Haymarket to treble in size

HAYMARKET Station would almost treble in size under detailed plans for a £190 million redevelopment unveiled today.

Council chiefs have finalised plans for a revamp of the 164-year-old station to cope with an expected doubling of passenger numbers to nine million a year over the next two decades.

Controversial moves to demolish the grade A-listed station and neighbouring Ryries Bar to make way for a transport interchange have been abandoned in favour of developing around them.

But the scheme, designed by leading architects firm Aedas, does feature a giant glass roof over all of the new public areas.

The £1.4m feasibility study has resulted in a masterplan for the area, which will be known as the Haymarket interchange, aimed at improving bus, train and tram links. Among the details of the plan are:

• The station concourse and public areas nearly trebling in size to 8700 square metres.

• A space in front of the station for the monument to Edinburgh's footballers killed in the First World War, currently housed next to The Haymarket Bar.

• Retaining and refurbishing the A-listed station and neighbouring Ryries Bar.

• New offices, shops and flats to restore the frontage on to Dalry Road and Haymarket Terrace.

City leaders today described regenerating the station as "essential" to ensure that the city continues to grow and cope with the increased demand for public transport.

There is currently no funding for the masterplan and it has now been passed to Transport Scotland, which will consider the proposals as part of its wider review of transport priorities across Scotland, due to report this summer.

Construction will take around two years and will get under way in 2012 if funding is secured.

Councillor Phil Wheeler, the city's transport leader, said: "A regenerated station is essential to ensure that the city keeps moving effectively as it, as well as the Haymarket area, continues to expand.

"The existing facility is becoming strained, congested and inadequate, with pedestrians and passengers constantly competing for space.

"These proposals give us a very real and exciting vision of how we could create a sleek transport hub which will be integrated with trams and buses and which will be much more suited to its status as one of the country's busiest train stations."

The first phase of the project, which will be entirely public funded and priced at £76.9m, will involve the public transport improvements, including the new concourse levels, glazed roof and links to the tram line.

The second phase of the ambitious project, priced at £113.6m, would involve the building of new offices, flats and shops around the station.

This is likely to involve replacing the Roseberry House office block adjacent to the station's car park.

Officials have said both phases could be carried out at the same time to minimise disruption.

A public consultation conducted last year found overwhelming support for the much-needed revamp of station facilities.

Among the common themes was the desire to retain the listed buildings while another typical plea was for the city to "avoid the mistakes of the past" and develop intrusive buildings.

Plans to revamp the area around Haymarket Station were first put forward four years ago and a total of 12 options were whittled down to a shortlist of three.

The city council has led the Haymarket study, but funding has come from Transport Scotland, as well as input from Network Rail and station operator First ScotRail.

A revamped Haymarket will be positioned to serve a number of new developments in the area, such as the creation of a shops, offices and hotels complex at the Morrison Street car park.

• www.haymarketinterchange.com