Councillor Val Walker writes about revitalising our town and local centres with a 20-minute neighbourhood approach:
Being able to live well locally is incredibly important to our quality of life. Our town and local centres play a huge role in daily lives. Whether you live round the corner or in the surrounding area, many of us meet friends and family, shop, work, use libraries and other local services, and enjoy culture around our high streets.
The importance of town and local centres has been a leading thought in updating one of our key strategies to help people across Edinburgh live in places that are healthier, greener, more vibrant and inclusive.
The updated 20-minute neighbourhood strategy outlines our support for local living to give more people more choice within their neighbourhood, while also making it easier to travel further to reach the other services and facilities they need on public transport and by active travel. It’s one that many communities already enjoy, but sadly isn’t a universal experience for all of our residents.
Local centres that are easy to access and great places to spend time can boost our own health, help us to be more physically active, and make it easier to connect with the other people in our communities.
This work is already well underway in Craigmillar, Muirhouse and Pennywell where our regeneration projects have enhanced the local centres with the delivery of new community facilities, shops, and homes.
They will soon be joined by the new Community Hub at Macmillan Square, which will feature an early years centre, library, skills hub and expanded North Edinburgh Arts facility.
New active travel links with green spaces and areas for socialising are also being planned to make it easier to access the local centres and create a more pleasant place to live and visit.
We are also approaching the next stages of an exciting town centre revitalisation programme in Dalry and Portobello. These town centres are built around busy main roads with compromised and cramped public spaces.
Our engagement work in these areas earlier this year presented a real appetite for change and ideas for making local spaces more people-friendly. These ideas have helped shaped some of the very initial plans for development, which we will be presenting to the community through consultation next year. We strongly welcome everyone’s feedback.
This is our 20-minute neighbourhood approach in action, ensuring services and facilities are close to people, making them easier to access and helping make walking, wheeling and cycling to be the natural choice for shorter journeys.
If we work together, we can start to see how all residents throughout Edinburgh can enjoy a more thriving city that brings communities together in cleaner, greener spaces.
The creation of a £1.3bn well-connected, sustainable new coastal town at Granton Waterfront in Edinburgh has reached yet another major milestone.
A contract for pre-development work to refine and finalise the design of a sewer source low carbon heat network solution to serve thousands of homes, local facilities and the many other commercial and social enterprise businesses planned for Granton Waterfront is set to be awarded by the City of Edinburgh Council in the coming weeks.
Following a competitive procurement process Vattenfall Heat UK Ltd is being proposed as the preferred bidder and the Finance and Resources Committee will consider a report on the award of this contract at its meeting on Tuesday next week. It is anticipated the contract will be signed by both parties in the coming weeks.
The energy company, known for its work supporting many areas throughout the UK find net zero solutions, will work with the Council to finalise the plans for this heat network.
The aim, subject to future further approval from the Finance and Resources Committee, is for an agreement for the company to build, operate, finance, manage and maintain the network over the following 40 years.
This is a significant milestone for the Council and the Granton Waterfront area to help Edinburgh reach net zero by 2030.
As well as supporting the Council’s commitment to build new affordable homes over the next 10 years, the Granton Waterfront £1.3bn regeneration project has exemplar urban design which will also champion low carbon transport and active travel.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “It is fantastic to see work continuing at pace at Granton Waterfront, the largest sustainable regeneration project of its kind in Scotland.
“As well as helping the Capital reach net zero by 2030, awarding this contract is the next step towards finalising the right heat network solution for our tenants and others moving into the area to provide them with a cost competitive low carbon heating source.
“The homes being delivered in the area are being designed to be well insulated and energy efficient which will also be a huge benefit to everyone living there, particularly those facing fuel poverty.
“Work is also continuing to transform the iconic gasholder in the area into a place for the wider community and visitors to play and relax. Arts and social enterprise charity WASPS has moved into the eye catching former Granton Station building now refurbished and taking pride of place at the heart of the community, with a spacious attractive public square. And we’re currently building hundreds of energy efficient affordable homes which will be ready for tenants to move into next year.”
Eoghan Maguire, Director of Heat Networks – Scotland at Vattenfall Heat UK said: “Granton Waterfront is an ambitious long-term project that will act as a blueprint in urban development and regeneration in Scotland. District heating will enable the Granton Waterfront development to deliver on its pioneering and climate conscious ambitions for its residents.
“Vattenfall has responded to the low carbon district heating proposals for Granton Waterfront and is proud that these have been recommended for approval by the City of Edinburgh Council. We are excited to work with the City of Edinburgh and its partners to help deliver on the city’s net zero by 2030 targets.
“The Granton Waterfront heat network aims to capture heat that would otherwise be wasted from the sewer system and could serve the community of 3,000 new homes, as well as existing buildings. The network will adopt a future proofed design, meaning expansion to the northwest of Edinburgh would be possible.”
Greens welcome new Active Travel Route in North Edinburgh
TOMORROW (Monday) we start work on a new active travel route between Pennywell Road and Gypsy Brae including a cycle route, pedestrian improvements + landscaping.
Walking + cycling links are part of Granton Waterfront Regeneration + Western Villages.
Greens welcome new Active Travel Route in North Edinburgh
Work has begun on the construction of the Western Villages Active Travel Route which is on the boundary of Forth and Almond Wards.
The work is part of the wider regeneration of Granton Waterfront and will improve infrastructure along Marine Drive and West Shore Road between Pennywell Road Roundabout and Gypsy Brae.
Work will include a fully segregated cycle route, improved pedestrian facilities including new footways and pedestrian connections, landscaping improvements including street trees and rain gardens.
This construction is being supported by Sustrans Places for Everyone Programme and is being carried out by CCG (Scotland) Ltd.
Green Councillor for Forth Ward, Kayleigh O’Neill said: “I’m really pleased that these are improvements are on the way. This work will create a coherent active travel network for people in my ward and anyone who wants to travel through.
“It is so important that these improvements are made as we need safe, accessible and well-connected routes for people to walk, wheel and cycle in.”
“Earlier this year the Scottish Government announced the allocation of £20 million as part of its active travel funding. With Greens in the room this issue is being taken seriously and it’s amazing to see on the ground.”
Prime Minister to put local people in control of more than £1 billion with long-term plan for left-behind towns
Fifty five towns – seven in Scotland – given £20 million endowment-style funds each over 10 years to invest in local people’s priorities
Long-term Plan for Towns will empower communities across the UK to take back control of their future – taking long term decisions in the interests of local people
Funding to be spent on local priorities; reviving high streets, tackling ASB, improving transport and growing the local economy
The UK Government has unveiled 55 towns that will benefit from a £1.1 billion levelling up investment, as part of a long-term plan for towns that provide long-term investment in towns that have been overlooked and taken for granted.
Towns that will be given the opportunity to develop a long-term plan supported by a Towns Board include 6 in the North East, 10 in the North West, and 4 in the West Midlands. In total, 55 towns will benefit from the UK-wide approach, including 7 towns in Scotland and 4 in Wales.
The Government will work with local councils and the devolved administrations to determine how towns in Scotland and Wales will benefit from funding and powers under the long-term plans. In Northern Ireland, we look forward to working with a restored Executive to determine the approach to providing support there.
Under the new approach, local people, not Whitehall-based politicians, will be put in charge, and given the tools to change their town’s long-term future. They will:
Receive a ten-year £20 million endowment-style fund to be spent on local people’s priorities, like regenerating local high streets and town centres or securing public safety.
Set up a Town Board to bring together community leaders, employers, local authorities, and the local MP, to deliver the Long-Term Plan for their town and put it to local people for consultation.
Use a suite of regeneration powers to unlock more private sector investment by auctioning empty high street shops, reforming licensing rules on shops and restaurants, and supporting more housing in town centres.
More than half the population live in towns, but half-empty high streets, run-down town centres and anti-social behaviour undermine towns in every part of the UK.
Yesterday’s announcement marks a change in approach that the government hopes will put an end to people feeling like their town is ignored by Westminster and empower communities to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people.
The announcement came on the eve of the Conservative party conference – perhaps the last gathering of the Tory faithful before the general election.
This plan builds on the Government’s ‘central mission’ to level up the UK by putting more power and money in the hands of people who know their areas best to build a brighter future for their community, creating bespoke initiatives that will spark the regeneration needed.
Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said: “Towns are the place most of us call home and where most of us go to work. But politicians have always taken towns for granted and focused on cities.
“The result is the half-empty high streets, run-down shopping centres and anti-social behaviour that undermine many towns’ prosperity and hold back people’s opportunity – and without a new approach, these problems will only get worse.
“That changes today. Our Long-Term Plan for Towns puts funding in the hands of local people themselves to invest in line with their priorities, over the long-term. That is how we level up.”
Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove said: “We know that in our towns the values of hard work and solidarity, common sense and common purpose, endeavour and quiet patriotism have endured across generations. But for too long, too many of our great British towns have been overlooked and undervalued.
“We are putting this right through our Long-Term Plan for Towns backed by over £1bn of levelling up funding.
“This will empower communities in every part of the UK to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people. It will mean more jobs, more opportunities and a brighter future for our towns and the people who live and work in them.”
The government’s ‘Long-Term Plan for Towns’, published today, is carefully designed to complement the wider levelling up programme, working alongside funding for specific projects across the UK, our targeted support to the places most in need through Levelling Up Partnerships, and initiatives supporting economic growth in wider city regions like investment zones.
The Long-Term Plan for Towns will require town boards to develop their own long-term plan for their town, with funding over 10 years and aligned to the issues that research shows people want the most, including:
Improving transport and connections to make travel easier for residents and increase visitor numbers in centres to boost opportunities for small businesses and create jobs
Tackling crime and anti social behaviour to keep residents safe and encourage visitors through better security measures and hotspot policing
Enhancing town centres to make high streets more attractive and accessible, including repurposing empty shops for new housing, creating more green spaces, cleaning up streets or running market days
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “I wholeheartedly welcome the launch of the UK Government’s Long Term Plan for Towns.
“It’s great to see that seven Scottish towns will benefit from £20 million each from the latest round of levelling up funding which so far has seen us invest more than £2.4 billion right across Scotland to help grow our economy and level up the country.
“I look forward to seeing these towns – and the communities within them – use this investment to breathe new life into the places where they live, work and play.”
Local people will be at the heart of decisions, through direct membership of a new Towns Board, which will include community groups, MPs, businesses, cultural and sports organisations, public sector agencies and local authorities for each town and through a requirement to engage local people on the long-term plan for each town.
These Town Boards will have direct government support in addition to the funding and powers they receive through Long-Term Plan for Towns, and will be required to engage local people on their long-term plan.
The Government has also announced a new ‘Towns Taskforce’, sitting in the Department for Levelling Up and reporting directly to the Prime Minister and Levelling Up Secretary. This will help town boards to develop their plans, and advise them on how best to take advantage of government policies, unlock private and philanthropic investment and work with communities.
A new ‘High Streets and Towns Task Force’ will also be established, building on the success of the existing version, providing each selected town with bespoke, hands-on support.
Further information
Towns have been allocated funding according to the Levelling Up Needs Index which takes into account metrics covering skills, pay, productivity and health, as well as the Index of Multiple Deprivation to ensure funding goes directly to the towns which will benefit most, without new competitions or unnecessary hurdles. A full methodology note will be published.
This commitment to towns follows other initiatives designed to support towns, including driving economic growth in 101 areas through the Towns Fund, and the £1 billion Future High Streets Fund, which is creating thriving high streets.
Local authorities will be the lead delivery partner for plans. This programme has been developed following our work with local authorities, with funding designed to be spent flexibly over a number of years based on local and evolving needs, and distributed through an allocative rather than competitive process.
A key strategy has been updated to help people across Edinburgh live well locally in places that are healthier, greener, more vibrant and inclusive.
The Council’s initial 20-Minute Neighbourhood Strategy was approved by the Policy and Sustainability Committee on 10 June 2021, outlining a vision for a city where everyone can meet most of their daily needs within a short walk, wheel or cycle from their home. A further report on 30 November 2021 gave an update on how the Strategy was being delivered.
This strategy has now been refreshed to provide the latest information on key projects that are being progressed, alongside the overall direction and delivery of the concept in Edinburgh.
Through the 20-minute neighbourhood approach, the Council is working in partnership with local communities across the capital to help to deliver its strategic priorities of creating good places to live and work, while meeting its targets of ending poverty and becoming net zero by 2030.
The 20-minute neighbourhood approach in Edinburgh focusses on making it easier for people to access daily services and facilities in their local area. It is now being implemented through several key ‘building blocks’:
• Working with local communities • Supporting people to access the services they need locally • Providing multiple services and facilities from a single location • Delivering mixed-use regeneration and development • Making our town and local centres greener, more inclusive and more people-focussed • Supporting local economies and businesses • Improving sustainable and active travel access to services and facilities
Councillor Val Walker, Culture and Communities Convener, said: “We want to support people across the city to live well locally, and this latest update to our 20-Minute Neighbourhood Strategy shows how we are working to deliver this approach in different parts of Edinburgh.
“The 20-minute neighbourhood concept is one that many communities already enjoy: ensuring services and facilities are close to residents, enabling walking, wheeling and cycling to be the natural choice for shorter journeys.
“Now, we are starting to see how all residents throughout Edinburgh can fully enjoy this approach and live in a cleaner, greener and more thriving city that supports communities and brings people together. By putting local people at the heart of everything, each person living in the city can choose to participate in all community, cultural and heritage activities.
“The updated strategy outlines how our support for local living can give more people more choice within their neighbourhood, while also making it easier to travel further to access the services and facilities they need on public transport and by active travel.
“We know people have strong views on this concept, and we believe engaging and collaborating with communities across the city to understand their needs is essential. That’s why we’re involving communities at an early stage of design projects as a key priority. If we work together, everyone can benefit from healthier, well-connected and thriving neighbourhoods right across the city.”
These updates show different examples how the 20-minute neighbourhood concept is currently being embedded into key projects across the city.
Following initial engagement with communities earlier this year, proposals are currently being developed to make it easier to access Gorgie Dalry, Portobello and Craigmillar town centres by walking, wheeling cycling and public transport while improving the quality of local streets and public spaces.
The regeneration of Pennywell and Muirhouse is a long-standing objective for the Council and its partners. Work completed to date includes a new School, medical centre, retail centre, improved public realm and new homes. There will be around 1000 new mixed tenure homes of which over 50% will be affordable. 730 new homes have been delivered to date across several sites in the area.
A community hub is also under construction at the local centre. The hub will have an early years centre, library, skills hub, six affordable homes and space for North Edinburgh Arts.
The hub is being delivered in partnership with North Edinburgh Arts and aims to promote culture, learning, work and wellbeing within the local community. All staff operating from the hub space will follow a ‘No Wrong Door’ approach to make sure citizens can access relevant services in the space or be signposted where necessary.
The NEAT Connections project will deliver improved active travel links to the new local centre, schools and services.
Granton Waterfront
The Granton Waterfront regeneration will deliver a new coastal town with an ambitious 20-minute neighbourhood vision over the next 10-15 years. The regeneration will deliver around 3,500 new net zero carbon homes (over 35% of them affordable); a primary school, commercial, creative, and community space, and a new coastal park.
The project will create new employment opportunities, meaning residents of this fast-growing area will be able to access work locally. Partner organisations will deliver substantial new cultural and educational assets over the regeneration timeframe.
Early Action housing projects are well underway at Western Villages, Silverlea and the Demonstrator site at Waterfront Avenue. In March 2023, the Granton Station Square building opened and provides affordable workspace for artists and creative industries.
New active travel and public transport infrastructure will be created throughout the regeneration area, including new cycle paths and a mobility hub.
Liberton
Planning permission for a new Liberton High School has been granted, with a GP practice and community facilities a key part of the design.
The creation of a community campus will deliver a range of services and activities and aims to create a place where multiple services and partners can be accessed that contribute to health, wellbeing and learning of young people and the wider community.
Scottish charity TechFest is calling on First Minister Humza Yousaf to support its vision of transforming high streets throughout Scotland before it is too late, and they die completely.
TechFest promotes STEM to school pupils throughout Scotland. The TechFest Blueprint Challenge is back this year to support all S3 – S6 pupils as they play their role in saving the country’s high streets.
The competition, aligned with the CREST Awards and grounded in STEM, asks students to come up with realistic ideas for regenerating failing high streets.
Sarah Chew, Managing Director of TechFest, said: “Scotland’s high streets are dying, and regenerating them is a huge challenge. We need the First Minister’s help to place this at the forefront of the national and local agenda.
“Young people and their fresh perspectives deserve to be heard by decision-makers and they might just have the answers and ideas that will help transform high streets throughout the country.”
Scottish Charity, TechFest, is urging the First Minister Humza Yousaf to get behind its goal and ambition to help transform high streets throughout the country.
Following a successful pilot year which brought a range of creative designs by students across Scotland, TechFest is once again challenging secondary school students across the country to redesign their high streets as part of TechFest’s Blueprint Challenge: A Future High Street.
TechFest’s Blueprint Challenge is a collaboration with Bluewater, a specialist private equity firm focused on global energy. The initiative has been developed through Bluewater’s charitable division to inspire children to think about future energy and how this can be integral to a better environment and social agendas.
However, this year as pupils return to school, the charity has written to the First Minister urging him to help raise awareness and drive positive engagement with Local Authority planners throughout the country to support the regeneration of Scottish high streets and give young people a seat at the decision-making table.
Bringing life back to the high street has been a hugely challenging task for local authorities and TechFest’s Blueprint Challenge has been designed to champion ideas that can help regenerate towns and cities throughout the country.
The competition is open to all S3 – S6 students who want to share their ideas on how to create a high street that allows society to thrive while celebrating the natural world at the same time.
Pupils are asked to take into consideration ‘’modern problems’’ surrounding architecture, economic stability, power generation and consumption, and how they can bring energy, technology and nature together to create a high street that meets Net Zero targets and encourages nature and community to grow.
The goal is a modern and progressive high street that is not simply about retail.
Sarah Chew, Managing Director of TechFest, said: “We need the First Minister’s help to place the transformation of our high streets at the forefront of the national and local agenda.
“In the past decade there have been continued discussions, debates and reports on how to transform our high streets and make them fit for the future but despite various thought-provoking think tanks and reports, sadly we have seen little to no action.
“The Scottish high street is in crisis, and we need urgent action to save them, that is why the TechFest Blueprint Challenge is a huge opportunity to champion the youth voice and help transform how we use our high streets.
“Young people deserve to be heard and we need the First Minister to bring our high streets further up the agenda and help us develop more positive and meaningful engagement with local authorities across Scotland.”
Schools have until September 11th to register a team ahead of the project launch on September 12th.
Teams will work together to create a project summary by the end of November, followed by a presentation day in December, where they will display their projects to a panel of experts, with a further opportunity to display their work as part of TechFest’s Science Festival in May 2024.
The competition is curriculum-aligned, and students and teachers will receive comprehensive support materials, including a series of online webinars with industry professionals and an opportunity for students to showcase their skills to the local community.
“Scotland has a strong heritage for innovation and shaping the modern world,” Sarah Chew added.
“The TechFest Blueprint challenge offers a huge opportunity to develop progressive and ground-breaking ideas that can be held up as best-practice throughout the world, whilst engaging with young people in a fun, meaningful and impactful way.”
The bell that floated up as water filled the historic gasholder in Granton Waterfront has been taken apart to make way for work to begin to restore the original 76 x 46 metre frame to look like new.
The City of Edinburgh Council plan to open up the area to create a new and exciting multifunctional public space as part of their wider £1.3bn regeneration project to create a new sustainable coastal town at Granton Waterfront.
McLaughlin & Harvey began work on the site in January of this year on behalf of the Council using £16.4m from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The Scottish Government has also provided an additional £1.2m to provide a high quality public park within the gasholder frame.
The space within the restored gasholder is to have multi-sensory play zones, a dedicated space for permanent and temporary public art, a relaxation area, outdoor trails and tracks for exercise as well as a large outdoor space for sports, markets, seasonal events, community use, festivals, performance arts, exhibitions and play.
Work will also be carried out to plant trees, shrubs and wildflowers improving biodiversity and local habitat in the area.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “It was really dramatic to see the bell being ripped apart by the machinery. It marked a historic moment as this iconic structure will be transformed now to move on with the times to serve a completely different purpose for the local community to enjoy arts, sports and culture for future generations to come.
“Now the bell has gone the contractor can get on with the exciting work to transform the frame back to its original glory which will be seen for miles around.
“The scale and ambition of the gasholder nicely mirrors that of this £1.3bn regeneration project where we are using brownfield land to build a new sustainable 20-minute neighbourhood which is well linked to surrounding communities and is somewhere residents will be proud to live.
“We’ve already started building some of the thousands of environmentally friendly affordable homes planned and active travel routes, along with recently completing the restoration of the former Granton Station building to become a modern workplace and cultural hub, with public square.”
UK Government Minister for Levelling Up, Dehenna Davison, said: “The Granton gasholder has been part of Edinburgh’s skyline for over 120 years, and will soon be brought back to life as a real community asset.
“The bell’s removal will ensure the structure can be restored to its former glory, whilst the space will be brought into the 21st Century by becoming a destination for families, residents, and future generations to enjoy.
“We’re delighted to have supported this project through £16.4 million from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund which will ensure this iconic structure will serve as a beacon to people in the area for many years to come.”
Seamus Devlin, McLaughlin & Harvey Civil Engineering Director, said: “McLaughlin & Harvey is delighted to be main contractor for the restoration works at Granton gasholder.
“We bring with us a wealth of experience in the civil engineering sector, and look forward to completing the deconstruction of the bell this week and the removal of the walls in the upcoming weeks.”
Fascinating gasholder facts
Over 100K rivets holding the structure together
Total cost of original construction £18,968.
Was opened in 1901, making it 122 years old.
It’s since been painted 72 times.
26 columns in total with a height of 42m. each column is 9.3m apart.
Granton was one of 12 gas storage tanks for the greater Edinburgh area. These 12 tanks had a combined capacity of 175,000 cubic meters of storage. At the time they were in operation the demand was around 28,000 cubic meters an hour (at its peak).
The lowest tier was erected with the use of a steam locomotive crane.
The Granton Gas Holder is unique as the umbrella which supports the tank roof when the system is not pressurised, was made from timber as opposed to cast iron. These timbers were in remarkably great condition when demolition began.
A newly upgraded walking, wheeling and cycling path, which provides a vital link in the north of Edinburgh, has been officially named after a famous explorer who once studied in the area.
Speirs Bruce Way was formally opened yesterday (Friday, 30 June) and celebrates the accomplishments of William Speirs Bruce, a late 19th/early 20th century scientist known for his expeditions to Antarctica and who studied at the Scottish Marine Station for Scientific Research in Granton.
The core path in Edinburgh’s Granton Waterfront connects the heart of the neighbourhood with public transport links and shops along with Granton Beach, the future cultural and leisure offering at West Shore Studios, the promenade and a planned coastal park. Speirs Bruce Way will also serve a future housing development to the west of the path.
Plans for the wider regeneration of the area to make Granton Waterfront a new sustainable coastal town for Edinburgh include 3,500 net zero homes, a new primary school and lots of green and open spaces.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “This major upgrade has not only brought a key walking, wheeling and cycling route back into use, but has created a much more accessible and safe space for people to spend time, whether travelling with a wheelchair, using a buggy or out for a jog.
“Today I was delighted to help officially open the path, which recognises the area’s former student and pioneering explorer, scientist and oceanographer William Speirs Bruce.
“Our £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront is one of the largest and most ambitious projects of its kind in Scotland. Improving connectivity and strengthening active travel links is central to this, and our wider ambitions to achieve net zero by 2030, reduce kms travelled by car and to create a safer, more sustainable and pleasant transport future for Edinburgh.”
Simon Strain, Head of Places for Everyone Programme at Sustrans Scotland, said: “This upgraded route is an important achievement for Granton Waterfront.
“The Speirs Bruce Way greatly improves the link between Waterfront Avenue and West Shore Road with a path that is suitable for all to use, whilst also enhancing connections to the nearest bus stops and the Waterfront Broadway local centre.
“By making it safer and easier for residents and visitors to the area to walk, wheel and cycle we hope that many more people will have the confidence to leave the car at home when making their everyday journeys.
“We’re grateful to the City of Edinburgh Council and local community members for their hard work and considered input which has helped make this project a success.”
Upgrades include widening the path to provide space for both pedestrians and cyclists, the installation of new lighting and path access improvements at the north end where it meets West Shore Road.
As well as providing a key north-south link, Speirs Bruce Way passes by the 17th century Caroline Park House, the remnants of Granton Castle to the east and the boundary wall of the former Granton Gasworks to the west.
A Historic Environment Scotland plaque has been installed to commemorate Sir Thomas Hope (Lord Advocate to King Charles I) who lived at Granton Castle.
Through Places for Everyone, the Scottish Government has granted Stage 0-2 funding for further projects in relation to Phase 1 of the Granton Waterfront Regeneration, on which an initial planning consultation is currently underway.
Designs for the upgraded path were produced by WSP, with construction carried out by Mackenzie Construction.
The creation of a £1.3bn connected and sustainable new ‘coastal town’ at Granton Waterfront has reached its next major phase.The Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to transform Edinburgh’s largest brownfield site has now been published.
The plans have been developed in partnership with Cruden Homes (East) Ltd. They include plans for over 700 net zero homes, of which at least 35% will be affordable, capacity for a primary school, commercial units, active travel routes and other sustainable transport infrastructure as well as attractive public and open space.
The Council would like to find out what people think about the plans for Phase 1 and have organised in-person events: Tuesday 13 June from 4pm to 7pm and Saturday 17 June from 11am to 2pm at the Granton Station building, 1 Granton Station Square.
People will also be able to share their views online.
An online event will be held on Thursday 22 June from 6pm to 7.30pm and a ‘You Said, We Did’ event will be held in person on Wednesday 23 August from 4pm to 7pm at 1 Granton Station Square.
The City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Cammy Day, said: “It’s great to see that plans have now been submitted for the largest regeneration project of its kind in Scotland at Granton Waterfront. The PAN is for the first phase of this ambitious and exciting £1.3bn regeneration project for the city.
“Sustainable regeneration like this is so important as we transition towards a greener economy in our Capital. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity here to build a 20-minute neighbourhood completely from scratch with affordable net zero homes, shops, cultural and leisure and education facilities all close by.
“We’ve been consulting with people at every step of the way during this project so please be a part of this transformation of the north of the city and give us your views either at one of our events or online.
“This will help us to make sure we get it right for those who will be living in, working, and visiting this new area as well as everyone currently living in the many established communities nearby.”
Further information:
The new area will be well connected to the rest of Edinburgh and beyond with sustainable travel links and active travel routes running through the site following the principles of sustainable travel in our City Mobility Plan.
The Council is also progressing plans to bring forward a low carbon heat network – solution for the first and future phases of the project contributing to its target to reach net zero emissions by 2030.
Cruden Homes (East) Ltd design team comprises Smith Scott Mullan Associates as lead architect along with OPEN (Optimised Environments Ltd.) as landscape designers. Together, they set extremely high standards using exemplary design to help to develop a blueprint for the Capital’s 20 minute neighbourhood model, making sure those who live in the area have all the facilities they need including workspace, retail and cultural opportunities close to home.
Several early development projects are also well underway in the area including construction of over 500 net zero homes for sale and affordable rent at Western Villages and the site behind Granton Station Building. Work is progressing to restore the iconic gasholder including creation of a public park within its frame, and the former Granton Station Building is ready to welcome its new tenant social enterprise and arts charity WASPS, who will work from the building. The new Granton Station Square outside the station building is also ready to be used as an exciting space for public use in the future.
