PLANS are to be brought forward to demolish former bank offices to make way for new homes and commercial units in the Scottish capital.

A public consultation for the homes-led redevelopment of “one of Edinburgh’s largest potential development sites” is to be launched later this month. 

Regeneration specialists Artisan Real Estate has formed a joint venture company with fund manager REInvest Asset Management to redevelop the former Deutsche Bank House at 525 Ferry Road, near the Crewe Toll roundabout.

The office and data-processing centre was formerly the Scottish base for State Street Bank until the building was vacated by the bank in 2018.  

Consultation for the site, to be known as 525 Park View, will begin with a drop-in public meeting on Saturday 28 October, at Fetlor Youth Club on Crewe Road South, between 12 noon and 4 pm.

David Westwater, of Artisan, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to create a long-term sustainable future for what is a predominantly redundant building and bringing a new community to an accessible city centre site. Our initial ideas will be guided by sustainability and low-carbon design and encompass a mix of development, led mainly by residential as well as much-needed affordable housing and ancillary commercial uses.”

Thomas Merkes, of REInvest Asset Management said: “Our joint venture partnership with Artisan represents a major step forward in providing an innovative and collaborative mixed-use development solution to unlock the potential for this significant city centre site, which is set to create a genuinely transformational development in an accessible city centre location.” 

A project website www.525parkview.co.uk has been set up to provide more details of the project proposals and the ongoing consultation process. All presentation boards will be published on the website within 48 hours of each event, with an opportunity to comment and feedback.


Equinor headquarters in Aberdeen sold for £20 million

THE north-east headquarters of energy giant Equinor have been sold for £20 million in a deal heralded for marking a “shift in investor appetite for Aberdeen”.

Equinor House, a 46,000 square foot building fully leased to the Norwegian state-owned company until March 2032, has been sold by Golden Globe Ltd to an unnamed private investor from overseas.


​Majority owner of controversial oil field moves closer to flotation

THE operator and majority owner of the controversial Cambo oil field north-west of Shetland has moved a step closer to a stock market listing amid a revival of investor interest in the North Sea.

Aberdeen-based Ithaca Energy, which is owned by Isreal's Delek Group, said its strategy is aligned with that of the UK Government's energy security ambitions and it is "proud to be investing...at a time when domestic energy security could not be more important".


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