EDINBURGH Rugby are set to move to a new 7,800 capacity home stadium in the grounds of BT Murrayfield.
Scottish Rugby announced on Thursday that it has applied for planning permission to install a new playing venue on the back pitches of the national stadium.
Edinburgh signed a three-year deal to host games at George Watson's College ground Myreside at the start of the 2017/18 season, but the agreement was terminated in March.
The Pro14 club will continue to play its home games at Murrayfield in the 2018/19 campaign with the aim of opening a new purpose-built venue the following season.
Scottish Rugby also underlined that it is open to the venue being used for other sports and being made available to the wider rugby community in Scotland.
Chief Operating Officer Dominic McKay said: “We are incredibly excited to be in a position to be able to submit this application to give Edinburgh a new home.
“After many years of exhausting all the potential stadium and playing ground options for Edinburgh in the local area, we have taken the initiative and will be investing ourselves to develop a venue that can help the team to grow and provide a great spectator experience.
“We are fortunate to have space within the BT Murrayfield campus to comfortably accommodate this planned new facility and retain practice pitches for all elements of rugby.
“We see this as adding increased flexibility to the BT Murrayfield site and believe we have submitted a robust, sensible application and hope it will be viewed favourably.
“I’d like to thank the City of Edinburgh Council for their support to date and look forward to working with them over the coming months.”
Edinburgh enjoyed a successful season in head coach Richard Cockerill's first term in charge, reaching the Pro14 play-offs, securing a Champions Cup spot and making it to the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
The former England hooker was excited by the prospect of a permanent home for the club.
"I’ve said right from the start that Edinburgh has a lot of potential but it had lacked a strong culture and sense of identity," he said.
“What is exciting about this new project is that as a club, as players, staff and fans we could have a home that we can begin to build something from.
"It will give us a focal point, excellent facilities and a chance to move the club forward both on and off the pitch.”
The application for a new stadium was submitted to Edinburgh Council today and a further update is expected at the start of the 2018/19 season.
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