Hillcrest Housing Association has named a close in one of its new development after a ropier named John Gilmour.

The eastern end of the Grassmarket is known as the Bowfoot and was infamous for being the site of the gallows. Any buildings that lay on this site would have had a view over the hangings, making it ironic that one of the owners of the properties was the ropier, John Gilmour.

Gilmour's Close has been developed by Hillcrest in partnership with Edinburgh World Heritage, Energy Savings Trust and Edinburgh City Council and is the second time this prominent building has been refurbished and given a new purpose by a housing association. The former Old Town Housing Association initially upgraded this building, which was then the historic Castle Trades Hostel, in the early 80's.

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Fiona MacDonald, Conservation Architect for Edinburgh World Heritage, said: "This aspirational scheme has brought a vacant building back to life, a key objective of our Conservation Funding Programme. The result demonstrates that with vision and true partnership working, real advances can be made both in protecting the capital's historic buildings and creating a sustainable and more energy efficient future."

The tenants in Hillcrest's 17 affordable homes will benefit from the various innovative energy efficiency features through reduced energy costs and a reduction in their carbon footprint.

Among the most notable of the sustainable design features is the installation of a ground source heat pump that will deliver heating and pre-heated water to all of the apartments. The only energy used by the system is electricity to power the pumps. Sunspaces are featured within twelve of the flats which utilise passive solar gain, re-circulating warmed air within each flat.

John Mulloy, Hillcrest Chief Executive, said: "Gilmour's Close is a fine example of how architecturally historic buildings can be made energy efficient through the appropriate use of new technologies and invisible interventions. Hillcrest is dedicated to sustainability and it is a key driver in all of our activities."

(GK/JM)