Edinburgh struggle with stadium delay
NEWS: Edinburgh have confirmed their plans to construct a new purpose-built 7,800-seater stadium on the back pitches at Murrayfield are still waiting to get the all-clear.
The result is they will spend the 2018/19 season playing in the 67,144-capacity national team arena.
The club had applied for planning permission on May 31, 2018, along with the necessary building warrants from the City of Edinburgh Council. That planning permission was received four months later on September 21. However, there is still no sign yet of a successful conclusion with the council in the building warrant process.
Edinburgh and Scottish Rugby insist they remain committed to delivering a new stadium for the city’s professional rugby team and will continue to work proactively with their project consultants and the council to make this happen.
In a statement, the club said: “In order to assist with planning for the forthcoming season and to provide clarity for supporters around ticket prices and season ticket memberships, the club will continue playing on the international pitch into the new campaign.
“Season ticket members from the 2018/19 season onwards will have priority when transferring to the new stadium and further details on this process will be communicated at the appropriate time.
“The club thanks fans for their patience as it works towards providing a suitable long-term home for the club and its supporters.”
Edinburgh have been seeking to develop their own small-capacity stadium at Murrayfield following the failed experiment at Myreside.
Frustrated by sparse attendances at Murrayfield, they entered a three-year deal with Watsonians to use a facility with a 5,500 capacity. However, the arrangement was short lived.
Edinburgh’s Viliame Mata is tackled by Munster’s Arno Botha and Niall Scannell in last month’s Champions Cup quarter-final at Murrayfield, a fixture attracted an attendance in excess of 35,000 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
The stadium was deemed unsuitable for their bigger Champions Cup games and the PRO14 derby with Glasgow, while poor weather conditions also had a negative impact.
It left the club returning to Murrayfield on a permanent basis and deciding to explore the construction of their own ground on the national rugby HQ back pitch.