Pilton, Edinburgh

Coordinates: 55°58′20″N 3°14′12″W / 55.97222°N 3.23667°W / 55.97222; -3.23667
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pilton is a residential area of northern Edinburgh, Scotland.[1] It is to the north of Ferry Road, immediately east of Muirhouse, and to the west and south of Granton (the Boswall, Royston Mains and Wardieburn neighbourhoods).

Description[edit]

Sometimes considered to be part of the larger neighbouring area of Granton, Pilton consists of two housing schemes - West Pilton and East Pilton. These neighbourhoods, particularly West Pilton,[2] are regarded as among the most economically deprived areas in Edinburgh and suffer from high crime rates and anti-social behaviour especially young joyriders stealing powerful motorbikes and cars, or otherwise damaging vehicles.[3][4]

Most of West Pilton was formerly social housing constructed by the council between the 1930s and 1950s (with a hiatus during the Second World War) but now these properties are largely privately owned. The housing mostly takes the form of maisonettes and three storey blocks of flats.[5] There are also two 1960s ten-storey tower blocks (Inchcolm Court and Inchgarvie Court)[6][7] and one with 16 storeys (Northview Court).[8][9] In addition, new housing developments have been built by the private sector and the area is currently[when?] undergoing revitalisation. There are local shops and community services.[10][11]

Built on the lands of East Pilton Farm in the 1930s[12] by Glasgow-based builder Mactaggart & Mickel to a street layout by the Edinburgh City Architect Ebenezer James MacRae, the streets of East Pilton mainly take various names beginning Crewe or Pilton. The original estate comprises mostly four-in-a-block flatted villas[13] similar to those by the same builder at Carrick Knowe, Colinton Mains and elsewhere in the city as well as in several districts of Glasgow. Streets in a new development on the site of the demolished Bruce Peebles & Co. Ltd. engineering works[14] (destroyed by fire in 1999)[15] take the East Pilton Farm name.

Sport[edit]

Spartans F.C. are based in the area, playing off Pilton Drive at Ainslie Park since 2008; a public leisure centre of the same name is immediately adjacent to the ground. Their previous home City Park was two blocks to the south-east – housing now occupies the site.

Ethnicity[edit]

Pilton compared[16] Pilton Edinburgh
White 88.8% 91.7%
Asian 3.6% 5.5%
Black 6.0% 1.2%
Mixed 0.9% 0.9%

References[edit]

  1. ^ Pilton, Gazetteer for Scotland
  2. ^ West Pilton, Gazetteer for Scotland
  3. ^ "Joyriders making Pilton 'Wild West' of Edinburgh -". Edinburgh Evening News. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  4. ^ Residents say area is getting 'out of hand' after car is flipped in Pilton, Edinburgh Evening News, 7 November 2019
  5. ^ Edinburgh, West Pilton, General, Canmore
  6. ^ Edinburgh, West Pilton Grove, Canmore
  7. ^ West Pilton Grove, Tower Block | University of Edinburgh
  8. ^ Edinburgh, Muirhouse, West Pilton Crescent, Northview Court, Canmore
  9. ^ Muirhouse Temporary Housing Area III, Tower Block | University of Edinburgh
  10. ^ West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, Joined In Edinburgh (Community Learning)
  11. ^ Pilton, Y People
  12. ^ East Pilton, Gazetteer for Scotland
  13. ^ SAR029101 SCOTLAND (1957). Pilton Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. An oblique aerial photograph taken facing South/East, Britain From Above
  14. ^ Bruce Peebles Factory, EdinPhoto
  15. ^ Bruce Peebles Transformer Factory Fire, EdinPhoto
  16. ^ "Total Craigroyston" (PDF).

External links[edit]

55°58′20″N 3°14′12″W / 55.97222°N 3.23667°W / 55.97222; -3.23667