SCOTTISH RUGBY HAS today unveiled plans for a new purpose-built stadium to be built on the grounds of Murrayfield to become the home of Guinness Pro14 side Edinburgh.
A planning application has been submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council and the facility, which will include a 3G playing surface and covered stands on all four sides, is intended to be ready for the 2019/20 season.
Edinburgh will continue to play their home games on the main pitch at Murrayfield next season while work is being completed on their new home, which will be located on land currently used as training pitches.
The capacity of the venue will be 7,800 and Scottish Rugby hopes to use the facility for the wider rugby community in Scotland, as well as the possibility of hosting other sports there.
“We are incredibly excited to be in a position to be able to submit this application to give Edinburgh a new home,” Scottish Rugby’s chief operating officer, Dominic McKay, said.
“After many years of exhausting all the potential stadium and playing ground options for Edinburgh in the local area, we have taken the initiative and will be investing ourselves to develop a venue that can help the team to grow and provide a great spectator experience.
“We are fortunate to have space within the BT Murrayfield campus to comfortably accommodate this planned new facility and retain practice pitches for all elements of rugby.
“We see this as adding increased flexibility to the BT Murrayfield site and believe we have submitted a robust, sensible application and hope it will be viewed favourably.
“I’d like to thank the City of Edinburgh Council for their support to date and look forward to working with them over the coming months.”
Edinburgh started last season playing fixtures at the 5,500-capacity Myreside ground and had intended to make that a permanent home for three seasons, but moved all games back to Murrayfield in February as Richard Cockerill’s side reached the knockout stages of the Pro14 and Challenge Cup.
On today’s announcement, head coach Cockerill added: “I’ve said right from the start that Edinburgh has a lot of potential but it had lacked a strong culture and sense of identity.
“What is exciting about this new project is that as a club, as players, staff and fans we could have a home that we can begin to build something from. It will give us a focal point, excellent facilities and a chance to move the club forward both on and off the pitch.”
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