From Friday night Gas Holder 1 in Granton will be permanently lit up as the centrepiece to the regeneration of the area.
First constructed in 1901 the 46 metre high gas holder has been refurbished in a multi million pound project carried out by contractors, McLaughlin & Harvey on behalf of The City of Edinburgh Council.
This was one of twelve storage tanks serving Edinburgh and the surrounding area and had already been repainted 72 times before the recent works to overhaul it.
The frame has more than 100,000 rivets including the tanks, tank walls and carriages.
The new space now has a multi-sensory play zone with a dedicated space for permanent and temporary public art, a relaxation area and outdoor exercise trails.
There is an outdoor space to hold markets, sports, seasonal events and festivals.
Work began on the project in January 2023 and some of the expense was paid for by the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The Scottish Government provided £1.2 million to provide the high quality park inside the gas holder frame.
This work to refurbish the gas holder which is such a focal point is part of the £1.3 billion regeneration creating a new coastal town at Granton Waterfront.
Granton Gas Holder Park inside the gas holder will open to the public on Saturday.
The £1.3bn regeneration project is the biggest of its kind in Scotland. As well as many early stage projects being complete or well underway, the first phase planning application for a new neighbourhood was given the green light to go ahead in November. It includes plans for 847 “net zero ready” homes (with 45% being affordable) and capacity for a new primary school and a low carbon heat network. There will also be commercial units, active travel routes and other sustainable transport infrastructure as well as attractive public and open space all being delivered from 2025 to 2032.
Picture Alan Simpson
Picture Alan Simpson
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
