Epic new video shows Edinburgh's St James Quarter's finishing touches being applied

The new building has already dramatically changed the Edinburgh skyline, with it’s unique design inspired by the printing presses that were on the site in the 1800.

Martin Perry, Director of Development said: “The vision is to create something that fully integrates with the city so that it enhances the appeal of the city as well as providing a destination in its own right.

“Covid has been something which has created another layer of challenges on top of the normal ones that you would have with building in a world heritage site like this, but we’ve been able to soldier through a lot of these issues.”

The development has cost £1 billion and will consist of hotels, event spaces, shops and restaurants.

Tim Kelly, Project Director talked about the moment they reached the highest point of the structure, saying: “For us it signifies the achievement of many years of hard work.

"We have over 1,000 people working here, coming to the site and putting the effort in.

"This is a time to be proud.”

The new St James Quarter is set to open in the Spring of 2021.

Frank Ross, Lord Provost of Edinburgh added: “The site that was here before was a 1960s building, it was a total eyesore.

"This is going to be a modern, vibrant development in the City of Edinburgh.

"This project is going to transform Edinburgh both in terms of the landscape and the retail and hospitality experiences that the citizens will engage with."

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.