A report to the City of Edinburgh Council’s finance and resources committee yesterday recommended the contractor as the preferred bidder to demolish the existing building and construct the new one.

Designed to meet the current and future needs of the local community and the people of Edinburgh and beyond, the £45 million project received planning permission earlier this year.

sportscotland has approved an in-principle investment of £5m towards the new venue, a significant contribution towards the city’s project to create a new community sports facility on part of the original site.

When opened in 2020, the facility will be managed by Edinburgh Leisure.

As part of the contract, Graham Construction will launch a ‘Benefit in Kind’ fund of £40,000 to support local projects through time, materials and expertise, alongside a work apprenticeship programme and the creation of local jobs.

Councillor Donald Wilson, culture and communities convener, said: “This is set to be another significant milestone for the project bringing us another step closer to delivering this new state-of-the-art venue for the city. Taking forward the approved designs also means Meadowbank will retain its status as one of the city’s flagship sports venues.

“I’m really pleased to see that the new dedicated indoor athletics area is larger than before and will allow a number of different athletics disciplines to train at the same time. It will also be available for use whenever the centre is open as opposed to the previous space which doubled as a concourse for the stadium.

“The £5m funding from sportscotland is welcome news as when open Meadowbank will be one of the best facilities for community and club sport in the country. The new venue will support accessible participation in sport and physical activity for all ages and abilities for generations to come.”

In addition to the new and improved indoor facilities, Meadowbank’s well used outdoor running track will be resurfaced and two new all-weather pitches for football will be available all year round. This is in addition to a dedicated purpose-built space for throw athletics such as discus and javelin. For those using the outdoor space, changing facilities will be provided.

As well as the improved indoor athletics area, there will be two games halls for a range of sports, designed to match the size of the halls in the previous facility. There will be a gym with triple the number of exercise stations, three larger fitness studios and a purpose-built gymnastics area more suitable for the gymnasts needs. The martial-arts and boxing spaces will also be improved, being warmer and lighter. Finally, the new facility will also have two squash courts and a café.

Chief executive of sportscotland, Stewart Harris, said: “Over the years Meadowbank has been played a central role in the development of Scottish sport and this new facility will ensure it continues to do so for generations to come.

“It will be a fitting home for athletes of all abilities and an outstanding sports facility available for the local community.

“We look forward to continuing to work with our partners, including the City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Leisure, to progress the plans for the new Meadowbank, which will be an integral part of Scotland’s world-class sporting system.”