Tricky Tynecastle site points to club move

PROBLEMS over redeveloping its Tynecastle stadium are making it more likely Hearts will seriously consider a move to a proposed new 25,000-seater stadium in the west of the city.

Rangers owner Sir David Murray hopes Hearts and Edinburgh Rugby will agree to share the multi-use stadium near Edinburgh Park.

Hearts fans are expected to resist the move from Tynecastle, but the failure to relocate whisky storage facilities from a local distillery are expected to make it more difficult for the club to get planning permission for a new stand.

The city council is also putting pressure on the club to confirm its planned 4 million purchase of the former Tynecastle High School for future phases of redevelopment.

Hearts said it was "open minded" on the new venture. But a spokesman said: "Our first priority is to examine for the redevelopment of Tynecastle."

An eight-day consultation exercise is under way for Sir David's 600-acre site between Edinburgh Park and the headquarters of Royal Bank of Scotland.

As well as the proposed new stadium it will include up to 3500 homes and a new visitor attraction called The Calyx, which is seen as Scotland's answer to the Eden Project.