Over £16 million to kickstart transformation of Granton's waterfront
Over £16 million from the Levelling Up Fund will help kickstart regeneration for the Granton Waterfront area in Edinburgh.
The Granton Waterfront area in Edinburgh has a rich industrial and maritime heritage, with outstanding views across the Firth of Forth. The City of Edinburgh Council and its strategic partners have big plans for Granton’s future. Over £16 million from the Levelling Up Fund will help kickstart regeneration.
Restoration of the Gasholder
The listed gasholder dates to 1903 and has stood unused since 1987. The Levelling Up Fund will help launch phase one of the Granton Waterfront regeneration programme. This first phase is named ‘Heart of Granton’.
Funding will support:
- decontamination of the surrounding land
- key restoration of the structure
The gasholder will be transformed into an accessible open greenspace for community use. It will also have the potential for further development in later phases of the programme.
Once restored, the gas holder frame will continue to be lit at night.
This will ensure that it:
- acts as a key destination within the regeneration programme
- remains a beacon on the city’s skyline
Sat Patel, Granton Waterfront Programme Director, City of Edinburgh Council said:
Restoring the Granton Gasholder preserves its important heritage, whilst making the structure safe and publicly accessible helps unlock a much-needed wider programme of regeneration in Granton Waterfront.
The cost required to renovate the structure poses a real barrier to the delivery of a first phase of regeneration but through Levelling Up funding, the Council is now able to take this forward and de-risk the next stage, acting as a catalyst to help secure further public and private sector investment to deliver a new coastal town for Edinburgh and the region.
Granton Waterfront regeneration
Over the next 15 years, the Granton Waterfront regeneration scheme plans to deliver:
- transport infrastructure including transport hubs and active travel network
- 3,500 Net Zero homes
- cultural and retail spaces
- a low carbon heat network
- a primary school
- a medical facility
Works to restore the gasholder will start in early 2023. They’re expected to complete in summer 2024.
Granton Waterfront culture and recreation
The National Galleries of Scotland and National Museums Scotland have plans for the waterfront.
Over the regeneration period they plan to:
- create new facilities
- expand on existing structures
These buildings will house the nation’s:
- culturally significant artefacts
- collections of art
There are also plans to build one of Europe’s largest coastal parks.
Project aims include growth, sustainability, and fairness
Michelle Fraser, Granton Waterfront Programme Manager, City of Edinburgh Council said:
“The key objectives of restoring the gasholder are to ensure that development of the surrounding sites can take place, whilst at the same time securing the future of this iconic structure so that it can be enjoyed by the community and visitors to the area for generations to come.
“The Levelling Up funding secured turns these objectives into reality with this, and further investment in Granton aimed at creating strong links to surrounding neighbourhoods which suffer from high levels of inequality. Through inclusive economic growth which prioritises skills and jobs in modern methods of construction, renewable energy and green transport, the regeneration of Granton Waterfront will contribute to a sustainable, fair, and inclusive future for all.”
The restoration of the gasholder celebrates the area’s industrial past. It also helps build its future.
Find out more about levelling up.