After a five-year hiatus, Edinburgh Leisure will once again be holding their annual gymnastics display at the new £47m state-of-the-art Meadowbank Sports Centre, which reopened in July 2022 after a major refurbishment.
Now in its 16th year, over 300 gymnasts, and cheerleaders from six Edinburgh Leisure venues, will be coming together to delight audiences with their annual display at the sports venue on Sunday, 11 December 2022.
Gymnastics Development Officer Dorothy McQueen said: “Gymnastics is a great way to provide a healthy and active lifestyle. They have many benefits and help children to gain strength, stamina, balance, coordination, flexibility as well as self-confidence.
“This non-competitive gymnastics’ event gives the children with Edinburgh Leisure’s coaching programme the opportunity to showcase what they have been working so hard on throughout the year. In addition, it allows them to see performances of all levels and inspires them to reach for the stars, or maybe even that gold, silver or bronze medal in the future.”
As well as featuring over 23 performances from Edinburgh Leisure gymnastics, there will also be special guest appearances from clubs across the region, including City of Edinburgh, Ibex and Cheer Evolution.
Tickets cost £5 each and all spectators, 5 years and over, require a ticket for entry. Participating gymnasts do not require a ticket.
Under 5s tickets are free but they will not be allocated a seat.
Tickets are available for either the morning or afternoon session and can be bought from Ticket Source – https://bit.ly/3V5KEdS
Gymnastics coaching teaches the basics of floor, vault, beam, and bar skills from Primary 1 upwards before progressing to a higher class.
It is just one of the 12 sports coached across 17 venues in Edinburgh. Edinburgh Leisure’s coaching programme helps children to develop new skills, improve their agility and grow confidence. And for pre-schoolers, Edinburgh Leisure offers Gym Nippers, from those toddlers who are walking.
For more information on gymnastics’ classes and other coaching opportunities at Edinburgh Leisure, get inspired by visiting:
A major milestone has been reached in the build of the new Meadowbank Sports Centre with the completion certificate being issued to the main contractors Graham Construction.
This enables the project to progress to the next stage – Edinburgh Leisure can now begin preparing the building for opening. Although an official opening date to the public has yet to be announced, it is expected that Meadowbank will be open around the start of the summer holidays.
The original Meadowbank was built for the 1970 Commonwealth Games and was used by various clubs and sporting celebrities. The closure of the flagship venue on 3 December 2017 marked the end of an era and the start of a new one as the building was decommissioned to make way for a new state-of-the-art sports centre for people in Edinburgh and beyond to enjoy for decades to come.
The new Meadowbank was originally scheduled to reopen in 2020, but the two-year pandemic, various lockdowns and issues with building supplies and contractor resourcing, which affected the building industry, meant that delays were inevitable.
June Peebles, CEO of Edinburgh Leisure said: “We’re delighted that the finishing line is now in sight for the opening of this new flagship venue. The opportunity to be involved in such a major build project is special and I’m very grateful to the City of Edinburgh Council for involving Edinburgh Leisure in all aspects of this exciting investment into the City’s wellbeing.
“It’s been great to be involved in the project from day one however the level of excitement has certainly increased as we begin preparations for opening”.
“The new Meadowbank will undoubtedly pick up where the old Meadowbank left off; providing countless opportunities for generations to come to participate in physical activity and sport. New sporting memories will be created, and we can’t wait to welcome the people of Edinburgh and beyond, into the new venue.”
June Peebles added: “Now that the completion certificate has been issued, we will be spending the following weeks with final snagging, fit out items, finalising operating arrangements and a comprehensive staff training programme before we finally open the building.
“So, keep your eyes on social media and Edinburgh Leisure’s website for more announcements about the official opening date. We can’t wait to welcome you into the impressive new Meadowbank!”
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “It’s great news that this latest milestone has been reached today, which means the new Meadowbank Sports Centre is one step closer to throwing its doors open to the public.
“This glimpse behind-the-scenes shows what we’ve got to look forward to – one of the country’s top community sports centres with some of the most state-of-the-art fitness facilities in the UK.
“We’ve been working closely with Edinburgh Leisure throughout the development of this flagship project to make sure that the centre provides the very best in sport and physical activity, while prioritising participation and accessibility.
“Now, as June and her team put the finishing touches to the building and finalise arrangements for opening, we’re counting down the weeks before everyone can enjoy this fantastic facility”.
The City of Edinburgh Council-led regeneration of Meadowbank has reached another major milestone this week as Councillors agreed to appoint a development partner for the next stage of the project.
Approved at the Finance and Resources Committee on Thursday following a competitive procurement process, the £1.045million contract will be awarded to the Edinburgh Meadowbank Group, to be referred to as EDMB, a consortium comprising of John Graham Holdings, Panacea Property Development and Miller Homes.
They will progress design and pre-construction works by early 2023 ahead of the start of construction work on site.
The ambition for the development of Meadowbank is to create one of the Capital’s greenest neighbourhoods by incorporating low-car, low-carbon infrastructure with energy efficient homes.
The regeneration will deliver around 600 new mixed tenure homes for sale and rent, at least 35% of which will be affordable with a number being fully wheelchair adapted.
Positioned on the site adjacent to the new Meadowbank Sports Centre off London Road, it will also include space for a range of commercial and community uses on the ground floor including the proposed location for a GP Surgery.
High quality public realm and landscaping, focusing on the industrial and sporting heritage will provide new active travel routes through to Restalrig, while protecting and enhancing the existing trees and environment.
During the pre-development period, work will be carried out to prepare for construction, including developing detailed designs and agreeing a net zero carbon energy solution for the site, contributing to the Council’s ambitious target to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.
The Meadowbank masterplan for the site was approved in October 2020 following an extensive programme of community consultation.
Regular engagement on proposals for the site has continued with the Meadowbank Sounding Board – a group consisting of local representatives, councillors, and council officers – which continues to review progress and ensure the site continues to best meet the community’s and council’s priorities.
A wide range of community benefits and fair work proposals will also be delivered. These will include seven new apprenticeship positions and fourteen new job opportunities; site visits for local schools over the course of the development; employability support events; community enhancement projects, including donations of up to £100,000 to community groups; and all employees and sub-contractors will be paid the Real Living Wage.
Councillor Rob Munn, Finance and Resource Convener, said: “Strong and extensive scrutiny has gone into this procurement process to get us to this point. We’ve discussed this at committee today and agree that we have a pre-development partner in place that shares our vision while also offering us best value.
“We now want to deliver more affordable housing and space for retail businesses, while we hope to provide a much-needed GP surgery provision to benefit everyone within the local community.
“It’s great that these homes are located a short distance from the city centre and will be both cost effective to heat alongside some that will be wheelchair accessible. With the Meadowbank masterplan also having been awarded a ‘Building with Nature’ accreditation we know that development will be setting standards for sustainable design, implementation and maintenance of high-quality green features so I look forward to seeing the results of this stage of the development and what EDMB can bring to that.”
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Vice Convener, said: “Seeing another stage of our masterplan getting closer to becoming a reality is very exciting, especially as it will provide so many homes for the city, contributing to our ambition to deliver 20,000 affordable homes by 2027.
“This development and wider neighbourhood, shaped by the local community, will bring a great regenerative feel to this area of the city.
“Through the community benefits programme we have agreed as part of this contract, we also hope to bring new jobs and training opportunities for local people, offering opportunities for local school leavers and children to be part of the vision for Meadowbank.”
Police are appealing for information after a woman was assaulted in her home on Parsons Green Terrace around 5.10pm on Wednesday (9 February).
Two men entered the property and assaulted a 47-year-old woman. The men then ran off when the woman’s 10-year-old daughter began screaming.
They were seen heading west, towards the Meadowbank area.
The first suspect is described as white, 30 to 40-years-old, 6ft, slim build and was wearing a light grey snood over his nose and mouth, grey joggers, jacket and light coloured jumper.
The second suspect is described as white, 30 to 40-years-old, 5ft 10, slim build and was wearing dark joggers and fleece, had the bottom half of his face covered and was carrying an orange food delivery bag.
Detective Sergeant Gary Smyth, of Police Scotland’s Violence Reduction unit, said: “Although the victim was not seriously hurt this was a distressing experience for her and her young daughter.
“It is important we trace these men and I would urge anyone who may have seen them in the area at the time to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference 2552 of Wednesday, 9 February 2022.”
Edinburgh City FC Women’s team will be sponsored for the forthcoming season by Bellfield Taproom.Bellfield’s logo will feature on the team strips and the partners will hold a number of joint activities such as charity fundraisers and quiz nights.
Bellfield Taproom – in the city’s Abbeyhill district – is a stone’s throw from the club’s home base: the new Meadowbank Stadium.
The team will return to playing home matches at Meadowbank, from November this year, when the newly rebuilt stadium reopens.
Dave Armstrong, Head of Media & Communications, Edinburgh City FC Women said: “Sponsorship is crucial to our team and Bellfield is very local to our home base. Their reputation for being inclusive and ‘supporting local’ means they are a great partner for the club.
“We are ambitious and aiming to get to the top level, so we hope to make Bellfield proud of their association with the team.”
Women’s football in Scotland is growing at a rapid pace and the opportunities for brand and business awareness and promotion are increasing exponentially.
Edinburgh City FC Women’s team currently play in the SWF Championship which is one tier away from Premiership football.
The Edinburgh City Women’s squad boasts many Scotland Internationals as well as former Hibs and Celtic players.
The team has a Turkish International in Yasemin Emek and an American No.1, Kelli Hanman.
Bellfield director Marie Brown said: “We’re pleased to be sponsoring such an ambitious and talented squad and look forward to following their progress this season.
“We’re also looking forward to meeting the players and to hosting events and fundraisers at our Taproom to help them on their way.”
An application for planning permission for the development of high-quality student accommodation on London Road has been approved by City of Edinburgh Council at committee this morning.
Located at London Road, the 76-bed development, is being undertaken by developer, HG Developments. This is a second phase development of the neighbouring student accommodation at 61-63 London Road, also being undertaken by HG Developments. This incorporates the vacant land, presenting a continuation of regeneration along the London Road corridor.
Situated opposite Meadowbank Stadium, the contemporary state of the art development will replace the existing car wash and will see the delivery of a six-storey block, predominantly in brick, bringing a strong architectural element to the corner site.
The planning application was progressed after the site was re-marketed when a previous residential development consent for the scheme could not be progressed due it not being possible to build over a sewer present on the site.
On completion, charity People Know How – currently housed at Crewe Toll’s 525 Ferry Road – will locate their headquarters on the ground floor of 61 – 63 London Road, closer to the communities in which they operate.
The charity supports children, young people and their families in north-east Edinburgh transition from primary to high school; helps individuals access the digital world and assists communities to shape their areas through community consultation and empowerment.
The site is not within a Conservation Area or within the boundary of the UNESCO World Heritage site and is in an area within which there is a considerable volume of mixed-use development proposed, complementing the established residential areas nearby.
It is located on London Road, a major thoroughfare in the city boasting a high frequency of bus routes, including buses that directly serve university and college campuses and facilities.
Given the high sustainability of the location, only four parking spaces will be delivered, two accessible spaces and two to accommodate cars for the for the City Car Club, now known as Enterprise Car Club.
Energy efficient design will enhance the sustainability of the development, and water consuming systems will offer considerable reductions in water use compared to baseline technologies, including low flush toilets and low flow taps and showers
In addition, the proposal will help to address the increasing demand for student accommodation in the city. Edinburgh’s leading universities and colleges are a key driver of the capital’s economy and civic life, and student bed provision in Edinburgh remains below average compared with competing student cities across the UK.
Architects 3DReid worked on the scheme and the planning consultants were Turley.
A spokesperson for HG Developments commented: “We are delighted to have received approval of our application at committee today. This high-quality student accommodation proposal will serve to redevelop a brownfield site in previous commercial use.
“Given the high sustainability of the location there is no requirement for car parking spaces beyond those for the City Car club and disabled spaces, and we are ensuring that there is excellent provision of bicycle spaces.
Glenn Liddall, Chief Executive of People Know How commented: “Having worked closely with the developer we were pleased to see this scheme, which acts as an extension to the neighbouring building which is now under construction, gaining planning approval. We are locating our headquarters here, allowing us to serve the local community and enabling us to grow.
“As a large number of students routinely work with us by way of volunteering, internships and placements we are in the enviable position of being able to establish a positive relationship with students in the building, who can support us in our work, which will also benefit them; and engage them in the local area.”
Ruta Turcinaviciute, Project Designerfor 3DReid commented: “The proposed scheme marks an important moment for the future redevelopment of a constrained and complicated site, which will benefit the urban quality of London Road and represent a further contribution to the ongoing regeneration of the wider area.
“The proposed building seeks to address the prominent corner of the site, to its eastern approach, while the material and language of the building follows the emerging palette of the new developments currently proposed in the area, in addition to responding to the tones of the more historic tenements that form the wider context.”
Plans to transform Meadowbank into one of Edinburgh’s greenest neighbourhoods were approved by councillors last week.
Shaped in response to views shared by local residents – who were keen to see more quality greenspace, places for play and better-connected walking and cycle routes brought to the area – the masterplan for Council-owned land at Meadowbank was approved by the Development Management Sub Committee on Wednesday.
The £100m project is now expected to become the first development of its size in Edinburgh to promote the Council’s net zero carbon by 2030 goals by creating a low-car, low-carbon community and energy efficient new homes.
The sustainable mixed-use development will also create jobs and a significant economic boost by regenerating a five-hectare area next to the new Meadowbank Sports Centre – which is already set to become one of the greenest and most accessible centres for community sport in the country when it opens next year.
Space for a new GP surgery and community and commercial uses, the protection of existing trees and planting of saplings plus new rain gardens also feature in landscaping designs, which aim to pay tribute to the area’s sporting and industrial heritage.
With support from Nature Scot and the Scottish Government, the Masterplan has been awarded Building with Nature accreditation, setting the standard for high-quality low carbon features, and the Council has undertaken studies on the option for ‘green roofs’. The designs have also been endorsed by Sustrans’ Places for Everyone scheme, which brings specialised active travel knowledge to the project.
Councillor Neil Gardiner, Planning Convener, said: “As a planning authority, we need make sure we protect our City’s beautiful and historic built environment, while supporting our communities to become sustainable for twenty-first century living.
“We also need to adapt our city to meet the needs of a growing population, address the increasing impact of climate change and ensure growth is responsible. These designs for Meadowbank meet these needs with plans for a truly low-carbon, low-car, energy efficient neighbourhood, featuring new affordable homes. This is a really important site for the City and I’d like to thank everyone who took time to participate in the consultation process.
“The masterplan includes homes to meet different needs, including for families. One third of the houses will be affordable, making a welcome contribution to the needs of the heroes who keep our city running every day. This masterplan, which has broad community support, offers a gold standard for new developments across the city for both the public and private sectors.”
Councillor Maureen Child, Vice Planning Convener, said: “Our aspirations for place making through our new City Plan, which we are currently drafting, are about making sure our communities continue to be great places where people want to live and visit, so feedback from the local community has been key to shaping Committee’s decision making on Meadowbank.
“I’m pleased that an open conversation has been had and that we’ve been able to agree these ambitious plans, which offer a mix of community benefits and improved facilities. It will see the community evolve into a more connected and climate conscious community, in line with our net zero carbon targets.”
Keir Bloomer, the project’s independent Sounding Board Chair, said: “The current proposals have emerged through an intensive exercise in community engagement. In addition to a number of public information sessions and consultation meetings, a Meadowbank Sounding Board was established almost two years ago.
“This group contains representatives of a wide range of local community groups and organisations, including those who were opposed to the original proposals for the site. Local councillors and others with relevant committee responsibilities are also members but they are in a minority.
“Considerable efforts have been made to ensure that the sounding board is able to express its views, regardless of whether these are favourable to the Council’s perspective or not. I was asked to chair the group as somebody who is completely independent.
“The sounding board met quite frequently until restrictions during the pandemic made this impossible. Designs for the site have been altered on a number of occasions in response to its views. As a result, the current plans are greener and more open. Housing density has been reduced and designs improved. It is intended that the sounding board will continue in existence through the development phase, acting as a strong voice for local people.”
Cathy Houston, Project Architect at Collective Architecture, said: “We are grateful for the time taken by members of the community to engage in the Meadowbank design processes.
“This is such an important site in Edinburgh’s City Centre and so it is wonderful to be at this stage with a multifaceted proposal which seeks to enrich the neighbourhood on many levels: ecologically, environmentally, socially and with a huge amount of care.
“The process undertaken with the community has ensured that the development sensitively integrates new housing, local amenities, greenspace and restored public routes east to west.”
Brenda Devlin, a local Community Councillor, said: “Using the expertise of Collective Architecture and the City of Edinburgh Council, local consultations, focus groups, workshops and public meetings were organised.
“It became obvious that the participants that attended these events were being listened to and their suggestions and ideas taken on board. The plans now being presented are a result of these consultation sessions and mostly reflect the vision of local residents, groups, organisations and businesses.
“The creation of a Sounding Board provided another opportunity for further targeted local input and a place for checks and balances to be carried out on the final plans. This eco-friendly development with a mixture of housing types, quality green spaces and community facilities makes this a very exciting development and will be an asset to our area.”
Around 600 modern energy-efficient homes – a minimum of 35% of which will be affordable – are detailed in the planning application, which is available to view as a report to Committee.
More information is available at ww.edinburgh.gov.uk/meadowbank.
The Masterplan for the Meadowbank redevelopment has been lodged. Surrounding the city’s new state of the art Meadowbank sports centre, the council says the development has been designed in collaboration with members of the local community.
This approach has involved a substantial programme of public engagement since June 2018, including 15 events and workshops and 680 consulation responses. Together with an independently chaired Meadowbank Sounding Board, which has met six times, this has enabled local residents, community representatives, elected members and Council officers to work in partnership to shape the plans.
The Masterplan which has now been submitted features proposals for a low car, sustainable development which pays tribute to the site’s sporting and industrial heritage. It prioritises pedestrian and active travel through its network of paths and roads.
The plans have been designed to protect rare Wheatley Elms in the area and they incorporate a number of play and park spaces, a rain garden and plans to plant more trees.
Around 600 modern low carbon energy-efficient homes are proposed in the development plan, with a minimum of 35% affordable homes. The plans also include space for a GP surgery and other community facilities.
The Masterplan for Meadowbank is is likely to be considered by members of the Development Management Sub Committee this summer. It’s one of the major developments planned as part of the Council’s citywide placemaking programme, which also involves the regeneration of Fountainbridge, Pennywell, Granton, Craigmillar and Leith.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “A huge amount of work has gone into producing this Masterplan for Meadowbank. We’ve been listening to the local community throughout the process and I’d like to thank everyone for helping to shape these designs. I’m confident this plan reflects their priorities and needs.
“We’re proposing that over a third of the homes we build at Meadowbank will be affordable – with most of those for social rent. To support our ambition to be a carbon neutral city by 2030, we’re also going to create great public spaces for children to play and people to meet, walk and cycle through. We’re prioritising people over cars and keeping parking to a minimum as well as building high quality energy efficient homes.”
and a model of the proposals can be viewed at Piershill library.
The construction of the new Meadowbank Sports Centre is currently well underway with handover of the new building to Edinburgh Leisure expected in the Autumn.
Councillors are set to appoint a contractor to deliver a new state-of-art Meadowbank Sports Centre. The new facility has been designed to meet the current and future needs of the local community and the people of Edinburgh and beyond.Continue reading Graham Construction set to be appointed Meadowbank contractor
Auld Reekie Roller Girls (ARRG), Edinburgh’s Roller Derby club, are to host a national tournament in the city on Saturday 25th November. ARRGmageddon 2017, to be held at Meadowbank Sports Centre, will see ARRG’s third travel team, the All Star Rookies, battle it out with teams from Livingston, York and Durham.Continue reading ARRGmaggedon: Roller Girls bid fond farewell to Meadowbank
