Super campus bid achieves planning goal

LEISURE developers are in talks to bring Scotland’s football, cricket and tennis teams to a single sports super-academy after proposals were given the go-ahead by city planners.

Housing developer AMA intends to attract national squads to the advanced facility in the north of Edinburgh after plans were approved yesterday.

The sprawling 33-acre complex outside Cramond would feature a sports injury clinic with physiotherapy treatment. And Judy Murray, below, mother of Andy Murray, has been in talks previously about setting up a national academy at the Cramond Road South site.

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The Edinburgh-based firm submitted three options for consideration – combining cricket and tennis, cricket and football or football and tennis – which were all unanimously approved at the city’s planning committee yesterday.

The eventual plan, which AMA will choose, will develop facilities for two of the three sports.

All three options include the development of a sports pavilion, injury clinic, retail unit and a crèche, along with a care village overlooking the site. AMA directors are already in discussions with Cricket Scotland, Tennis Scotland and the Scottish Football Association.

Mike Afshar, joint managing director of AMA, said: “I’m pleased that planning permission has been established. Now we can move the project forward. This facility would be a sports hub for people everywhere.”

Planning committee member Marjorie Thomas added: “I know there will be a great many people hoping this will go ahead.”

Two of the three masterplans for the site show a large cricket ground which would cater for 1800 spectators.

If that option is chosen, it is expected to be the new home of Cricket Scotland, meaning the national team would no longer have to share facilities in Stockbridge with Grange Cricket Club. Local residents have voiced some concerns about the height of the developments and the level of traffic expected to come with large tournaments.

Final plans, once the option has been chosen, will be subject to approval at a later date.

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AMA bought the Cramond site in 2002, and part of the planning agreement involved developing sports facilities.

The site was formerly a Moray House School of Education campus.