Plans submitted for new Edinburgh arena

Image: AEG Europe

AEG Europe has handed in a planning application to the City of Edinburgh Council for an 8,500-capacity arena in the Scottish city.

The submission marks a significant step towards bringing the greatly anticipated arena to life in the heart of Edinburgh, AEG said.

The 8,500-capacity venue, spanning 18,500 square metres, will be situated in the Edinburgh Park area, revitalising scrubland and supporting the regeneration of the Edinburgh Park area alongside master developers Parabola.

The new Edinburgh Park site in the West of the City sits just North of a stop on the tramline and is adjacent to Parabola’s “cultural quarter” development which so far contains a multi-storey car park and the 1 New Park Square complex.

It will also feature retail and food and drink space, the planning proposals said.

Based on external assessment, the project is estimated to bring £520 million per annum in gross value added to the Edinburgh economy.

It is expected the building will employ a collective total of 1,350 people a year once up and running. Furthermore, the investment is expected to inject a further £83.1 million a year back into the local economy through the 700,000+ visitors the arena is expected to attract each year.

US architecture firm HOK is on board for the designs, according to the architecture forum Edinburgh SSC (the world’s largest online forum for architecture and urbanism).

Alex Hill, President and CEO of AEG Europe said: “We are thrilled to be progressing with our plans for a spectacular new arena for Edinburgh. The city has long been renowned as a destination for global culture and one of the world’s best for the arts and live entertainment. We’re excited to build on this reputation and bring world-class live music and entertainment to Edinburgh, as well as investing in the wider Edinburgh Park community through the creation of 1000+ employment opportunities.”

The application follows a series of in-person public consultation events, which took place on 4 December 2023 and 9 January 2024, where members of the project team and AEG Europe were on-site to hear first-hand from residents and update on intended plans.

Alistair Wood, Executive Vice President of Real Estate & Development for AEG Europe, said: “We’re delighted by the feedback and valuable insights we’ve received during the extensive consultation and public exhibition process. It’s been fantastic to see such strong support for our plans, and therefore we are hopeful for a swift and clear decision following our planning application.

“If we were able to secure planning permission, our focus would then immediately turn to identifying a Building Contractor and Naming Rights partner to bring this exciting project to life on site.”

The company is hoping to receive planning permission by June 2024, with a view of appointing an external contractor to commence work thereafter. The first acts could then take to the stage in 2027.

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