Waterfront Edinburgh Development, Granton Harbour Building, Architect, Project
Waterfront Edinburgh Development
The Waterfront Granton, north Edinburgh Scotland
15 Sep 2001
Edinburgh Waterfront Development
Information from Watefront Edinburgh re Granton Scotland
September 2001
Waterfront Edinburgh : Update
I am pleased to be able to look back on the last few months and report continued progress. We have continued with the strategy set out in our Business Plan, concentrating on site operations, communications and a solution to the “access” question. We have made significant moves forward in all three areas.
Communications
We have expanded our communications initiatives considerably, completing a further round of meeting with local communities, both visiting and receiving numerous developers and their agents, and speaking at various conferences about aspects of the project. These have included sponsorship of the British Urban Regeneration Association Scotland conference at the end of August, and, looking forward to 4 October, disseminating the news of the Company’s role in promoting a credible public transport link for North Edinburgh as widely as possible.
Public Transport
The Andersen report on a public transport solution was published in July, and the results forwarded to The City of Edinburgh Council which immediately “incorporated” the proposal into its own bid for resources from the Scottish Executive’s Public Transport Fund.
We are very proud of the leading role we have played in securing the support of 13 other major organisations in both public and private sectors, both to fund and steer the recommendations for a Light Rapid Transport, or Tram, system. This will link Granton with the City Centre via the former railway line to Roseburn, along Shandwick Place and Princes Street to St Andrew Square, and down Leith Walk, through Leith and back to Granton via Starbank. We are very hopeful that the Transport Minister will support the City Council’s proposals and that it is now firmly in the pipeline. Throughout, we have worked very closely with The City of Edinburgh Council, and have received advice and encouragement directly from the Scottish Executive.
I would pay particular tribute to the two other principal landowners on the Granton site,Forth Ports and Lattice, each of whom contributed both funds and technical expertise. The effect has been to demonstrate grass roots support for the project, together with a willingness to contribute towards the cost of launching it.
Neighbours
Whilst progress on the site we control has been dramatic, this has been more than matched by Lattice which is now on site. It has commissioned some £5M worth of preparatory work securing access to Phase 1 of its development and achieving the level of decontamination required by statute. Lattice is in the final stages of selecting a development partner to take the project still further. At the time of writing it is talking to four organisations, of which this Company is one. Whatever the outcome, we shall draw satisfaction. If we are selected, it will be because the Company’s resources and expertise are needed to tackle the special problems on the Lattice site. If we are not selected, it will mean that the private sector is prepared to take these risks itself, and there is no need to underpin the operation with public funds.
Forth Ports have applied for a planning consent for a substantial end user, to be located on the Central Pier of Granton Harbour. This, too, is a substantial step forward, since it will provide the justification for improvements to access and the provision of services to the site, facilitating Forth Ports’ first phase on the filled ground at the Western Harbour.
What Happens Next?
Looking forward to the next three months, we expect by Christmas to have selected developers for a major part of the former United Wire site, and for the first phase of the residential development in the Central area called The Strand. The first of these projects comprises the former Madelvic Works, the first purpose built car factory in the UK built in 1898 to construct an electric vehicle. We hope to improve on this far-sighted, but ill-fated, venture by refurbishing the listed buildings and creating a substantial area of business space for rent. Waterfront Edinburgh Limited will be one of the first tenants, occupying the former office building.
Agents McGregor Chartered Surveyors, have been instructed to assist us in the marketing, and Malcolm Fraser Architects, have drawn up an exciting set of plans to form the basis for bids from prospective development partners.
We are to be assisted in marketing the residential development on The Strand by Jones Lang Lasalle. We shall be looking for particularly high standards of design, and the integration of affordable housing within the project in compliance with current City of Edinburgh Council policies.
At Harbour Road, talks are well advanced with Edinburgh’s Telford College which has announced its intention, in principle, to relocate wholesale to the Waterfront. Telford is a very large and successful further education institution, and its activities will contribute greatly to the life and vitality of this emerging new quarter of the City.
My report would be incomplete without reference to the tragedy at the World Trade Center in New York. As licensees for the proposed Edinburgh World Trade Centre, we had developed links and friendships with skilled and dedicated individuals running the World Trade Center’s Association in New York, many of whom are no longer with us. The development of business space on the Granton Waterfront is a vital part of our strategy, but has always depended upon economic conditions and on the state of business optimism. We are watching the situation carefully, and will adapt our approach to the circumstances which emerge in the few months before my next report.
Andrew Russell, Waterfront Edinburgh: Chief Executive
Waterfront Edinburgh – Llewelyn-Davies Masterplan
Waterfront Edinburgh – Madelvic
Waterfront Edinburgh – Wm Morrison
Waterfront Edinburgh – Yacht Club
News Excerpts re Waterfront Edinburgh
Waterfront Edinburgh – Ken Shuttleworth / Make
Architects urged to think bold over future of derelict gasworks…Ken Shuttleworth, of Foster and Partners….at Edinburgh’s Gallery of Modern Art to encourage Scottish architects to submit designs for around 560 houses that will fit within his overall masterplan for redevelopment of the 110-acre site at Granton…..”Granton’s a stunning site,” he told the audience. “We don’t want Noddy boxes. We want it to be part of the city extended out to the area. We are looking for something urban in the traditions of Edinburgh. It’s about taking the tradition of cities into modern architecture.”
http://news.scotsman.com/archive.cfm?id=561842003
18.05.03
Waterfront Edinburgh to appoint new Chief Executive
Chairman of Waterfront Edinburgh Limited, Councillor Lezley M Cameron announced today that Andrew Russell, Chief Executive of Waterfront Edinburgh Ltd, will step down from his role at the end of his contract. He will be leaving the company from summer 2003.
09.12.02
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