MEADOWBANK SAVED - For Now

Campaigners today welcomed Edinburgh Council's decision to re-consider its plan to sell Meadowbank Stadium.

The Council had agreed to sell the Meadowbank site to property developers in order to fund facilities elsewhere. But faced with thousands of objections the Council today agreed to go back to the drawing board.

A working group will be set-up with a brief to 're-open and examine the principle of the sale of the Meadowbank site either in whole or part". Councillors also agreed that "no parameters are set within which the group must confine its deliberations."

Campaigners had been concerned at the wording of Council leader Ewan Aitken's original motion but expressed delight it was passed with important amendments.

"The motion as it stood clearly continued to pre-suppose the sale of the Meadowbank site," said campaign spokesperson Heather Peacock. "The amendments broaden the consultation group's remit sufficiently to address one of our main concerns over the motion."

"Unfortunately the working group does not include representation from the Save Meadowbank campaign group. Nor does it allow for full public participation in the consultation process.

"We are also concerned that the working group must prepare an interim report for presentation to the council by 28 June 2007. This seems an incredibly short timescale for such an important debate."

Today's decision was taken after a two month campaign. 600 attended a hastily-arranged protest meeting, the same number marched from Meadowbank to the City Chambers and almost 10,000 signed petitions. The campaign also revealed the original decision to sell Meadowbank was done without proper consultation and was based upon misinformation about funding.

Concluded Peacock: "Our campaign to save Meadowbank has been successful thus far. But the job is not complete and we will continue to work and lobby until public opinion becomes central to the debate."

Labour motion reaffirms their commitment to sell off the stadium

The Labour group in the City of Edinburgh Council will, on the 26th of April, ask the full council to support a motion which reaffirms their commitment to sell off the stadium. Read more and take action>>

Meadowbank grandstand is worth saving for its architecture

Meadowbank's grandstand should be saved on architectural grounds. That's the view of Dr. Dimitris Theodossopoulos, a lecturer in Architectural Technology at Edinburgh University.

Council leader Ewan Aitken wants his colleagues to vote on a motion that will sacrifice the Meadowbank grandstand for a small community centre so that hundreds of homes can be built on the current sports centre site.

"The architectural beauty of Meadowbank is mainly due to its grandstand," said Dr. Theodossopoulos. "Get rid of that and the site it loses its character. The grandstand has to stay.

"Meadowbank is one of the last major examples of design carried out by the City Council architects. It can be included in the contemporary examples of creative attitude by local authorities all over Britain, like London's Royal Festival Hall.

"The Stadium uses an interesting dynamic system of concrete beams and columns to form the main skeleton, which is clearly and elegantly expressed. As someone who is carrying out research on historic and modern shell architecture and structural forms, I find the way the steel members tie the grandstand along the London Road elevation a quite interesting feature, reminiscent of early hi-tech sports architecture like P. L. Nervi's Palazzetto dello Sport in Rome for the 1960 Olympics. The result is a rhythmical composition which with an improved landscape and lighting scheme can become more prominent.

"I am aware of the problems the council has faced in maintaining the Stadium but I believe the architectural and cultural prominence of the site can be matched to its significance as a vital sports facility for the community and therefore a carefully drafted development masterplan can provide the required value for all of East Edinburgh.

"The whole project could become more viable by incorporating the industrial sites to the south and by demolishing the redundant office block to the east.

"There has not been a comprehensive feasibility study for such an important development. Only a few arguments have been considered and the debate has been based only on the finances needed to create Sighthill and refurbish the Commonwealth Pool.

"The draft development brief only states no listed buildings are contained in the site which gives a very limited idea of what can constitute heritage or architectural value.

"I therefore register my strong objection to the scheme and the demolition of the Stadium."

Campaigners welcomed his views. Save Meadowbank spokesperson Paula Ferguson commented: "The motion tabled by council leader Ewan Aitken does not address concerns of local residents because it still means the building of hundreds homes on the Meadowbank site.

"It doesn't admit mistakes have been made. Instead it asks councillors to re-affirm previous decisions. Yet we now know these original decisions were flawed due to failings in the original consultation process and a funding disagreement with SportScotland.

"The Liberal Democrats want Meadowbank refurbished. The SNP has done a complete turnaround and is now calling for the same.

"A local poll showed 87% of respondents wanted to Save Meadowbank. Given this level of support, why can't Labour simply admit they made a mistake and propose a reversal of the decision to demolish Meadowbank?"

Youngsters Lead Meadowbank March

Local residents, athletes, sports groups and coaches marched from Meadowbank stadium to Edinburgh City Chambers to hand over thousands of 'Save Meadowbank' petitions and protest at Edinburgh City Council's plans to demolish Meadowbank stadium to replace it with luxury houses.

Public Meeting

There will be a Public Meeting to discuss Edinburgh Council's plan to sell Meadowbank to property developers in Hall 2 Of Meadowbank Sports Centre on Saturday, 17th March, between 3pm and 5pm.

Members of the public are invited to come along and discuss the council's proposals with councillors and politicians.

S2M-5663 Mark Ballard: Save Meadowbank Stadium

Mark Ballard, The Scottish Green Party MSP for Lothians, has put forward a motion to Save Meadowbank Stadium to the Scottish Parliament.

S2M-5663 Mark Ballard: Save Meadowbank Stadium — That the Parliament expresses concern at the proposed demolition of Meadowbank Stadium, home to the Commonwealth Games of 1970 and 1986; notes that stadia in Berlin, Helsinki, Stockholm and Los Angeles have all been successfully refurbished and all are older than Meadowbank Stadium; notes that the proposed transfer of the stadium to Sighthill would mean that two running tracks, the other at nearby Saughton, would sit on the west of the city, while stadium users from eastern and central Edinburgh would be expected to make a round journey of up to 12 miles and users from East Lothian would largely be excluded on the grounds of travel time and travel expense; rejects the loss of Scotland’s sporting heritage, Meadowbank having been home to Liz McColgan’s first Commonwealth title in 1986 and Lachie Stewart’s Commonwealth 10,000 metres victory over Ron Clarke in 1970 to name but two iconic performances, as well as being the training ground of Yvonne Murray, former European 3,000 metres Champion; notes that Meadowbank Stadium is home to Edinburgh Southern Harriers, currently the best women’s athletics club in the United Kingdom, having won last season’s UK League, a most notable feat for a Scottish club; notes the concerns of football clubs that use Sighthill Park for training; notes the objections of thousands of users, who have signed an ongoing petition, as well as coaches and their athletes who fear loss of facilities at a vital time in their preparations for 2012 Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games; notes that the current public consultation does not extend to whether or not local people want the stadium demolished but only consults on ideas for the site when demolition is complete; rejects the logic that new facilities can only be funded by the sell-off of existing facilities; notes that this proposal is at odds with need to tackle Scotland’s appalling health record and growing obesity problem, and calls on the City of Edinburgh Council to work with the Scottish Executive to restore the neglected stadium as it is part of our national sporting heritage.

Leafleting and petitioning

Leafleting and petitioning as part of the campaign to save Meadowbank stadium and sports facilities from demolition will take place outside the stadium on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd March from 5.30pm. Everyone is welcome to come along and help out.

There will also be a meeting on Mon 5th March at 7.30pm in a local venue. This meeting will be a chance to share ideas and develop an effective campaign strategy. Email savemeadowbank@blueyonder.co.uk for more information.

Save Meadowbank Stadium website

Campaigners aiming to save Meadowbank stadium from demolition have launched a website at:

http://www.savemeadowbank.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk./

Thousands want to give stadium a sporting chance

More than 3000 people have backed a campaign to save Meadowbank Stadium from demolition. Read more.

www.edinburghnews.com

Save Meadowbank Stadium petition

Bill Walker, a senior Edinburgh athletics coach, has set up an online petition to urge the Prime Minister to stop the proposed demolition of Meadowbank Stadium to make way for residential housing.

Sign the petition.

New Meadowbank development consultation deadline

The deadline for commenting on the Meadowbank Development Brief has been extended from March 9th to March 30th.

Find out more
E-mail: alison.kirkwood@edinburgh.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 469 3590
Website: City of Edinburgh Council - Meadowbank Development Brief

Have your say
Write a letter to: Head of Planning & Strategy, City Development Department, Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh EH8 8BG.

"Local people are being deceived"

Conflicting information from Councillors and the Planning Department, lead the Chair of the Craigentinny Community Council to conclude that local people are being deceived about plans for a new sports centre at Meadowbank.

In the minutes from the Craigenitnny Community Council meeting of Jan 22nd and the East Local Development Meeting of Jan 23rd, the Chair writes:

"In (my) opinion, as a non professional person in Planning and Council business, it seems that either the Planning department or the Council are trying to deceive us, the local people, on the plans for the new sports centre; and this is only after two consultation meetings. In which the Community Council feels that they have had their time wasted on the consultation up to now.

The only positive conclusion at the LDC (Local Development Committee) meeting was that there would be an extention of the planning deadline from 9th March to the first local partnership meeting of Craigentinny/Duddingston. This will be held after the May elections of the local Councillors"

Sighthill stadium plans rejected

Plans for the new stadium at Sighthill were sent back to the drawing board today after protests that it would make a poor venue for rugby. Read more.

In related developments, the Liberal Democratic party indicated that it did not see the need to sell Meadowbank.

The city's Lib Dem leader, Jenny Dawe, added: "We do not see the justification for selling off Meadowbank Stadium. The Sighthill scheme does not seem necessary and we should be looking at other ways of funding a refurbishment of the Commonwealth Pool."

www.edinburghnews.com

"Meadowbank has deliberately been run down"

Doug Gillan, the Herald athletics correspondant, laments City of Edinburgh Council's, "cavalier attitude to its sporting heritage, ambivalence towards future potential, and penny-pinching policies when it comes to sustaining facilities. Read more.

Sighthill residents angered by stadium plans

"The Capital's planned multi- million pound athletics and rugby stadium has sparked protests from residents angry it will be built on their only green space.

Community leaders said the development would "wreck" the neighbourhood and leave young people in Sighthill out in the cold." Read more.

www.edinburghnews.com

Plans for Sighthill Stadium unveiled

"Images of the proposed athletics and rugby arena at Sighthill were unveiled as it emerged that formal plans for the development - as well as those for an overhaul of the Commonwealth Pool - will be lodged within the next few months.

Councillors will be asked next week to support detailed plans for both projects and agree to use the proposed sell-off of Meadowbank Stadium to help meet the bulk of the £86 million cost." Read more.

www.edinburghnews.com

National Sports Facilities Strategy

At the Edinburgh East Local Development Committee meeting on the 23rd of Janaury 2007, the City of Edinburgh Council gave a presentation on the key points of the Meadowbank Development Brief and how it fits with the National Sports Facilities Strategy. They stressed their desire to have feedback on the proposals for Meadowbank sent to them by the March the 9th deadline.

There were a number of concerns raised by members of the public after the presentation. One of these related to 8.2 of the development brief, which states that the Meadowbank site will be marketed in early 2007, after the finalised development brief has been approved.

It was suggested that this is too soon to allow for feedback from the consultation period to be properly considered and that a revised draft should be prepared once the consultation period has ended. This should be presented to the community for further consideration before a finalised version is approved. This was supported (I think) by Cllr Ewan Aitken on the committee and added to the following committee motion.

The East Local Development Committee -
• Welcomes the commitment of City of Edinburgh Council to a new local sports facility in east Edinburgh as part of the package of improving sports facilities across the city.
• Notes that this will help increase the sports facilities across the city.
• Agrees that any new facility should be in place before the present facilities are closed.
• Agrees to respond to the consultation on the planning brief expressing the view that the choice for the new sports facility should allow for it to be built before the present site facilities are closed.
• Agrees to respond to the consultation on the planning brief with respect to affordable housing on the Meadowbank site should include significant number of family houses with access to front and back gardens.
• Agrees that a revised draft should be prepared once the consultation period has ended and that the revised draft should be presented to the community for further consideration before a finalised version is approved.

Objections
Cllr Lawrence Marshall objected to the motion, Cllr Marjorie Thomas said that the motion should not be accepted as more time was needed to consider the implications. (A position strongly supported by many members of the public in attendance). Cllr Ian Perry supported the motion and it was accepted by the Convener Cllr Shami Khan.

Craigentinny Community Council

At the Craigentinny Community Council meeting on the 22nd of January 2007, Alison Kirkwood and colleagues from the City of Edinburgh Council gave a presentation and answered questions on the Meadowbank Redevelopment Brief. Councillor Ewan Aitken was also present to answer questions.

The presentation gave an overview of the proposed development zones, highlighted that the plans are in draft form and that feedback submitted before the March 9th deadline will be considered before a finalised version is produced.

My impression was that the members of the community council were sceptical of the plans and very resistant to the scale of the proposed housing development.

The development proposes that the main sport and athletics facility on the East side of the city should be 'disposed' of in order to part finance a project to build a replacement sports facility at Sighthill, on the other side of the city.

There are a number of sports facilities already in that area of the city. The Saughton sports centre, which is home to a ‘huge range of outdoor sports’ including: four grass football pitches, five aside and seven aside football pitches on superturf, an enclosed football pitch and an athletics track, is close to Sighthill park. Craiglockhart sports centre and Meggetland playing fields are nearby and there's also a new facility at Drumbrea.

In contrast, the redevelopment plan for Meadowbank is asking local residents and users of this facility to accept a reduction from 10 hectares of land dedicated to sport, to 0.5 hectares (to include parking and access) for a new community centre.

A quote from Bill Walker, senior coach with the City of Edinburgh Athletic Club, sums up the disappointment shared by many at these plans:

"I'm extremely unhappy about what's happening to Meadowbank. The council has deliberately run-down the facilities there to sell the site for housing, and it will be a major loss to the area when it's gone. The west of the city has a number of facilities but there will be nothing at all in this area, which has been ideal for Meadowbank because of the close proximity of Holyrood Park."

The Scotsman website – article 5th December 2006

Meadowbank Development Brief

The City of Edinburgh Council has recently published detailed plans to sell off the land currently occupied by Meadowbank Stadium to property developers. The plans state that housing is the most appropriate use of the land and that a 'high density development is acceptable'.

The Meadowbank Redevelopment Brief informs us that the Council will use the money generated by the sale of Meadowbank to fund the refurbishment of the Commonwealth Pool and build new Sports facilities in the Sighthill area of the city.

There is an indication that some sports facilities will be retained at Meadowbank, but the specification for these 'has not been agreed'.

Find out more
E-mail: alison.kirkwood@edinburgh.gov.uk
Tel: 0131 469 3590
Website: City of Edinburgh Council - Meadowbank Development Brief

Have your say
The deadline for commenting on the Development Brief is 9 March 2007.
Write a letter to: Head of Planning & Strategy, City Development Department, Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh EH8 8BG.