£25m walkway plan for waterfront

Published on Thursday 21 February 2008 23:48

CREATING a promenade along Edinburgh's waterfront could bring an extra £25 million to the capital every year.

A single walkway between Cramond and Joppa has the potential to create up to 1,000 new jobs, attract hundreds of thousands of extra visitors to the area and host regular events and festivals, according to a new report.

However, it may take between 20 and 30 years to bring the ten-mile boardwalk vision to reality, the study for the city council warns.

Under the plans for the promenade, major improvements would be carried out to existing walkways and paths, including new lighting, sculptures and other works of art, and historical panels. It is hoped the improvements will not only encourage thousands more people to walk or cycle along the waterfront, but will also encourage millions of pounds' worth of new investment with shops, bars and restaurants.

Consultants charged with producing a long-term strategy say it could even play host to major events .

Within the next ten years, missing links will be filled in along stretches of land at Granton, Newhaven, Leith and Seafield, while long-term plans will be drawn up for areas currently lying derelict or in use as working docks.

It is hoped work on the first phase of the project – costing 7.5 million – will get under way next year and see the first official sections created on Portobello promenade, at the Western Harbour, at Newhaven and on parkland in Granton.

The cost of the initial four-year phase is expected to be shared between the city council – which has pledged to provide 5.4 million in principle – and developers along the waterfront. Visitors will be encouraged to use temporary routes which would effectively "bypass" areas likely to be inaccessible or unavailable for years.

The council's city development director, Andrew Holmes, said: "The development of a high-quality coastal promenade route will be a major asset for the city. It will be the signature project of the entire waterfront development."

Leith councillor Gordon Munro said: "This is a fantastic concept, but is not moving nearly quickly enough."