Plans for 8500-capacity Edinburgh Park arena submitted to city council

Plans have been submitted for a new 8,500 capacity “world-class” arena in Edinburgh.

AEG Europe, who own the O2 Arena in London, has submitted a full planning application to the City of Edinburgh Council for the proposed 8,500 capacity venue at Edinburgh Park.

The 18,500 square metre site is expected to attract over 700,000 visitors and put £83.1m of spending back into the local economy each year.

Developers say the site could deliver £520m in gross value to the Edinburgh economy with over 1,350 “employment opportunities” created as part of the plans.

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.”

In-person public consultation events have been held in December and January where residents were made aware of updates on the intended plans.

AEG hope to receive planning permission by June this year, with a view to appointing an external contractor to commence work at the site thereafter.

Alistair Wood, executive vice president of real estate & development for AEG Europe added: “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.”