MEADOWBANK Stadium would be demolished and replaced with a smaller £25 million arena, under detailed plans revealed today.
The move would see the capacity of the stadium reduced from its original 16,500 to around 5000.
The proposals, set to go before councillors this week, would also involve selling off 8.5 acres of land at the west of the site for housing, with the s
tadium demolished and re-built to the east, resulting in the loss of the velodrome.
Opposition politicians today branded the move a major U-turn by the administration, while campaigners vowed to fight on to protect the site.
Originally, plans were drawn up to dispose of most of the Meadowbank site, with the proceeds put towards a new national stadium in Sighthill, capable of hosting major rugby and athletics events.
But the controversial idea of selling off land for housing became a major issue at last year's elections, leading to months of uncertainty when the Lib Dem/SNP administration took control of the city.
Officials say providing the equivalent of the Sighthill brief at a new Meadowbank Stadium would cost £57.9m, while a full refurbishment of the existing facilities has been priced at £42.7m.
The council's director of corporate services, Jim Inch, today said these options were just not affordable.
Instead, he has proposed scaled-down facilities, funded through £6m of council money, a £2m sportscotland grant, and £17m from the sale of land.
On top of the £25m construction costs, around £5m is likely to be spent on fitting out and developing the new centre.
The preferred option for the new Meadowbank would include a smaller 5000-seat stadium, indoor athletics facilities, four sports courts, changing rooms, and a gym and fitness studio.
Mr Inch said: "I recommend that the council agrees to progress detailed work on a new-build facility on Meadowbank.
"The proposal is to construct facilities with the intention of enabling further development in future years, should additional resources become available."
Councillors will vote on the plans at a vital meeting on Thursday. If the proposals are adopted, a consultation will be held with cycling groups about the provision of a new training facility to replace the velodrome, while discussions are also ongoing about locating Sportscotland's Edinburgh "hub" at Meadowbank.
Labour group sports spokesman Paul Godzik today said going ahead with demolition would be a "massive U-turn" by the administration, after the stadium won a reprieve from the bulldozers last summer. "The proposals look like a downgrading in the overall facilities offered in the Capital," he said.
Campaigners opposed to the sale or downgrading of Meadowbank hosted a rally last night. Bill Walker, a member of the Save Meadowbank Campaign, said: "We still believe Meadowbank can be refurbished.
"If the politicians don't listen to their communities, they are going to make Edinburgh the worst city for sport in the country."
Lib Dem councillor Gary Peacock said he was against selling land "if possible", but declined to say how he intended to vote on Thursday.
Stefan Tymkewycz, SNP councillor for the area, said: "I'm happy sports facilities will be retained at Meadowbank."
The full article contains 534 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
