Edinburgh City Council is currently investigating suitable locations for eight further testing centres, in addition to the three currently in operation, in response to demands from the UK Government.
One site being considered for use as an outdoor testing centre is the car park at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre.
There are currently three UK Government licences three council-owned properties for use as coronavirus testing centres: Gate 55, on Sighthill Road; Usher Hall, on Lothian Road; and Leith Library, on Ferry road.
Now, the UK Government has instructed the local authority – via the Scottish Government – to open up eight new centres by April.
A briefing note, sent to councillors on Tuesday February 16, reads: “We have been approached by the Scottish Government on behalf of the UK Government to provide a further eight Local Testing Sites (LTS) in Edinburgh.
“These centres are for testing people with symptoms of Covid-19 rather than for asymptomatic community testing, which will be covered separately.
“The UK Government would like to have all eight centres operational by April. They have the capacity to mobilise three centres per week.
“Once the preferred option for an area is identified, timescales are likely to move fast.
“A site visit to finalise the layout for the LTS will be followed quickly by a licence agreement and handover of the building.”
Other sites include:
- Niddrie/Craigmillar – outdoor testing centre within the Jack Kane Leisure Centre car park
- Restalrig – Piershill Library
- Moredun – Moredun Library or Gilmerton Community Centre (to be confirmed)
- Clermiston – Drumbrae Hub or Rannoch Community Centre (to be confirmed)
- Oxgangs – Oxgangs library or Pentland Community Centre (to be confirmed)
- Saughton – Carrickvale Community Centre or Longstone Resource Centre (to be confirmed)
- Newington – Newington Library or Cameron House Community Centre (to be confirmed)
