By HUGH HUNSTON,
Motoring Correspondent
EDINBURGH could boast an #80m motorsport, leisure, and commercial
centre incorporating unrivalled test facilities for car companies by
1994, if plans unveiled yesterday by triple former motor-racing world
champion Jackie Stewart are given local authority approval.
Mr Stewart, partnered by Edinburgh property company, McGregor
Holdings, said that the New Ingliston project, on a 254-acre site
adjacent to the city's airport, could provide 2700 jobs, and turn the
complex into an international centre for motorsport and motor industry
activity.
In addition to a two-mile Grand Prix standard racing circuit and motor
industry test facilities, the New Ingliston proposals would embody a
luxury hotel, multi-screen cinema, bowling alley, garden centre,
''autopark'' trading units, and heritage museum, within its perimeters.
Jackie Stewart, who designed the track, said his involvement with the
McGregor Holdings concept which includes personal investment, came after
persistent requests from throughout the world to participate in
developing race circuits.
The winner of 27 Grand Prix spoke enthusiastically about creating a
magnet for motor racing teams and car builders, starved currently of
facilities in Britain and Europe.
In his role as Ford and Bridgestone tyres consultant, Mr Stewart
covers thousands of miles testing prototype models and said it was
increasingly difficult to find locations for development work, a vacuum
he feels could be filled by New Ingliston.
''This is a unique, pioneering project and I want to see it happen in
Scotland first,'' he said. ''I am totally committed, but it must be all
or nothing, with the racing track and integrated racing and development
facility forming the hub.''
Both Mr Stewart and McGregor Holdings director Mr Roddie Paterson (a
club racer) emphasised the logistical importance of Ingliston with
nearby airport and good road connections, including close proximity to
the planned M8 extension between Maybury and Newbridge.
Britain's most successful racing driver admitted that he had
considered buying the Pembrey track in South Wales, but, after an
18-month period of study and appraisal, he was convinced the Edinburgh
complex had the necessary scope, resources, expertise, and finance.
Warner Brothers had already expressed strong interest and the reaction
to international canvassing about the hotel, leisure, and commercial
potential had been favourable, said Mr Stewart.
While the existing 24-year-old Ingliston racing track, housed in the
nearby Royal Highland Showground property, would become redundant, Mr
Stewart said the rejuvenated Fife Knockhill counterpart would be
complemented by a new major centre.
Mr Stewart said it was naive and too much of a dream to envisage a
Scottish Grand Prix at the proposed location because of a one country,
one race ruling, but most other classes of international car and
motor-cycle competition could be housed.
The basis would be regular club meetings climbing the scale to world
series sports car rounds, Formula Three and Formula 3000, the stepping
stones towards Grand Prix stardom.
Scotland, said Mr Stewart, had produced outstanding driving talent and
teams, despite, rather than because of local facilities. New Ingliston
could provide the proving ground for future stars.
As a potential incentive to Edinburgh District Council, McGregor
Holdings pledged to upgrade airport feeder roads and co-operate in
possible sharing of car ''park and ride'' facilities, if and when a rail
link between the airport and city centre is agreed and built.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article