Edinburgh Airport ‘refuse to pay £350m bill for showground's move’
13.06.08
Edinburgh Airport bosses have refused to foot the bill for the relocation of the Royal Highland Showground after the cost of the move soared to £353 million, the Edinburgh Evening News reports.
The showground is having to switch from its current site to make way for the expansion of Edinburgh Airport. Showground bosses insist airport operator BAA should pick up the bulk of the bill, but senior sources at BAA said that would not happen, the newspaper reports.
The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) has revealed the cost of the relocation has risen from a rough estimate of £275m last year to a more precise figure of £353m, based on detailed costings.
The RHASS also launched a public consultation on its plans for the new Norton Park site, which is on the other side of the A8 between the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Gogarburn world headquarters and Ratho Station, near Newbridge. The costs are expected prices in 2012, and are based on a like-for-like replacement of existing facilities (without extras the RHSS would like to build including a stadium, hotel and additional exhibition hall).
Ray Jones, chief executive of the RHASS, told the Evening News: ‘The deliverability study gives us an accurate cost and further detailed plans, which will help us to move this exciting project forward. We are currently in discussions with BAA, who need our existing showground site to meet their expansion plans, about our relocation costs.’
A spokesman said the society was looking for an agreement with BAA by the end of the year so construction work could start in 2010. The society hopes to have to move into Norton Park by 2013, and has ambitious plans to create three large exhibition halls, a £50million 10,000-seat arena for concerts, symposiums and conferences, a 150-bedroom hotel and office accommodation, including a new headquarters for itself.
However, a 'senior BAA source' ruled out footing the relocation bill, the newspaper reports. The source said: ‘Edinburgh Airport would not be able to pay the full cost. The hard facts are that for a commercial deal this just doesn't fit. It is not possible.’
The UK Department for Transport said that although it had earmarked the land for airport expansion, it had no plans to step in with funding. A spokesman told the Evening News: ‘It is entirely a matter for BAA.’
The Scottish Government, which endorsed the relocation as part of its West Edinburgh Planning Framework, said: ‘Commercial discussions are taking place and it is not for the Government to get involved.'
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