£30m facelift for the Royal Highland Show

Published on Tuesday 19 April 2011 18:24

A £30 MILLION overhaul of the home of one of Scotland's biggest events will receive the green light next week.

Edinburgh City council planners are recommending the go-ahead is given to revamp and expand the Royal Highland Showground, near Edinburgh Airport, over the next 20 years.

A new main pavilion over looking the showground arena, two new hotels, a conference centre, offices and exhibition halls are envisaged for the complex, work on which is expected to start within the next few months.

A new main entrance and transport interchange are also expected to be created to help ease traffic congestion.

The plans were drawn up when the showground's owners scrapped moves to relocate the entire arena, after Edinburgh Airport scaled back its expansion plans three years ago. The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) had spent around five years drawing up plans to move to a nearby site at Norton Park, on the other side of the A8.?

Allan Murray, chairman of RHASS, said: "It's taken us a long while to get to this point and we're delighted to reach this stage. Initially, we will look to expand to the east and north of the site, before developing on the current showground."