Waterfront Edinburgh RSS Feed

Demolition application for former car factory

Fri, 09 May 2008 10:12:32 GMT

Regeneration agency Waterfront Edinburgh Ltd and development partner Buredi have applied for a Listed Building Consent to demolish the production block of the B-listed derelict Madelvic Car Factory as part of the £1billion transformation of a stretch of Edinburgh’s waterfront.

The Madelvic factory, in the Granton area of North Edinburgh, was opened in 1898 and was believed to be Britain’s first purpose built car production unit. However the electric car it made proved unpopular and it closed in 1900.

Between 1900 and 1908, the site was owned by a number of other companies.

In 1925 it was bought by United Wire, who over the years made substantial changes to the production block, which it had used to manufacture industrial wire cloth and non-ferrous wire.

United Wire sold the site to Waterfront Edinburgh in 2000, who now use the original the handsome red brick Madelvic House – with its iconic fifth wheel symbol - as its headquarters. It is currently undergoing work to clear serious dry rot.

In 2003 Waterfront Edinburgh sold the designated 2.16acre Madelvic Works site to Buredi, a joint venture between Burrell Company and EDI Ltd, who planned the site to be a mixed-use development comprising of residential and commercial buildings.

Reserved matters planning permission was granted by The City of Edinburgh Council in March 2005 for the development including new build residential use over commercial use. The permission included a number of major changes to the Madelvic site including removing the flat roof on the outer blocks and the central portion between the two blocks to promote amenity space and demolishing the generator block.

Alternative uses for the site were also investigated, including an artists’ studio and commercial floor space. But these were also evaluated as being not economically viable.

Alan Couper, Head of Planning at Waterfront Edinburgh, said: “Unfortunately the production blocks, which were once rather grand buildings, are now completely derelict and an eyesore.

“The site was given B-list status for its social and historical, not architectural significance.

“This block is at the very centre of Waterfront’s development vision. It is acting as a barrier to development and although we are keen to retain the history of Granton we do not want that to hold back its future.”

Waterfront Edinburgh and Buredi have now applied to demolish the production blocks to build a mixed use development in the site and develop links between the north and south of Granton, connecting the existing and emerging communities. The application to The City of Edinburgh Council was submitted on April 25 2008.

Waterfront Edinburgh was set up in March 2000 as a catalyst for the regeneration of Granton waterfront. The scheme, one of the largest urban regeneration projects in Scotland, plans to revive some 345 acres of land to connect the city with its waterfront.

Waterfront Edinburgh – a joint venture between The City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothians - owns 120 acres of land at Granton including 1.3km of land on the waterfront itself. Over the next 10 years, this land will be transformed into a new community with high quality residential, leisure, cultural and commercial developments.

A number of surrounding sites to the Madelvic land have already been sold and residential units are in place by Places for People at the Upper Strand development and George Wimpey Homes.

Waterfront Edinburgh links with Telford College

Fri, 09 May 2008 10:08:53 GMT

Waterfront Edinburgh Ltd, one of three landowners involved in the £1billion regeneration of Granton, is using the expertise of local students at Telford College to promote its vision for the area.

Waterfront Edinburgh has hired HNC Marketing student Kalina Haralampieva as a Marketing Assistant. The 29-year-old has been given hands-on training in a live marketing department. She has been involved at the heart of the company’s communications strategy by assisting in the development of a new website, production of promotional materials and building a communications database.

Kalina, of Gilmerton, said: “The placement at Waterfront has given me invaluable experience of working in a functioning marketing department.

“I have been involved in some interesting projects and am very grateful for the opportunity.

“This placement will look great on my CV and should help me develop my marketing career.”

Kalina, who works three days a week at Waterfront, hopes to do an HND next year at Herriot Watt or Napier University. She then plans to study for a degree in marketing.

Jane Dennyson, Marketing and Communications Manager at Waterfront Edinburgh, believes that local students have the perfect skills to help the company regenerate the area. Waterfront Edinburgh holds social inclusion at the heart of its work. The company’s corporate responsibility plan engages local social enterprises and educational schemes in the area.

The 15-year redevelopment project aims to provide 8000 homes and thousands of jobs to the people of Granton.

She said: “We aim to actively engage the local community whenever we can. Students at the college make up a vital part of that community.

“Kalina has done a fantastic job with us. We have been really happy with her work.”
Telford College students have also been involved in designing a logo for Waterfront Edinburgh’s yet-to-be launched facilities management company. The winner, which will be announced at the college’s design show on June 12, will be awarded with a state-of-the-art £500 digital camera and a placement at Design Works agency.

It also uses photography students from the college to do promotional shots for the development site.

Richard Swan, Marketing Lecturer at Telford College, said: “We have developed a great working relationship with Waterfront Edinburgh.

“We are always keen to give our students live work experiences. The chance to work in the marketing department and to design a logo which will actually be used for a company are fantastic opportunities for our students.”

Police investigate waterfront for new HQ to replace Fettes

Thu, 08 May 2008 10:23:46 GMT

Lothian and Borders Police have put forward proposals to build a new force HQ in the massive Leith docks development.

The purpose-built base would be created on the 350-acre waterfront site, where 12,000 homes are set to be built along with offices and shops.

The force cited the docklands as "an attractive location" for the ongoing plans to relocate its current Fettes headquarters, branded "not fit for purpose".

The plans also suggest the opening of a new "civic building" in the development where officers patrolling Leith could be stationed.

The huge residential and commercial regeneration at the docklands will see 35,000 people move into the area, as well as workers.

Due to neighbouring developments in Granton and Western Harbour, the force estimates an additional 80 officers and 45 support staff would be needed to police the Leith beat.

Property giants Forth Ports, which is behind the docklands scheme, said it would be "happy" to meet with police to discuss their requirements.

Last year, the force had to shelve plans for a £94 million super-HQ due to a lack of funds.

Two undisclosed sites on the edge of Edinburgh had been identified, but former chief constable Paddy Tomkins was forced to mothball the plans on the "grounds of affordability".

The Fettes building is unable to cope with staff numbers and the changing needs of the force.

It was built in 1973 to house just 450 staff, but now more than 900 personnel are crammed into the building.

Councillor Iain Whyte, convener of the police board, said: "Obviously this is an early stage, but these things have to be looked at as early as possible if the building is to go up in time.

"With the large number of houses proposed for Leith, it makes sense to have a police presence there to provide a good service for that community."

A spokesman for Edinburgh Waterfront said: "We've had no detailed discussions with Lothian and Borders Police at this stage, but local amenities such as policing, education, etc, are integral to any vibrant, economically thriving community and we'll be happy to speak to the force."

On the Waterfront there's a desire to go green

Fri, 02 May 2008 15:14:08 GMT

Waterfront Edinburgh has joined a Prince of Wales campaign and committed to reducing its carbon emissions.

The organisation in charge of redeveloping hundreds of acres of Edinburgh's waterfront is looking at ways of reducing waste, being more energy efficient and keeping a careful eye on its carbon footprint. It follows a summit at Our Dynamic Earth yesterday, marking the anniversary of the May Day Network, which was launched last year in a bid to commit business to going green.

Colin Hunter, chief executive of Waterfront Edinburgh said: "Reducing our impact on the environment is a critical issue for Waterfront Edinburgh.We welcome a movement like the May Day Network as it shows business taking a lead in moving Scotland toward a low carbon economy."

Waterfront Edinburgh is one of three companies leading the regeneration of the North Edinburgh shore front and owns 120 acres of land in Granton.

Scottish business leaders join first ever UK wide summit on climate change

Thu, 01 May 2008 11:55:19 GMT

Scottish businesses meet today (1st May 2008) to join with 1600 other companies from across the UK to discuss the threat of climate change, and to pledge to take action to reduce their carbon footprint. They will hear from HRH The Prince of Wales and The Prime Minister Gordon Brown. It’s the first time the Prince and the PM have shared a platform on climate change.

The Summit will reconvene the May Day Network, the largest group of businesses and organisations (800 +) in the UK committed to taking collective action to tackle climate change. It is managed in Scotland by Scottish Business in the Community (SBC), a charity committed to the promotion of responsible business practice. The May Day Network offers businesses a framework to tackle their climate change impacts through a series of pledges and aims to engage 10,000 businesses across the UK by 2012.

The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Minister, Stewart Stevenson, who will address the Scottish summit, said: “Climate change is having a major impact on the world we live in. This is not only a challenge for Government but a challenge for us all and business has an important role to play in this work. The need to adapt to the consequences of climate change and drive down emissions can create new opportunities for Scottish businesses with new markets for lower carbon energy products likely to be worth $500 billion dollars by 2050.”

“Our proposals for a Scottish Climate Change Bill will set a framework within which Scottish industries can invest with certainty in world-beating, low-carbon technologies. The proposal for a statutory target to reduce Scottish emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 signals Scotland’s serious intent to lead the global effort to combat climate change. I’m confident that Government, business and all of the people of Scotland are ready to rise to the challenge of climate change and that together we can build the right world for future generations to enjoy.”

Climate change, like the ‘May Day’ distress signal, requires urgent action and Scottish businesses are listening. Senior business leaders have offered their support for the Network, including Susan Rice of Lloyds TSB Scotland, who commented: “Sustainable growth is not just an issue for today but for tomorrow and the future. This is why I am delighted to support the May Day Network and help spread the message that action on climate change is critical. As the only Bank whose market is primarily Scotland, its right that Lloyds TSB Scotland takes a leading role in the approach to climate change here at home. It behoves us to set an example not by just what we do, but by encouraging informed debate and sharing example. Our reach across Scotland is considerable. We look to our staff to take specific initiatives and we look outward to our customers and beyond as we help inform and influence the debate.”

The Summit will inspire even more business leaders to take steps towards a low carbon economy, by asking them to make pledges that involve action within their own companies and by engaging their employees, suppliers and customers. All companies present will be challenged:

· To measure their direct carbon footprint if they haven’t already done so.

· To reduce their carbon output as this is the single most important action they can take.

Companies attending the May Day Summit will be offered ongoing support by Scottish Business in the Community and partner organisations. Information on progress against pledges, as well as case studies, sources of advice and other information will be available via the website www.sbcscot.com/mayday.

For more information on HRH The Prince of Wales’s May Day Business Summit on Climate Change, and to register to take part online visit www.sbcscot.com/mayday. The Summit is sponsored in Scotland by Alliance Boots, DLA Piper, Lloyds TSB Scotland, ScottishPower and The Scottish Government.

Click below to view full article on Waterfront Edinburgh Limited:

Waterfront Edinburgh and the Environment