Western Harbour, Edinburgh facts for kids
Western Harbour is a modern area in Newhaven, Scotland. It's mostly a place where many homes have been built. It sits right by the water, looking out onto the Firth of Forth.
Contents
How Western Harbour Was Made
Between 1936 and 1942, the western part of the Port of Leith was created. Workers built two large walls, called breakwaters, out into the sea. These walls help protect the harbour from strong waves. One of these breakwaters stretches from Newhaven into the Firth of Forth, which is a large bay.
Later, a big area of new land was made next to the western breakwater. This was done by landfill, which means filling in parts of the sea with materials to create solid ground. This new land is across the water from Ocean Terminal.
In 2003, something exciting happened here! Western Harbour hosted the 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards. A huge tent, called a big top arena, was built just for the event. It could hold 6,000 people for the awards show.
New Buildings and Changes
In 2004, the company that owns the docks, Forth Ports, shared big plans. They wanted to build many new homes and shops in the area. The plan was to create a place the size of a small town. It would have up to 17,000 new homes!
At first, three large apartment buildings were built along the western breakwater in 2009. But then, building stopped for a while. This was because of a big money problem around the world, called the Global Financial Crisis. Also, plans to extend the Edinburgh Trams line to Leith and Newhaven were cancelled.
Luckily, interest in Western Harbour picked up again! The tram line was finally completed and opened in June 2023. This made the area much easier to reach. New apartment buildings, like The Harbour Point and Gateway, were finished in 2019. A new school, Victoria Primary and Nursery, also opened in January 2022. More land is now available for building, with plans for up to 600 new homes.
Getting Around Western Harbour
It's easy to get to and from Western Harbour using public transport.
Bus Services
Western Harbour has several bus stops. You can find them on Newhaven Place, Western Harbour Drive, Sandpiper Drive, and Lindsay Road. All these stops are served by Lothian Buses service 11. Other bus services, like 16/N16 and the Skylink 200, also stop on Lindsay Road.
Tram Services
The area is served by the Newhaven Tram Stop. This stop is on the north side of Lindsay Road. It's the very last stop on the tram line! From here, you can travel all the way to Edinburgh Airport.
| Preceding station | Edinburgh Trams | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminus | Newhaven – Edinburgh Airport | Ocean Terminal towards Airport |
Cool Places to See
There are a few interesting spots to explore in Western Harbour.
West Breakwater Lighthouse
At the very end of the breakwater, you'll find an old lighthouse. It was built in the 1950s and was once called the Point o' Leith. As technology improved, the lighthouse was no longer needed. Sadly, it has been empty for many years and has been damaged.
Lighthouse Park
Close to the lighthouse, there's a grassy park called Lighthouse Park. It's a great spot to look out over the dock gate and the water. Some parts of the park might change as more building work happens nearby.
The Western Harbour Ponds
When building stopped for a while, three ponds formed in a dug-out area. These ponds have become a home for different kinds of birds and other wildlife. Some trees around the ponds are protected for now, to help keep the area natural.
