Edinburgh, 3 Dewar Place, Central Electricity Generating Station, Southern Wing
Office(S) (19th Century) - (20th Century), Power Station (20th Century)
Site Name Edinburgh, 3 Dewar Place, Central Electricity Generating Station, Southern Wing
Classification Office(S) (19th Century) - (20th Century), Power Station (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) 2 Dewar Place; Electricity Offices And Depot
Canmore ID 259258
Site Number NT27SW 4544
NGR NT 24470 73261
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/259258
- Council Edinburgh, City Of
- Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District City Of Edinburgh
- Former County Midlothian
NT27SW 4544 24470 73261
See also NT27SW 1531 24478 73281 Dewar Place, Electricity Generating Station
The original building was extended with an extra floor in 1896, and with a southern wing in 1898. The ornate Dewar Place facade is faced with dressed red sandstone, but early twentieth century additions to the N side and to the rear (E side) are of red brick, somtimes with red sandstone margins. The site evolved throughout the 20th century, being downgraded to sub-station status with the arrival of the National Grid and more centralised large-scale electricity generation. The station retained its switchgear whilst serving as an administrative centre.
In recent years, a large open sub-station on the east side of the building was renovated and painted in bright colours which were illuminated with coloured lights at night, forming a very effective visual promotion of the newly privatised utility, Scottish Power plc, very close to the new Edinburgh Conference Centre. In 1997, the Dewar Place building itself was to be adapted for temporary use as a press centre during a Commonwealth Heads of Government conference held in Edinburgh. Thereafter, the future of the building was uncertain.
Visited by RCAHMS (MKO) 16 July 1997
J Gifford, C McWilliam and D Walker 1984
Photographic Survey (4 December 2007)
Photographed by the Threatened Buildings Survey prior to demolition of substation and facade retention of Dewar Place frontage.
RCAHMS (CAJS) 2012.
