The City of Edinburgh Council's Development Sub Committee has unanimously approved plans for the homes-led transformation of the former Caledonian Brewery in Shandon. Regeneration specialist Artisan Real Estate's ambitious proposals will convert the historic site into a sustainable, low-carbon residential development, delivering 168 new high-quality private and affordable homes.

The Caledonian Brewery, founded in 1869, was Edinburgh's last major brewery before ceasing operations in 2022. Its distinctive range of B-listed Victorian buildings, dating from the late 19th to early 20th century, provide an important reminder of the city's extensive brewing heritage.

David Westwater, Artisan's Managing Director for Scotland, welcomed the planning approval: "Artisan is committed to delivering this new, sustainable residential neighbourhood in a complex and historically important city centre site, providing a healthy mix of new homes and affordable housing in line with the Council's policy to help tackle the city's housing emergency. Building high-quality, sustainable homes in sensitive and unique urban sites such as the brewery site is a lengthy, complex and expensive process – but we are confident that our comprehensive proposals will set new standards for the homes-led regeneration for this historically important city centre site."


Westwater emphasized Artisan's commitment to urban living in central areas: "Artisan is committed to delivering high quality urban living for everyone in well-connected central areas bringing interest, investment and life back into the heart of our cities, rather than seeing city centre sites just being delivered for student accommodation and build-to-rent properties. Whilst we support a vibrant mix of residential tenures, including student accommodation and build-to-rent, we believe there should be a place for mainstream housing in our city centres too."

Artisan Real Estate has a strong track record in sensitive urban regeneration, including the New Waverley mixed-use development in Edinburgh's Old Town and the transformation of Glasgow's A-Listed Custom House district.

The redevelopment approach will preserve the brewery's unique heritage. Approximately one-fifth of the new homes will be housed within the existing listed buildings, which will be carefully preserved and repurposed. Additional development proposals will respect the original footprint of the brewery, including recreating the skyline of the maltings buildings that were demolished following a fire nearly 30 years ago.

The brewery still contains a significant amount of brewing equipment, including what was the last remaining direct-fired 'coppers' in the UK. Artisan intends to 'upcycle' as much of this internal equipment as possible, allowing the Caledonian Brewery's technical legacy to continue contributing to the global brewing industry.

Heineken UK, the previous operators, had invited bids for the site in 2022. A spokesperson for Heineken UK commented: "The Caledonian Brewery has been an integral part of Edinburgh's brewing history and the local community for more than 150 years. We were keen that the legacy of the brewery was maintained and contributed positively to the local community. Having received a number of bids, we believed that Artisan's plans to deliver a 100% residential scheme delivered the best outcome for the community as well as meeting the Council's ambitions in terms of delivering sustainable housing. We are pleased that the planning consent has now been granted for this exciting city centre neighbourhood to progress which is set to preserve the brewery's legacy for future generations."