Future of Sighthill Stadium in doubt

14 Jun 2007

krystal.sim@carnyx.com

Plans for a new sports stadium in Edinburgh were described as “dead in the water” by council members earlier this week.

City of Edinburgh Council’s new planning leader, Jim Lowrie, said that the council was now considering scrapping the Sighthill Stadium project, announced three years ago by the Scottish Executive as part of a multi-million pound funding package.

The £83 million package also includes the refurbishment of the Royal Commonwealth Swimming Pool and the replacement of Meadowbank Stadium with the new proposal at Sighthill. However, plans to demolish and redevelop Meadowbank into housing have faced fierce criticism from campaigners calling for the refurbishment of the site.

Councillor Lowrie, said “I can’t see how the Sighthill complex could go ahead. It does appear dead in the water. There is so much opposition from the people in the area opposed to the loss of the park, while people also don’t want to lose the facilities that exist at Meadowbank.”

The plans are to be discussed further later on this month, but a council spokesperson added that the original plans outlined by the Executive had not yet been overturned.

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