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February 2012
Forth Energy withdraw plans for Leith biomass plant

Forth Energy withdraw plans for Leith biomass plant

February 9 2012

Forth Energy has announced that it is to scrap plans to erect a combined heat and power plant in Leith in light of fresh proposals to develop the Port of Leith as a hub for offshore renewables.

The decision puts an end to Gordon Murray Architects (since merged with Ryder) plans to create an architecturally expressive solution that recalled the influence of Antonio Sant’Elia in its massing.

The scheme may be resurrected at a later date once the full extent of renewables provision and energy demand has been determined.

Calum Wilson, Managing Director of Forth Energy, said:“Much has changed since we first applied for permission to build a CHP plant at Leith, not least the Port’s emerging status as a hub to support the Scottish offshore renewable energy industry.

“We remain fully committed to bringing reliable, responsible, renewable heat and electricity to Scotland through our proposed developments at the Ports of Grangemouth, Rosyth and Dundee and, in the process, assisting the Scottish Government in achieving its ambitious 2020 renewable energy targets.”

Forth Ports and Scottish and Southern Energy, joint venture partners behind the scheme, both remain committed to developing wood fueled CHP at the Ports of Grangemouth, Rosyth and Dundee.

Murray's plans called for a clear distinction between vertical and horizontal elements

The plant was initially sold by Forth Energy as a symbol of 'environmental enlightenment'

29 Comments

#1 Posted by BobMenzies on 9 Feb 2012 at 14:46 PM

Murray's? Really HIS work? Or his former Staff?
I am confused..

#2 Posted by h.a. on 9 Feb 2012 at 14:59 PM

doesn´t really matter who designed it. wouldn´t get the stirling prize anyway

#3 Posted by formerbruiser on 9 Feb 2012 at 15:17 PM

should be a pencil drawing

#4 Posted by Onesey on 9 Feb 2012 at 16:31 PM

its a bit phallic like

#5 Posted by dirige on 9 Feb 2012 at 16:57 PM

Bob, I don't think it refers to the design being by Murray's own hand. Everyone knows that big practice's projects are not designed by the directors. I've even seen buildings designed by Part 2's (or even technicians) in firms where directors would struggle to draw a line.

#6 Posted by BobMenzies on 9 Feb 2012 at 17:12 PM

Dirigie Thank you for the clarification. I agree.

I suppose its like Prada or Hop/s/kins a name but behind the scenes the troops are in the salt mines / factrories doing the actual REAL work.

#7 Posted by dirige on 9 Feb 2012 at 17:16 PM

We should all revolt against our architectural oversee-ers. A well sharpened pencil or expertly thrown mouse can be a deadly weapon.

#8 Posted by BobMenzies on 9 Feb 2012 at 17:28 PM

Then they have the audacity to go to an RIAS convention & show slides of Their.....work. This is why I repsect the work of Boyd Cody, Studio Kap & Sutherland Hussey as they actually do a days work & attend meetings. Even draw too. Site visits you name it. Do you my point Dirgie. John Menzies

#9 Posted by Carol on 9 Feb 2012 at 17:32 PM

Is that why it looks like a Judge Dread backdrop. It has been designed by the part 2 or a technician?

#10 Posted by The Liquidator on 9 Feb 2012 at 17:34 PM

It was designed by Craig Malcolm.

#11 Posted by Hall on 9 Feb 2012 at 17:45 PM

Sorry the reference you've chosen and which you think is appropriate is what? Red Dwarf?!! Brilliant.
Seems like we've been spared a bit of macho architectural hubris. One down, how many more were there in this series?

#12 Posted by huge on 9 Feb 2012 at 17:52 PM

grunt grunt steakbake aye nut absolutlely greggs ned

#13 Posted by Antonio Sant’Elia on 9 Feb 2012 at 17:59 PM

Leava me outa this. Nuttin do do wi me

#14 Posted by dirige on 9 Feb 2012 at 18:00 PM

Bob, I get your point. I think it's a big unspoken issue in the profession about who is actually getting credited for hard work and talent, rather than just empire building.

#15 Posted by sultan of brooneye on 9 Feb 2012 at 18:31 PM

Interesting points being raised about credit being awarded to those who have earned it. Generally I am suspicious of such conceptual CGI work being attributed to members of the old school. Conceptual being the operative word.

It seems (on the face of it) to be an arbitrary design; scared of the form some canted walls are applied to the scheme. I certainly can't imagine that in 50 years time it would have been looked on as fondly as Battersea or the Bankside Powerstations are.

76/100 for the CGI work.

37/100 for what the final product would have been.

Murray - if you deserve your reputation then you need to remind us why you have it. Understand I don’t mean this in a pejorative manner; I would really like the bigger names of Scottish architecture to deliver outstanding work.

#16 Posted by bigmantalks on 9 Feb 2012 at 19:06 PM

All yees are fired. Oops no one left to as i only looked after me.

#17 Posted by true on 10 Feb 2012 at 13:34 PM

I think Its a great reflection of the universe in its fictional like character thats an artist who seeks the truth how child like to accept the banality of a material existence to be the sum of architecture

#18 Posted by Gordon on 10 Feb 2012 at 13:39 PM

Erm...what?

#19 Posted by Alan - Trainers & Tyres on 10 Feb 2012 at 14:58 PM

Aye WAT! Pencil would of been a better medium with 1980s pepople.

#20 Posted by partII on 10 Feb 2012 at 15:56 PM

you can tell it was a partII that prepared the images, they have the fashionable "flock of birds"...

#21 Posted by Kray2 on 10 Feb 2012 at 16:07 PM

'nut' it was me...

#22 Posted by The truth sayer on 10 Feb 2012 at 20:30 PM

What a pompous arse Mr Murray continues to be. "Architecturally expressive solution that recalled the influence of Antonio Sant' Elia in its massing"- Aye Right

#23 Posted by the profession on 13 Feb 2012 at 15:21 PM

what about the code of conduct.... to your peers

#24 Posted by dirige on 13 Feb 2012 at 16:06 PM

Disregarding whodunnit, I actually like* this scheme and I also like the other biomass plant that was on the GMA website (or was it an earlier revision of this?). I've always been fascinated by industrial buildings and enjoy seeing architect's attempts that embrace the industrial process rather than trying to dress it up as something 'namby pamby'.

*apologies for use of 'like'