Last week was an exciting one for those, like me, who are buzzing about Dundee’s ongoing regeneration.
Fresh Eden Project details emerged, with planning permission due to be submitted by the autumn and it’s predicted the attraction could generate £27 million for the local economy.
New artist’s impressions accompanied the planning document and it’s fair to say they wowed many.
On Dundee Culture it garnered over 3,000 reactions, half a million impressions and the vast majority of the comments were positive which was fantastic to see.
‘An important milestone’
Dundee City Council leader councillor John Alexander said: “This is another important milestone in a world-class project which will deliver hundreds of jobs, huge visitor numbers and tens of millions of pounds into the local economy.
“And it’s so much more than that too, with tremendous opportunities for education, inspiration and connecting our diverse communities.”
The excitement and buzz this attraction has generated suggests it could be the game-changer Dundee needs to cement its position as a city of the future.
We’ve already seen one attraction help put Dundee on the international cultural map in the form of the V&A Dundee – and it looks like the Eden Project will be another.
What I think is exciting about it personally is that it highlights our commitment to sustainability and the environment.
It’s only been a few days since Dundee’s latest commitment in this sector – that’s when it was revealed the city will become home to Scotland’s most powerful EV charging station at Myrekirk.
That builds on our status as the EV capital of Europe.
Why Dundee?
Recently I saw tweets that asked: “Why did the Eden Project choose Dundee in the first place?”
To me, the 2020 decision makes complete sense.
Dundee was once a city filled with industrial working sites and now it one that’s adopting a creative, digital and sustainable approach to shape itself in the 21st century.
This is the ideal description of what the Eden Project is looking for.
It will reinvent the former gasworks on East Dock Street and make it into a world-class visitor attraction.
Reinventing a disused area worked for Cornwall and I hope it will work even better for Dundee.
The Eden Project isn’t the only new additions being planned, as the city gears up to have the new Esports arena at Slessor Gardens too.
There is barely a day goes by without Dundee Culture being asked how the venue is progressing.
I really hope all of these amazing ideas and proposals eventually come to fruition because if they do, Dundee will be heading in an incredible direction.
