Regeneration specialist Artisan Real Estate has unveiled £60m proposals to develop the historic brewery site into a residential development of 168 new homes.
Sitting at the western edge of Edinburgh’s city centre in Shandon, the Caledonian Brewery was the capital’s last major operational brewery before Heineken UK ceased production and put the site on the market in 2022.
The brewery was founded in 1869 by George Lorimer and Robert Clark and its range of B-listed Victorian buildings provide a reminder of the city’s once extensive brewing heritage. Artisan bought the 1.9-acre former brewery site in December 2023 and has since been consulting on its plans.
Artisan’s managing director for Scotland, David Westwater, said: “Artisan’s development proposals intend to respect, preserve and tell the story of the Caledonian Brewery. The feedback from our consultation events was overwhelmingly supportive and positive. 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 on site which originally provided fresh water for the brewery process.
“There was also significant support for our plans create a much needed sustainable, low carbon residential community on the site, with 168 homes providing a healthy mix of different types of accommodation. This will include a mix of one, two and three-bed family apartments through to duplex units and mews houses, together with affordable housing in line with the City of Edinburgh Council policy.”
Roughly 20% of the homes will be housed in the existing listed buildings, which will be preserved and repurposed. Additional development proposals will reflect the original footprint of the brewery – including recreating the skyline of the maltings buildings that were demolished by a fire almost 30 years ago.
Most of the listed buildings on the site date from the late 19th to early 20th century and were constructed using red brick with white brick dressings. The existing brewhouse and maltings were built in 1892 following designs by Edinburgh architect Robert Hamilton Paterson, who also designed the Royal Scots War Memorial in the city’s St Giles Cathedral. The brewery still houses brewing equipment – including what was the last remaining direct fired ‘coppers’ to be used in the UK, which have been attracting the interest of independent breweries across the world. As part of the redevelopment plans, Artisan intends to ‘upcycle’ as much of the internal equipment as possible.
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