New Street, Edinburgh
The challenge
To find a commercially viable use for this world heritage site of 3.5 acres, adjacent to Waverley Station and in the historic Waverley Valley - a former gas-works turned bus depot, currently used as a car park, with some lock-up units. Edinburgh is a particularly challenging city, due to the historic nature of much of the existing development.
The solution
Cuckfield Group embarked upon a lengthy consultation period with, amongst others, Edinburgh City Council, The Scottish Executive, The Cockburn Association, The Royal Fine Art Commission, The Civic Trust, The Architectural Society and Railtrack. The resulting design incorporated sustainable, environmentally friendly solutions, e.g. natural grass roofs, grey water re-use, a traffic-free podium with exclusive pedestrian access and an area of parkland for use by staff and residents of the buildings.
A resolution was made to grant detailed consent for the scheme which comprised in excess of half a million sq ft of space, including: Grade A offices, residential, retail, arts and media, health and fitness, and over 300 car parking spaces.
The added value