12 Oct 2018
Edinburgh's iconic Meadowbank sports centre will be reborn
BY Andrew Manns
Meadowbank Stadium and sports centre in Edinburgh, which hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1970, is to be rebuilt at a cost of £47m, with extensive provision for both sporting excellence and community activity.
When complete, it will be managed by Edinburgh Leisure.
The new centre is expected to be an integral part of Scotland’s world-class sporting system.
Facilities will include a large health club, martial arts studio, boxing gym and sports halls for badminton and gymnastics, as well as a café
An outdoor track stadium, 3G football pitch, indoor athletics track and outdoor throws area will also be included.
The project is being part-financed by sportscotland.
"Over the years Meadowbank has played a central role in the development of Scottish sport and this new facility will ensure it continues to do so for generations to come," said sportscotland CEO Stewart Harris.
"It will be a fitting home for athletes of all abilities and an outstanding sports facility for the local community."
Edinburgh councillors have selected Graham Construction to do the construction work, with opening expected in 2020.
The redevelopment of the site has been riven with controversy, with a local pressure group – Save our Stadium – lobbying to save the structure and prevent redevelopment of parts of the site for housing.
The BBC reports that more than 3,000 people signed a petition objecting to the plans, while the council's housing services manager, Elaine Scott, apologised for flaws in the consultation process with residents.
Although the leisure centre has been given the go-ahead, the council said the masterplan for the wider site will start with "a blank slate" in terms of decisions about further housing and commercial use and consultation is ongoing.
The redevelopment of Meadowbank is a long-running saga, with our reporting on this story going back to 2008.
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