Plans for new members area at Ingliston site

Planning application lodged for new members’ area at Ingliston site

Plans for the new members’ area at the Royal Highland Centre have been revealed by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS).

A planning application for the new facility, which is designed to replace the previous MacRobert Pavilion at the site at Ingliston, near Edinburgh, has been submitted to Edinburgh City Council for approval.

RHASS chief executive Alan Laidlaw said at a press briefing he hoped the new facility would be built and ready for use by society members at the 2020 Royal Highland Show. He said a temporary facility would be erected again for members attending this year’s show, which takes place on June 21-24.

Mark Currie, RHASS head of operations, said the new building would be single- storey with astroturf surrounding it, along with tiered steps which would double as extra seating.

He added: “It will sit on the same footprint as the old building and we have slightly altered the angle to have a better view of the main ring.

“It will have high-spec pre-cast concrete and some traditional bricks on the exterior, and entrances from all sites.

“There will be a single pitched roof so you can see Ingliston House from the main ring and, overall, the building is 1,100 metres squared and there’s a 400 metres squared balcony.”

RHASS commercial director Lorne Scott said the new building had been designed in a way that means it could be

It will be able to accommo– date 350 people and it will make us one of the largest event spaces for conferences in Edinburgh

used for other purposes when it was not needed for the Highland Show. He said: “It will be able to accommodate 350 people and it will make us one of the largest event spaces for conferences in Edinburgh.”

He said there was expansion room outside to erect a marquee for extra space, and the facility would house a bar with capacity for 100 people.

Mr Laidlaw said the ability to use RHASS assets, such as the members’ area, for other uses throughout the year was key to raising funds for the society’s charitable aims.

He said the new Moxy Hotel, being built on society land near the airport, would generate RHASS income for years to come, as the land has been made available on a long-term lease, rather than being sold to the hotel.

Vision: indicative designs of the proposed RHASS members’ area at the Royal Highland Centre.