The Edwardian B-listed former Granton Station, set in the heart of the city’s planned new sustainable Granton Waterfront district, is to be restored by the Council at a cost of up to £4.75m.
Today, the Finance and Resources Committee appointed Kier Construction Ltd to carry out the work. The project will be part-funded through Scottish Government regeneration capital grant funding and town centre funding. The latter was previously agreed by the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee in June 2019 and by Council in November 2020.
Work will commence to bring the historic former Granton Station building back into use by early 2022 as a high-quality creative workspace and the derelict land in front of the building will once again be used as a public square for community events and recreation to be enjoyed by residents and visitors to the area.
The station site is part of Granton Waterfront, a key sustainable £1.3bn regeneration project for Scotland, which will make a significant contribution to Edinburgh’s target to become a net zero carbon city by 2030.
Work has already begun to provide around 450 homes for sale and affordable rent at Western Villages and at the end of last year construction firm Hart Builders was also appointed to begin work to design around 150 brand new affordable homes at the former Silverlea care home site in the area.
Cllr Rob Munn, Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee, said:
Granton Station is an important link to the rich industrial heritage of the area, and I look forward to seeing it back in use once again. As it did in Edwardian times, the building will serve the local community but now as a vibrant and modern business hub with open public space outside for everyone to enjoy.
The project will provide jobs while being constructed and long after completion, as a new enterprise hub generating local employment opportunities for the area and our citizens throughout Edinburgh.
Cllr Cammy Day, Depute Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said:
Regenerating Granton Waterfront is no longer just a vision. Spades will soon go in the ground to turn this historic building into a gateway for one of Scotland’s newest sustainable districts for people to enjoy for decades to come. With work progressing well on two affordable housing sites and plans underway to illuminate the former gas holder in the area with Edinburgh College, we’re making great progress to build a sustainable new district where people will be proud to live, work and visit. And we’re speaking to the local community to make sure the new district enhances and blends well into what is already a well-established area surrounding the site.