Hearts look to move as report brands Tynecastle redevelopment ‘unviable’

HEARTS are preparing to take further steps to move away from Tynecastle following a report which concluded redevelopment of their historic home is “not a viable option”.

The report, jointly commissioned by Hearts and City of Edinburgh council, also stated the stadium “is in poor condition, lacks many amenities, is constrained by adjacent occupiers and is non-Uefa compliant”, while recommending an alternative site be sought. Hearts are prepared to co-operate with the findings of the report, conducted over three months by consultants Doig+Smith and GVA Grimley, according to a statement on their official website last night, saying that the club was “suffocating in its present location”.

A spokesperson for the SPL side said: “The emotional ties are undoubtedly to try and redevelop the existing Tynecastle Stadium. However, this report highlights the extreme difficulties the club faces. The club is suffocating in its present location but the owner [Vladimir Romanov] and board remain determined to develop a first-class footballing arena in the city.

“The report provides a number of significant recommendations relating to potential partnership models and we will consider these over the coming weeks. We must deliver a new stadium in order to meet our aim of building a top-class football team based in west Edinburgh. In turn we will be better able to reflect the city’s desire for greater business growth, job creation, revenue generation, attraction of more visitors to the city and showcase Edinburgh as a true footballing and sports city as well as a Festival city.”

The report states that the club believe there is a need for a community, multi-purpose venue in west Edinburgh and the city council will now consider whether to enter a formal partnership with Hearts. However, it rejected any option that would include an athletics track as part of the facility. A previous consultation survey showed Hearts supporters favoured a move to a new stadium with a capacity of between 20,000 and 30,000 within a five-mile radius of the existing stadium. The new report concludes by recommending that a detailed analysis and development appraisal of potential new sites from 16 acres-plus in central/west Edinburgh is required up to five miles drive from Tynecastle.

The club recently consulted its fans through an online survey on the issue of modernising the stadium, with 76 per cent of the 8,376 respondents indicating that they would be willing to see the club move to a new ground somewhere within five miles of their traditional home. The report was submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council earlier this week, with councillors being asked to consider entering into a partnership with the SPL club to develop a new community stadium in the Capital.

Last night, council leader Steve Cardownie played down the local authority’s role. “All Hearts have done is make an approach to us to say ‘if we do have to make a move from Tynecastle, we would like to move to somewhere in the west of the city and is there any way the council would be involved in some sort of joint venture?’.”