ONE of the main traffic arteries through Edinburgh is to be shut for almost a year for roadworks that threaten widespread chaos.
Leith Street will be shut to traffic for 10 months while the St James Centre undergoes redevelopment.
Developers say it is necessary to safely install new gas and water pipes, but the road will stay open to pedestrians, cyclists and emergency services. TH Real Estate’s Martin Perry said: “These works will allow us to reconfigure and renew the whole Leith Street corridor and help facilitate the wider regeneration in a way that minimises disruption for residents, businesses and the travelling public.”
The road will be closed between Calton Road and Waterloo Place from August 28, to avoid festival season.
Work began on the £1bn project to revamp the St James shopping centre in October. It is scheduled to reopen in 2020, with 85 new shops, 20 restaurants, 150 flats and a cinema.
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