Craighouse Campus, Photos, Site, Kim Wilkie, Architects, Scottish Education

Napier University – Craighouse Campus

Napier University Buildings, Edinburgh, Scotland

26 Nov 2012

Craighouse Campus Development

Revised Craighouse Plan

Updated £90m proposal labelled “diabolical” by campaigners, according to today’s Edinburgh Evening News.

Scaled-back plans for the former Napier University campus at Craighouse have been submitted to the city council – with the number of homes on the site reduced by almost a quarter.

Craighouse Campus – original buildings, photo by Adrian Welch

The development will see 153 units built on the site – 64 from the conversion of seven existing A-listed buildings and 89 new-builds. More than 30 acres of land are to be gifted to the public to “protect public access in perpetuity”.

Sundial Properties, Napier University and Mountgrange (of Caltongate infamy) comprises the Craighouse Partnership. Friends of Craighouse described the 178,000sqft of new-build property as “monumental”. “This amount of new-build is the equivalent of all the listed buildings put together plus about 50 per cent again on top”.

16 May 2012

Craighouse Campus Edinburgh

Craighouse Campus News

The principal of Edinburgh Napier University, Dame Joan Stringer, has criticised protesters opposing the redevelopment of the former Craighouse campus site. She also revealed the university would make £11.5m from the plans.

The Craighouse Partnership consortium, of which Edinburgh Napier University is a named partner, wants to build 116 new homes but the proposal has angered many local residents, with 5000 signing a petition against the development.

The university’s principal and vice-chancellor accused campaigners of mounting an “emotive disinformation campaign” and trying to discredit the university.

9 Sep 2011

Craighouse Campus Edinburgh Napier University

The Craighouse Partnership propose a “strategy of contextual development” led by world renowned landscape architect Kim Wilkie together with 3 architectural practices:

Oberlanders Architects, Edinburgh
Simpson & Brown Architects, Edinburgh
Ben Pentreath, Working Group Architects, London

Detailed building design will be presented for comment, when developed further, at the next public consultation event in October or November 2011.

Craighouse Campus Development Design Team – Background

Kim Wilkie is part of the team that replaced Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners on the highly controversial Chelsea Barracks development.

Oberlanders Architects are Edinburgh-based and most of their work is contemporary, a key project is their work St Vincent Place which involved a historic context.

Simpson & Brown Architects are Edinburgh-based and primarily involved in traditional building and restoration of historic buildings.

Ben Pentreath, based in London, featured in the recent ‘The Three Classicists’ exhibition in London with George Saumarez Smith and Francis Terry, and works in the neoclassical style.

Designs have also been sourced by John McAslan + Partners and Eric Parry Architects, both well-respected London-based architects working in the contemporary style, but their designs are not being taken forward.

Craighouse Campus Redevelopment

The road, for what is set to be one of the most exciting residential developments in Edinburgh, has been paved by the formation of Craighouse Partnership, a team of property professionals assembled to promote the restoration and development of Edinburgh Napier University’s Craighouse Campus into one of the city’s finest places to live.

The Craighouse Partnership is led by local Edinburgh company, Sundial Properties, which is recognised as the leading restorer of listed buildings for residential use in the capital. The other partners are LA&P, a specialist residential planning and development company, who will oversee the plans for the site and the Mountgrange Real Estate Opportunity Fund (“MoREOF”), a £300 million fund targeting UK property and related assets, managed by Mountgrange Investment Management LLP (“Mountgrange”), which has funded the acquisition. Edinburgh Napier University will remain an active partner in the planning application process moving forward.

Sundial Properties’ Director, William Gray Muir, said: “The partnership has been formed specifically for the acquisition of the Craighouse campus and comes with property nous, financial backing and restoration expertise that will ensure this project sets the standard for future developments of this nature and size in Edinburgh and beyond.”

“We’re looking to work with architects and landscape designers of the highest calibre to realise the potential of the site whilst fully protecting its historic significance. This should ensure that the new homes would not only strengthen Edinburgh’s image as a desirable place to live, but will also provide a greater choice of housing stock for local residents.

Website: http://www.edinburghcraighouse.co.uk

Napier University Craighouse Campus

Napier University’s Craighouse site includes some good quality 19th century university buildings with some modern additions to the south in mature woodland

new Business Building, image by Adrian Welch