Edinburgh always has plenty of construction projects going on.
Whether it’s essential repairs to North Bridge, the building of the city’s first purpose-built concert hall for 100 years or a huge housing and office development in the New Town, there’s a lot of work under way, helping to shape the Capital’s future.
But many have been delayed because of Covid, the impact of inflation on the construction industry or other factors. It’s difficult to keep up to date with everything that’s happening. So here’s a quick summary of what’s going on with some of the prominent projects currently under way in the city.
5. North Bridge
North Bridge has been partially closed since 2018 after the council was told buses and heavy lorries would have to be banned from the historic structure unless millions of pounds of vital repairs were carried out. But as work progressed, it became clear the extent of repairs needed was greater than expected. Many of the defects uncovered are in areas not accessed for 125 years. The work currently under way includes blasting and painting of steelwork to the south span and concrete deck repairs while new cast iron components are being made to replace parts of the bridge which could not be repaired. The work is now expected to be complete by spring 2025. Photo: Ian Swanson
6. G&V Hotel, George IV Bridge
It's a five-star hotel with 136 bedrooms on a prime site in Edinburgh's Old Town. But the former Missoni hotel at the corner of the Royal Mile and George IV Bridge has long been shrouded in scaffolding - and clear information about why is in short supply. The hotel - built following demolition of the former Lothian Regional Council offices - opened amid great fanfare in late 2009. It was a partnership between fashion brand Missoni and the Rezidor Hotel Group, but five years later that came to an end. The hotel was renamed G&V (George and Victoria) and it is now part of the Radisson group. Radisson said they could not comment on the work because it was the responsibility of the building owners. Investment company Abrdn, who own the property, have permission to replace timber cladding on the building, but they said were unable to comment because the relevant managers were on holiday. Photo: Ian Swanson
7. National Gallery
Work to create more exhibition space underneath the National Gallery has been going on since 2018 and, after repeated delays, an opening date has now been announced for September 30, 2023. Problems which held up the troubled project included damp penetration, asbestos, an "inadequate" drainage system and the discovery of "unexpected remnants" of previous developments, including "deeply buried layers of concrete". When the plans were first unveiled in 2014 the price tag was £15.3 million, but the final cost has been confirmed at £38.62m. The revamp is aimed at significantly increasing space devoted to Scottish artists like Phoebe Anna Traquair, William McTaggart, Anne Redpath, Sir Henry Raeburn and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Photo: Ian Swanson
8. New concert hall, St Andrew Square
Work started in February 2023 on clearing a site behind the Royal Bank of Scotland building in St Andrew Square, ready for Edinburgh's first purpose-built new concert hall for a century. The 1,000-seater Dunard Centre is due to become the new home for Scottish Chamber Orchestra and an iconic new venue for the Edinburgh International Festival. Largely bankrolled by American arts philanthropist Carol Colburn Grigor, with some funding from Edinburgh's City Deal, the cost of the project was put at £75 million in 2021, but is expected to be more now. Clearance work is expected to be complete by late 2023, with work on the new concert hall starting soon after. Photo: Ian Swanson