Granton gasholder set for demolition

The property arm of National Grid wants to demolish the B-listed historic gasholder in Granton after it found it would be too expensive to refurbish it - and that it could become a safety hazard.

Heritage groups have, however, called for the towering 108-year-old landmark to be saved and refurbished, as has happened with some similar structures in other parts of the country.

The demolition would end years of talks of finding a way to save the gasholder.

Forth councillor Steve Cardownie said: "It is synonymous with Granton but I'm not sure if anyone will miss it. It puts a stop to a lot of development in the area because it is quite big and it costs a lot to maintain.

"I hope they have examined thoroughly all the potential uses before discounting them."

The threat of demolition first emerged more than a decade ago but it was saved when Historic Scotland gave it protected listed status in 1998.

A series of investigations has been carried out into proposals to save the facility. But National Grid has found that it would cost 5.2 million to refurbish the structure - as well as 200,000 a year to paint. Demolition and decontaminating the land will cost 2.5m.

The company has also highlighted a series of health and safety issues, including the risk of paint fragments blowing into the playground of the proposed new Waterfront primary school and causing "significant risk of harm" to children.

National Grid also said that there was an "ever increasing risk" of parts of the structure collapsing.

The gasholder was designed by the renowned architect Walter Ralph Herring in 1898 on the Granton Gasworks - once the biggest site of its kind in Scotland.

In a submission to the city council, Historic Scotland said: "We are not convinced that there is not scope for building either within or utilising the structure. Recent smaller conversions have been achieved at Dublin and Kings Cross, London.

"We consider the Granton gasholder an important reminder of the circa 1900 gas industry and a landmark in Edinburgh's industrial heritage."

The Waterfront Edinburgh masterplan, published in 2000, recommends that the gasholder is transformed into "an exciting and contemporary structure". But it also states that if no use can be found "its demolition could be contemplated".

Council planning officials have recommended that the plans to demolish the structure are approved. John Bury, the council's head of planning, said: "The gasholder is considered by the applicants to represent an obstacle to the redevelopment and regeneration of Granton.

"There is a compelling argument to retain the building but it is accepted that there would be unreasonable financial implications for its owners."