Edinburgh City Council has granted Forth Ports Listed building Consent so that full repairs of Leith's Victoria Swing Bridge can be undertaken.
Edinburgh City Council has granted Forth Ports Listed building Consent so that full repairs of Leith’s Victoria Swing Bridge can be undertaken, conserving the bridge for the future, and creating a usable space for the local community.
Edinburgh Live reports that an undisclosed, private six-figure investment will see the bridge, the largest counterweighted swing bridge in Scotland, fully repaired in a phased programme of specialist works that have been designed to ensure the character and form of the bridge are preserved.
The repair programme is to be carried out in phases and includes:
full refurbishment of the northern and southern walkways
re-decking the central carriageway
replacement of the decked turning circle areas
a full repair and repaint of metalwork on the bridge.
The work is due to start this year, with the refurbishment of the north and south pedestrian walkways, and the remainder of the work to be undertaken in 2022. Pedestrian access to the bridge for the local community will be maintained for the duration of the works.
Charles Hammond, group chief executive at Forth Ports, said: “We are extremely pleased to have been granted consent to begin this programme of major repairs to The Victoria Swing Bridge which is an important landmark in Leith and will make an important contribution to the regeneration of the Waterfront.”
Hammond added that he hopes that people will be able to use and enjoy the usable space created for the community once the bridge has been restored.
The Victoria Swing Bridge was designed by Alexander Rendel and opened in 1874 to provide an efficient road and railway route for the port following the completion of the construction of Albert Dock in 1869.
The bridge was originally B listed but was upgraded to an A listing in 2014. It is constructed of riveted wrought iron, timber and steel and originally carried a double rail track along its central deck – providing access for both trains and road vehicles – and features pedestrian walkways on either side.
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