Work at the 122 year-old Granton Gasholder is moving apace. The scaffolding has just been removed taking the multi million pounds project a step closer to completion.
The council received £16.4 million from the UK Government’s Levelling Up fund to create a park around a newly refurbished structure at its centre. This will have play zones, a space for temporary and permanent public art, outdoor trails and tracks. The area will be used for festivals, performance arts and exhibitions. The work includes improvements to the biodiversity of the area by planting trees, shrubs and wildflowers.
This is part of the £1.3 billion project to create a new community at Granton Waterfront which will be a sustainable 20 minute neighbourhood with links to surrounding areas. Active travel routes including walking and bike paths are already open. The former Granton Station building has been restored and is now occupied by artists who are part of the WASPs community.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “It’s exciting to see the iconic structure free from scaffolding. It has been part of Edinburgh’s skyline for over 120 years so its restoration at the centre of our £1.3bn regeneration of the area is a spectacular focal point. We previously shared the dramatic footage of the original bell within the structure being ripped apart by machinery. It marked a historic moment as the park is being transformed to serve a completely different purpose for the local community who will be able to enjoy arts, sports and culture there for years to come.
“Work on the park within the structure continues and I’m looking forward to seeing ‘Gasholder 1’ open to great fanfare in the coming months.”
Graham Brown, Senior Contracts Manager from McLaughlin & Harvey said: “Taking down the last section of scaffolding marks an important milestone in this complex project. We had to design and engineer a scaffolding structure that was robust, safe and able to bear the wind loading. It gave us the platform to blast off existing paintwork before carrying out thousands of individual steel repairs on the frame to ensure it is structurally sound. We finished off the frame with four new coats of paint, the majority of which was applied by hand. It’s been a pleasure working with the City of Edinburgh Council and our supply chain to give a new lease of life to this historical landmark and contribute to the regeneration of the area. We’re looking forward to handing it over and seeing the local community benefitting from it for years to come.”
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