Sir David Murray launches another new stadium venture

Sir David Murray is hoping to use Hearts and Scottish Rugby to push through a £1bn plan to build 3,500 houses in Edinburgh’s Green Belt.

Despite his repeated failures to develop land around Ibrox the Rangers chairman has turned his attention to Edinburgh.

Although his business empire has recorded heavy losses in recent years Murray is confident of securing finance for his latest project although talks haven’t started with Hearts over quitting Tynecastle.

The project will cover a 600 acre site and be known as Edinburgh’s Garden District with a series of workshops running in the capital this week in a bid to gain support for the controversial plan.

Jestyn Davies, managing director of Murray Estates, said: “There is a sporting deficit in Edinburgh and we believe there could be a regional stadium within this site.

“We are speaking to Edinburgh Rugby about this and there is another major football club in the west of the city that may be interested.”

Sharing a single stadium between football and rugby would upset the purists in both sports- assuming that Murray is given planning permission- but Davies believes that the stadium plan can succeed.

He added: “What we would suggest is that you look to Swansea, where Swansea City and the Ospreys co-exist in one stadium. It can also bring considerable savings.”

Regan’s time-bomb/Craven’s blockbuster

Follow Video Celts on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube