A proposal to construct a new 8,500-capacity arena in Edinburgh has received planning permission from the city’s council.
AEG Europe, the company behind the proposal, has been approved by the City of Edinburgh Council committee to move forward with its planned Edinburgh Park Arena.
The owner of London’s iconic O2 Arena and Berlin's Mercedes-Benz Arena is collaborating with developers and site owners Parabola on this new project. The arena will cover 18,500m² in Edinburgh Park, located to the west of the Scottish capital.
The proposed arena will have a maximum height of 30.5 meters, which is 11 meters taller than the adjacent Premier Inn hotel but 6 meters lower than the existing planning permission for a hotel and offices on the site.
No demolition is required for the development. Several partners, including Buro Happold, Savills, and Tetra Tech, have been working with AEG Europe on the proposal.
AEG Europe’s latest venue investment is projected to contribute approximately £520 million per annum in gross value to Edinburgh’s economy. The arena is also expected to inject an additional £83 million annually into the local economy through the anticipated 700,000 visitors each year.
Edinburgh Park Arena will be privately funded, with AEG Europe finalising funding partners to bring the project to life. Construction is proposed to begin in 2025, pending the appointment of an external contractor and secured finances, with the goal of hosting the first event in 2027.
AEG Europe president and chief executive Alex Hill said, “We are delighted to have been granted planning consent for a cutting-edge new venue for Edinburgh. Having worked closely with the City of Edinburgh Council, we strongly believe the arena will deliver significant benefits to the city throughout every stage of its life cycle—from development to completion, and for years to come as we bring the world’s best artists to the Scottish stage.”
AEG Europe real estate and development executive vice president Alistair Wood added, “We thank the City of Edinburgh Council for their forward-thinking and proactive approach, and for sharing our vision of a new, best-in-class arena for Edinburgh. We now turn our attention to expanding these plans through the appointment of an external contractor, as well as seeking naming rights partners and finalizing funding partners.”