Case studies

The Edinburgh Waterfront

ABSTRACT

Edinburgh has a unique opportunity to create a waterfront of international renown. The Master plan for the Granton Waterfront, designed by Llewelyn Davies and adopted by the City in 2001, provides the vision and the development framework needed to realise this opportunity. Three different organisations have been allocated the task of regenerating the area including Waterfront Edinburgh, Forth Ports plc and National Grid Properties. The sheer scale of the entire site - 120 hectares (346 acres) - offers a single area as large as Edinburgh's Holyrood Park or three times the size of the New Town.

The aim is to capitalise on its dramatic setting overlooking the Firth of Forth to take this rundown, derelict area of the City and turn it into a major attraction and location. Waterfront Edinburgh are taking forward 120 acres of the Granton regeneration and 1.3km of accessible waterfront. The Master plan proposals are designed to build on the distinguished urban heritage of Edinburgh, its expanding economic, social and cultural life, its role in Government and in Europe and upon the waterfront regeneration already underway in Leith. The vision is to create a place which involves and benefits the existing communities and which attracts investment in a full range of employment uses, housing, leisure, cultural and community development.

BIOGRAPHY

Stephen Izatt, Chief Executive, Waterfront Edinburgh

Stephen Izatt became Chief Executive of Waterfront Edinburgh Limited in June 2003. Prior to this he was the Chief Executive and founder of Brownfield Regeneration Ltd, a private sector remediator of large brownfield and contaminated sites producing outputs of housing, offices, retail and industrial developments and a partner in a Property Recovery Team that worked with financial institutions to enhance problem property investments. He has been a merchant banker specialising in corporate finance in Europe and the Middle East and a developer of mixed use schemes in the USA

He has close working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders from local interest groups and local authorities to Regional Development Agencies and Urban Regeneration Companies, government departments and senior politicians. He maintains good links with funding institutions.

Stephen’s particular interest is risk assessment and risk management and the remediation of contaminated land.

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