An agreement has been signed by Edinburgh City Council, National Galleries of Scotland, National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh College, Scottish Government and Scottish Futures Trust.
They will work together and with the community to shape plans to transform the area. The plan for the next 10 to 15 years involves building about 4,000 new homes, along with services, retail and public realm areas, while retaining the heritage and history of the area.
Granton Waterfront consists of around 140ha of former industrial land and is currently characterised by fragmented ownership, piecemeal development and a slow build-out rate following the 2007 financial crisis. In March 2018, the council purchased the former gas works from National Grid, providing an opportunity to consolidate land holdings and accelerate the delivery of housing-led regeneration.
Council leader Adam McVey, said: “Granton is a hugely important area for the Council and for the city. It’s not only a Strategic Development Area in the Edinburgh Local Development Plan but also one of seven key strategic sites prioritised in the Edinburgh and South-East Scotland City Region Deal. Today marks the next stage in our commitment with partners to make the waterfront a great place to live, work and visit by delivering a world-leading development.”
Dr Gordon Rintoul, director of National Museums Scotland, said: “National Museums Scotland has operated a major site in Granton for over 20 years now and has over 50 staff based there. We are delighted to be working with other organisations to develop and transform Granton Waterfront.”
Edinburgh College principal Audrey Cumberford, said: “Our campus is at the heart of the development area and we look forward to working with partners on this ambitious project which will provide greater opportunities for our students and the community.”
Jacqueline Ridge, director of conservation & collections management, National Galleries of Scotland: "The creation of a positive future for the Granton area is a central aim of our plans to build a new National Collections Facility. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to design this building from scratch. As well as providing a home for our artworks, we want it to be welcoming and inspiring for the community. The project is still in the design stage, but we are already working with local partners as we develop our vision for what this game-changing building might be."
A development framework that focuses on delivery is being produced and will be presented to the planning committee in late spring or summer 2019 for approval as non-statutory planning guidance.
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