IN 2023, Scotland will host the World Championships for all cycling disciplines including mountain biking.
Two local businessmen are behind a new mountain bike trail centre that could revolutionise cycle participation in East Central Scotland.
Proposals for the creation of The Pentland Trail Centre, a publicly-accessible and family-focused mountain bike trail centre, supported by a relevant leisure-based commercial development, will be presented at an open public consultation on Tuesday 5 March 2019 at Swanston Golf Clubhouse, 111 Swanston Road, Edinburgh, EH10 7DS, between 14.00 and 19.00 where feedback and comments are invited.
The site for the trail centre is located within the boundary of the former Lothianburn Golf Course, sitting inside both the City of Edinburgh city boundary and the Pentland Hills Regional Park.
The easy-to-access Pentland Trail Centre will offer an excellent introduction to traffic-free cycling for kids and their families, as well as more challenging cross-country trails for Edinburgh and Midlothian’s estimated 260,000 cyclists.
The terrain and location of the site is ideal for 10.5km of high-quality and fun mountain bike trails to suit all abilities (from green route for beginners to red route for the more experienced).
Other outdoor activities to suit a wide range of ages and interests are being considered for the site. These include a high ropes course, a zipline and an alpine roller luge.
Developed from a 2014 feasibility study and subsequent public consultation, The Pentland Trail Centre is an initiative of Hillend Leisure Ltd, a new company established by Alastair McClung (Swanston Farms, the landowner of the Lothianburn site) and Stuart Wright (Advie Properties and formerly responsible for Dobbies’ development activities).
Both are keen mountain bikers and qualified mountain bike leaders. They have the vision of bringing land ownership, leisure management and leisure-based property development together to deliver a rare opportunity right next to Edinburgh.
The outdoor trail centre, occupying more than 80 per cent of the site, will be supported by a commercial development to include café facilities, changing facilities, relevant retail, office space and accommodation ‘pods’.
It will be located in the valley to the rear of the Steading Inn and between the northern slopes of the Pentland Regional Park and the central ridge that runs from the old golf clubhouse up to the ‘T woods’.
Alastair McClung stated: “Our passion is to introduce mountain biking to a much wider audience, on the perfect site, right next to the city. It’s the ideal use of the old golf course site and is a perfect gateway to the rest of the Pentland Hills. By introducing a commercial element, the project can move from a vision to reality”
The suitability of the former Lothianburn golf course for a mountain bike trail centre was highlighted in a 2014 feasibility study. A subsequent public consultation of the proposals recorded very high levels of local support (more than 96 per cent).
The aims of the Pentland Trail Centre project have been supported by Scottish Cycling as the ideal development to improve cycling participation, with good traffic free trails easily accessible from the City of Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Graeme McLean, project manager for developing mountain biking in Scotland at Scottish Cycling, said: “We look forward to being involved in the consultation process for the new Pentland Trail Centre development, and to understand further how it is going to increase participation in mountain biking in Edinburgh and the surrounding area.”
ENDS
Media contact
Paddy Cuthbert | Littlehouse Media | E: paddy@littlehousemedia.co.uk
M: +44 (0)7913 951717
Image attached – left to right – Cameron Hutchison (7), Isla Hutchison (10) (both Juniper Green Primary), Alastair McClung (Hillend Leisure Ltd), Olivia Mitchelmore (8, Pentland Primary), Stuart Wright (Hillend Leisure Ltd) and Cormac Mitchelmore (5 Pentland Primary). Please credit David Cheskin
Further images and captions can be downloaded here – https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0r1of8f6pccgzth/AACva5ppMLknfQmXj5xjI1fIa?dl=0. Please credit David Cheskin
Notes for editors:
Pre-application consultation for the new Pentland Trail Centre
What:
A public exhibition of the proposals for the new Pentland Trail Centre. A number of displays concentrating on the broad concept of the trail centre and development will inform visitors of the aims of the project, the initial concept and background details.
Members of the project team will be on hand throughout to talk to visitors about the project and answer their questions.
Questionnaires to gauge public support for the initial proposals for the trail centre will be available for the public to fill out.
Where:
Ground Floor Suite, Swanston Golf Clubhouse, 111 Swanston Road, Edinburgh, EH10 7DS
When:
Tuesday 5 March 2019
Time:
14.00 to 19.00
A pre-application consultation for a mountain bike trail centre in 2015
An extremely positive public consultation process for the original project mountain bike and activity centre plans was undertaken in March 2015. 82 per cent of the responses were unequivocal in their support, with a further 14 per cent offering qualified support. There was considerable excitement about the project with many offers to help and get involved at a community level. The comments also highlighted the perceived very real benefits to the local community and Edinburgh. The project was put on hold as funding options for the project were explored.
The main themes that got regular mentions at the 2015 pre-application consultation for the trail centre facility were:
- Accessibility to mountain biking for locals and the city as a whole
- Ideal learning environment for young cyclists and newcomers to the sport
- Gateway to Pentlands, improved accessibility and incentive to participate in outdoor activities
- Good use of land
- Adds facilities to the local area
- Good for schools and families with children
- Reduces need to travel to other trail centres
- Promotes healthy lifestyle
- Employment for locals
- Limited impact on environment
- Compliments existing range of activities
Edinburgh’s physical activity and sport strategy
(CEC Culture and Sport Committee, March 2014)
“Cycling has a valuable role to play as a means of transport, a leisure activity and as a sport. Edinburgh has one of the highest cycling levels of all urban areas in Scotland but more will be done to continue increasing all forms of cycling.”
Scottish Cycling facilities strategy
(Scottish Cycling, April 2014)
“The future growth and success of the sport is fundamentally linked, therefore, to re-establishing the importance of dedicated cycle-sport facilities and to securing adequate funding and support to provide safe and accessible facilities for developing riders and racing.”
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