First look at plans to transform historic city brewery into homes
A developer has revealed its plans for Edinburgh’s historic Caledonian Brewery, which closed in 2022 after more than 153 years.
In December last year, Artisan Real Estate purchased the 1.9-acre site, and a public consultation programme was launched in February. Now, the company has submitted proposals to turn the disused factory into a sustainable, lowcarbon residential development of 168 new homes.
Established by George Lorimer and Robert Clark, Caledonian Brewery opened its doors for the very first time in 1869, perfectly located next to the new Caledonian Railway Line on Slateford Road. The brewery was bought by Scottish & Newcastle in 2008, becoming part of Heineken later that year.
When the decision to close the site was announced in 2022, a campaign group hit out at the move – branding it “devastating” news for Scotland’s brewing heritage. But Artisan Real Estate has promised to “respect, preserve and tell the story of the Caledonian Brewery”.
Artisan’s managing director for Scotland, David Westwater, said: “There was a significant and long-established affinity, amongst local residents especially, for the historic brewery buildings which will be preserved to form the heart of our new development – including the spectacular 130-ft red brick chimney which towers over the local community.
“We intend to maintain and celebrate as much of the brewery’s unique heritage as possible, and this includes marking the site of the two original springs which originally provided fresh water for the brewery process.”