Granton Waterfront Development

Granton Waterfront is the name given to the land between West Granton Road and the Firth of Forth, east of Marine Drive and up to and including Granton Harbour.

It was an area of gas works, petrol storage and industrial and storage uses, which by the late 1990’s was falling into disuse and dereliction.

At that point the Council began to acquire land within the area and began the process of comprehensive, planned redevelopment.

The master plan demonstrated how a new ‘urban quarter’ could be developed, with housing, business uses, local shops, schools and other supporting uses, and an environment of the highest urban quality created against the magnificent backdrop of the Firth of Forth.

The master plan has been adopted by the Council as guidance for development control purposes.

The Council set up a joint venture company - Waterfront Edinburgh Limited (WEL) - with Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh & Lothian (SEE&L) in order to promote and co-ordinate development throughout the Waterfront area. It is working with the two other major landowners – Secondsite (a subsidiary of British Gas) and Forth Properties, a subsidiary of Forth Ports. Each landowner has submitted outline planning applications for their own holdings.

The first major development to be completed is an office building for Scottish Gas. Telford College will follow with a relocation to a new building on West Granton road. Proposals are also being prepared for the first of what will ultimately be 6,000 new houses.

Improved transport links to the rest of the city are being developed and Government approval has been given for the construction of a tram network. The proposed routes have been the subject of public consultation. The first line to be built as part of the network will link the Granton Waterfront site directly with the city centre and with Leith.