20 Year Vision

The RHASS 20 Year Vision

The Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) is 226 years old in 2010 and established a permanent showground and headquarters at Ingliston over 50 years ago.

Known as the Royal Highland Centre - Scotland’s National Showground, it hosts around 205 events a year attracting 1.2 million visitors, currently contributing around £250 million annually to the Scottish economy including £100 million to Edinburgh and the Lothians. 

The UK Government prepared a White Paper in 2003 on ‘The Future of Air Transport’ which details the expansion plans of the airport onto land owned by the RHASS.  The airport have indicated that they do not require as much of the showground site until 2030 when relocation to Norton Park to the south of the A8 will be required. 

In order to facilitate our immediate growth plans we intend to continue our programme of redevelopment and improvement and to expand the existing showground site. 

RHASS wish to enhance their operations, creating an improved National Showground, providing world class exhibition and event facilities, one of which is the international Royal Highland Show.

At the Royal Highland Show 2009 Masterplan proposals, which had been developed in close consultation with the RHASS Board of Directors, were displayed to gather comments from Members and the wider public.  This information is still available at the link below.

Please click on this link to download or view Stage 2 of the Masterplan Consultation.
NOTE: Due to the size of this file, downloading may take a few minutes.

Since that time work has been ongoing to consider and incorporate comments received and to prepare more detailed plans for the site.  Close consultation has been held with City of Edinburgh Council in working up these proposals, which include:

- Continued improvement of the showground, core showground expanded
- A new hotel and offices, and a Food Centre of Excellence
- A sense of arrival and better points of entry
- New indoor exhibition space
- Up to 2 million visitors per year
- Public transport and infrastructure improvements
- New western access off A8
- Quality point of arrival to Scotland
- Improvements to external and internal access and circulation.

West Edinburgh Design Framework

The Royal Highland Centre is a key site within the West Edinburgh Design Framework and proposals need to take cognisance of the planning context. With the regeneration on the existing Ingliston site and the future proposals at Norton Park it will be important to work in tandem with the City of Edinburgh in achieving wide spread benefits for the whole area.

Norton Park

The Norton Park proposals are still the society’s ultimate goal and the aim is that the Royal Highland Centre and associated events will be relocated there by 2030.

Next Steps

RHASS are planning to submit an application for planning permission in principle in summer 2010.  In order to get the views of the wider communities around the National Showground 3 separate pre-application public exhibitions were held in Kirkliston, Ratho Station and Ratho.

The plans will also be available for comment in the Highland Hall during the Royal Highland Show 2010. 

Norton Park

The Norton Park proposals are still the society’s ultimate goal and the aim is that the Royal Highland Centre and associated events will be relocated there by 2030.

Please click here to download or view the full Masterplan Community Consultation.
NOTE: Due to the size of this file (980KB), downloading may take a few minutes.

The RHASS is committed to involving the local communities in the evolving proposals.  If you attended the events or have viewed the link above and would like to comment there is a link to email RHASS with your thoughts below.  Please note that comments should not be sent to City of Edinburgh Council.  An opportunity to make representations to the Council will exist when a formal application is made.

The final Masterplan will be available to view at the Royal Highland Show on June 24th - 27th 2010.

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