Achi news desk-
Approximately 50,000 tonnes of infill material has been placed and compacted in the 11 x 78 meter tank ready to install the bentonite membrane.
It follows the removal of the walls of the tank and the bell, when council leader Cammy Day said it was “very dramatic to see the bell being torn apart by the machines”, adding: “It was telling historic moment as will this iconic structure. be transformed now to move forward with the times to serve a completely different purpose for the local community to enjoy arts, sports and culture for future generations.”
READ MORE: Historic moment as famous Scottish landmark ‘tears down’
Work is currently being done on the huge amount of steel that makes up the structure with every steel member being looked at and repaired if necessary. This means replacing corroded parts or filling holes.
“To repaint the structure the process involves blasting it with copper ore which removes the old lead paint and corrosion, cleaning it down and preparing the surfaces and then primer coats before the final paint colour, ” said the council.
The progress is the latest in the restoration of the site which began last year. McLaughlin and Harvey are completing the work on behalf of Edinburgh City Council using £16.4m of the UK Government’s Level Up Fund and an additional £1.2m from the Scottish Government.
READ MORE: Edinburgh ‘eyesore’ gas holder to get £16.4m reinvention as tourist attraction
The gas holder, which is at the heart of the council’s £1.3bn regeneration project for a new sustainable coastal town in Grantonbank, will become an “exciting multifunctional public area”.
“The space within the gas holder will be restored to have multi-sensory play zones, a dedicated area for permanent and temporary public art and one for relaxation, outdoor pathways, and tracks for exercise as well as airspace large open for sports, markets, and seasonal. events, community use, festivals, performing arts, exhibitions and play,” added the council. “Work will also be done to plant trees, shrubs and wild flowers improving biodiversity and local habitats in the area.”
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Mr Day also said: “It’s exciting to see this film and the culmination of all the hard work that has already been done to bring this fantastic project to life in the area.”
Graham Brown, senior contracts manager at McLaughlin & Harvey, said: “We are delighted to have reached another milestone on this exciting project. The gas holder tank has been dewatered, demolished and filled in alongside alongside the ongoing structural frame refurbishment.
“This has included detailed logistical planning to ensure that both aspects of the project can progress side by side ensuring the safety of our workforce.
“The finished paint surface is also progressing well under the cover of our huge scaffolding structure and in the coming months we will be starting the public land works as the final stage of the project.”
