Sports vision hit by a £30m funding black hole

Published on Friday 17 August 2007 12:22

CONTROVERSIAL plans to replace Meadowbank Stadium with a major new arena face being drastically scaled down because of a £30 million funding black hole.

The long-awaited report into the future of Meadowbank today revealed the scale of the funding gap facing the council if it presses ahead with its plans for a major new sports stadium and refurbishing of the Commonwealth Pool.

Even the sale of most of the Meadowbank site for housing would leave funding for the two projects 30m short, if the council presses ahead with its full-scale plans.

The cash crisis is expected to lead to a drastic scaling down of the planned new arena, with Meadowbank now seen as a more likely site for the facility than Sighthill.

That would almost certainly spell the end of hopes the new arena could be used as a pop concert venue and possibly even as a home for professional rugby.

Terry Christie, the former Meadowbank Thistle football manager and Musselburgh Grammar School headteacher, headed up an independent working group - including council officials and sports group representatives - which today published the results of its investigations.

They have rejected pleas by campaigners to refurbish the existing stadium, advising the council to press ahead with a total sell-off of Meadowbank if it cannot raise the money for major new facilities on the site.

Mr Christie described any attempt to refurbish the existing facilities at the athletics stadium as "short-term and short-sighted".

He said: "Edinburgh would be left with second-rate facilities for a capital city and it would essentially be a waste of taxpayers' money.

"The best option would be to create brand new facilities on the existing site at Meadowbank, as it is by far the best location.

"There are major funding problems with this option, but that also applies to going ahead with the Sighthill development. Basically, the funding that has been made available for national and regional sports facilities is totally inadequate."

Council leader Jenny Dawe said the authority was likely to pursue a "compromise" option which involved creating the best possible sporting facilities on the existing Meadowbank site.

This idea, which would involve relocating the running track and indoor sports complex to the eastern part of Meadowbank, has the backing of deputy council leader Steve Cardownie, of the SNP.

The majority of the Meadowbank site would still be sold to housing developers to help fund the new facility and the refurbishment of the Commonwealth Pool. It is thought the council may be prepared to gamble on losing the 7m in funding that has been pledged by sportccotland for the proposed Sighthill project.

Councillor Dawe said: "It is obvious that we need to do a lot more work before we can take any kind of final decision.

We are obviously going to have to go back to sportscotland to see if funding would be available for a development at Meadowbank."

Bill Walker of the Save Meadowbank Campaign, said: "The original plan was overly ambitious and needs scaled back."

Community groups join up to oppose stadium demolition

COMMUNITY councils have voiced their opposition to replacing Meadowbank Stadium with a housing estate.

The five community councils from north and east Edinburgh, which are represented on the Meadowbank working group, have called for plans to demolish the stadium to be scrapped.

In a joint statement, Craigentinny/Meadowbank, Trinity, Portobello, Northfield/Willowbrae and Leith Links community councils

said: "We are committed to the retention of the athletics track and associated sports facilities at Meadowbank.

"The council failed to seek the views of community councils, local sporting organisations and the wider public. Their proposals, with the emphasis on national standard facilities, do not reflect the most urgent sporting needs of communities."

A public meeting was taking place tonight at the stadium at 7pm.