s programmes as for the first time they will be using the same facilities that the boys and men use.”

The new facility will also be used by Riverside West End who currently have 280 children playing for them at all age groups from 4 to 17. The new facility will give more children the opportunity to be involved with them.

Riverside West End chairperson Steven Mackie, added: “Riverside West End FC are delighted with the decision to approve the planning application to build a new training facility on Riverside. This facility will not only be a huge benefit to Riverside West End, DFC Community Trust and DFC, it will have far reaching benefits to the City of Dundee. We look forward to working in partnership with Dundee FC, the Dundee FC Community Trust and SFA to develop a shared purpose of increasing grassroots and community football provision in Dundee.”

Dundee Football Club will serve as an anchor for this application and the community-based activities of the proposed centre, while also strengthening the connection between professional and community-based sports in Dundee.

John Nelms, Dundee FC managing director, said: “The news today is extremely significant for the city of Dundee. The training facility and community hub will deliver programmes and opportunities through DFCCT that reach everyone from toddlers all the way to senior citizens. It will allow DFCCT to deliver more programmes and reach even more people in the city.

“It will give young players both boys and girls a place to play football with Riverside West End and it will also act as the new training location for Dundee FC. This will inspire young children as they will be trained at the same facility as the club’s first team. Lastly, I would like to thank Liam Mckelvie and Bob Hynd (Leadingham Jameson, Rogers + Hynd), Laura Costello (DFCCT), Steven Mackie and Steven McNaught (Riverside West End), the SFA, Dundee City Council and the many more people that have made this project possible.”

DFCCT has secured investment through the Scottish FA’s Grassroots Pitch and Facilities Fund and the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The investment will be match-funded by the owners of Dundee Football Club, who are committed supporters of the club’s charitable trust.