Delay in Restoration of Historic North Bridge Extended to 2026
Heading off course and burning through cash, the North Bridge restoration project in Edinburgh's historical heart is in hot water over a budget blowout and fresh delays.
The restoration began back in 2018 with a grand ambition to protect this A-listed icon's long-term survival. Initial estimates had the project coming in at a modest £22 million. But now, it looks like the restoration bill will swell to at least £85 million - nearly a 4x increase from the original estimate.
Indeed, the completion date, which was once set for November 2025 by Edinburgh City Council, has now been pushed back to spring 2026. Yikes!
What's causing this prolonged agony? Well, it seems the bridge was in much worse shape than anticipated, necessitating extensive repairs and restoration. Such historic, meticulous work includes a painstaking refurbishment of the bridge's Victorian ornamentation.
As of early May 2025, the project is nearing its final stretch. Despite temporary road closures and ongoing resurfacing works scheduled until March 2025, the bridge should soon reopen to two-way traffic. We'll see if the final cost and completion details confirmed once all works are wound up align with these anticipated figures [1][3][5].
To put it bluntly, this isn't your run-of-the-mill restoration project. It's a huge, extended overhaul that's found a home among Edinburgh's most iconic bridges. So buckle up, folks. It's going to be an epic journey!
Note: The project cost could reach up to £86 million, considered nearly four times the initial estimate of £22 million. The anticipated completion date was pushed back from November 2025 to spring 2026. The scope includes restoring the Victorian ornamentation on the bridge.
- The historic North Bridge restoration project in Edinburgh's heart, initially estimated at £22 million, may now cost up to £86 million, nearly four times the original estimate.
- The news of the budget blowout and fresh delays on the North Bridge restoration project has drawn attention in personal-finance and budgeting circles, as it's one of the most significant historic restoration projects in recent years.
- The extensive refurbishment of the North Bridge, which was planned to be completed by November 2025, has been delayed and is now expected to finish in spring 2026.
- The overall cost increase and delay in the North Bridge restoration project in Edinburgh has been attributed to the need for extensive repairs and the meticulous refurbishment of the Victorian ornamentation.
- As the North Bridge restoration project approaches its final stages in early 2026, questions about the project's final cost and completion details, in comparison to the initial estimates, continue to loom large.
