Edinburgh Arena

Proposed indoor arena

Edinburgh Arena

Edinburgh Park Arena

Rendering of the proposed arena

Location| Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Public transit| Edinburgh Park station
Capacity| 8,500 (with standing)
6,450 (all seated)
Construction
Broke ground| Q1 2026 (projected)
Opened| 2027–2028 (projected)
Construction cost| £80 million (projected)
Architect| HOK
Structural engineer| Buro Happold
Services engineer| Buro Happold
Website
Project website

Edinburgh Arena, also known as Edinburgh Park Arena, is a proposed indoor arena to be built at the Edinburgh Park business park in the South Gyle area of Edinburgh, Scotland. The venue is planned to have a maximum capacity of around 8,500 people, with mixed seating and standing configurations.[1]

Edinburgh is one of few European capital cities without a large capacity indoor arena.[2]

## Leith proposal (2004)

[edit]

In September 2004 the owner of Leith Docks, Forth Ports, announced plans to carry out a major multi-million pounds redevelopment of the area. Plans were put forward by the port operator to build a five-star hotel, luxury resort casino and a 5,000-seat indoor concert arena on land opposite the Ocean Terminal shopping centre in Leith. The site had previously hosted the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards in a temporary 6,000-capacity big top arena that was constructed specifically for the event.[3][4] The former brownfield site has since been redeveloped for a residential housing and apartments scheme, as part of the wider regeneration of the docklands area.

## Loanhead proposal (2019)

[edit]

In December 2019, Lothian Leisure Development and NEC Group published a proposal to build a large 8,000-capacity music venue and conference space in the city.[5] The location of the second proposal for an 'Edinburgh Arena', which would also include a conference centre, retail and leisure space, a cinema and two hotels, was a 30-acre site in green belt land near the Edinburgh City Bypass in Straiton, Loanhead. The proposed arena was designed by Nick Brown Architects, with landscaping by Harrison Stevens; engineering firms Hoare Lea and Buro Happold were also involved in the project.[6][7]

## Edinburgh Park proposal

[edit]

On 20 November 2023, Anschutz Entertainment Group submitted a planning application to the City of Edinburgh Council for the construction of an 8,500 capacity music arena on a site in Edinburgh Park.[8][9] The project team includes HOK as the designated architects, Savills for town planning and socio-economics, and Buro Happold.

The proposal was approved by Edinburgh council in June 2024, with construction for the arena expected to begin in early 2025 and with a planned opening in 2027. Naming rights for the arena, which will cover 18,500 square metres across three levels and is known as the "Carlton Arena" during the planning stage, will be sold off to a sponsor prior to its opening.[10]

AEG Europe executive vice president Alistair Wood also revealed that it had considered alternative sites in Leith, Meadowbank and one located near to Edinburgh Airport.[11] In February 2025, it was reported that construction work at the site could start sometime in the first quarter of 2026 so that the arena could open in late 2027 or early 2028. The developers were working through "issues and processes that come with preparing a site like Edinburgh Park", making progress with the design team and were searching to appoint an external contractor to carry out the work.[12]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Edinburgh music venues

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Edinburgh Park Arena Exhibition Boards" (PDF). Edinburgh Park Arena. 2024-06-25. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
2. ^ "New 8,000 seat Edinburgh indoor arena planned for Straiton site". Edinburgh News. 2019-12-02. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
3. ^ "Leith Docks centre of £80m plan for music, hotel and casino". The Scotsman. 8 September 2004. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
4. ^ "Looking back at previous failed proposals for a large music arena in Edinburgh". Edinburgh News. 28 November 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
5. ^ Burns, Hamish (2019-12-02). "Edinburgh reveals its rival to SSE Hydro". businessInsider. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
6. ^ "8,000 seat indoor arena earmarked for Straiton". Urban Realm. December 2019.
7. ^ "New 8,000 seat Edinburgh indoor arena planned for Straiton site". Edinburgh News.
8. ^ Stephen, Phyllis (November 21, 2023). "Edinburgh Arena will be "great" for the city". The Edinburgh Reporter.
9. ^ "23/06913/PAN | Proposed arena development (Class 11) including Class 1A (Retail), Class 3 (Restaurants and cafes) and ancillary hot food / bar amenities with associated public realm, access, landscaping, parking and infrastructure. | Land 70 Meters East Of 1 Lochside Court South Gyle Edinburgh". citydev-portal.edinburgh.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
10. ^ Williams, Katie (22 November 2023). "New 8,500-capacity 'world class' entertainment venue planned for Edinburgh". Edinburgh Live.
11. ^ "Plans for 8,500-capacity Edinburgh Park arena backed by council". BBC News. 2024-06-12. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
12. ^ "Developers reveal when they expect to start work on new 8,500 arena at Edinburgh Park". Edinburgh News. February 10, 2025. Retrieved February 15, 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* AEG project webiste

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Indoor arenas in the United Kingdom

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