Winds of change for Granton scrap yard

Now city architects RMJM have unveiled plans for another Edinburgh landmark which is likely to raise eye-brows.

A twin tower complex, which would generate its own power using dozens of wind turbines, has been designed by the parliament architects as a centrepiece for the new waterfront. Almost 50 wind turbines would be "hung" between the two towers of the 21.5 million "Eco-tower".

The turbines in the 85-metre-high building would generate enough electricity for everyone living in the building, with any surplus power sold back to the national grid.

Leading Edinburgh architectural practice RMJM has drawn up plans to build the twin towers on land which is currently a scrap yard in Granton.

The architects are confident the turbines would produce so little noise they would not disturb residents.

The flats would also be linked to the national grid for times when winds die down.

Waterfront Edinburgh, which owns the William Waugh scrap yard in West Harbour Road, is understood to have asked RMJM to design the scheme for the site in Granton.

The development firm is expected to look for a house builder to join it in a partnership to build the tower.

Environmentalists have welcomed the plans as a dramatic way of improving the Capital’s green credentials.

RMJM director Tony Kettle, who has developed the designs for the building, said: "Edinburgh is a beautiful city with many historical landmark structures of significant scale.

"In the redevelopment of the waterfront there is the potential to create new structures which say something about the culture of our generation.

"Our concept for a sustainable tower, which uses renewable energy, expresses just that and is a clear signal for the future."

An energy study has shown that just one small turbine mounted 30 metres high would produce enough electricity to meet the annual requirements for one flat in the building.

Dr Dan Barlow, head of research at Friends of the Earth, said: "Whether this is the right location for this building is a decision that needs to be taken in consultation with local residents.

"However, the idea of embedding renewable energy production within building projects like this is to be welcomed.

"It is critical, however, that building energy saving and energy production systems into housing design must become the norm rather than the preserve of one-off projects," he added.

"In fact, proposals, like those for thousands of new homes at the Edinburgh Forthside, should be thrown out if no attempt is made to incorporate energy saving and renewable energy production into the scheme."

David McDonald, director of Edinburgh’s heritage watchdog the Cockburn Association, also gave his backing to the proposal, saying that the building could become an internationally recognised landmark for Scotland.

He said: "The concept of integrating wind power between the towers in this way is a thought-provoking and ground-breaking proposal.

"In the right place at the right time the building could be a technical achievement as important to Scotland and Edinburgh as the Forth Bridge."

RMJM has also drawn up a masterplan for nearby Leith Docks, where Forth Ports plans to oversee the building of up to 18,000 homes over the next 20 years.

Forth Ports is already investigating using wind and wave energy to produce electricity for its massive scheme.

The company hopes renewable energy technology will generate at least ten per cent of the Port of Leith’s electricity and reduce the reliance on the national grid.

The Scottish Executive aims to increase the country’s reliance on renewable energy so that by 2010 it is used to generate 18 per cent of Scotland’s electricity.

But protesters say wind power is inefficient and unreliable as an energy source and that it does not end the need for fossil fuels.