Hidden behind a barricade of trees is an eerie abandoned housing estate once used for the military and their families in Edinburgh.
Craigiehall is a former army base located near Cramond and until 2015 served as the Headquarters of the British Army in Scotland. To accommodate troops and their families, a housing estate was built on Riverside Road and Primrose Drive.
The Service Families Accommodation (SFA) is provided by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) but despite signs still warning drivers of 'children playing', the estate off of the A90 in South Queensferry has turned into a ghost village.
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Children haven't played in the area for some time after Craigiehall base closed for good in 2019 when Army Headquarters Scotland merged with 51st Infantry Brigade at Forthside Barracks in Stirling.
Before reaching the fenced off Craigiehall army base and barracks, the group of homes nestled behind the woodland once gave families a roof over their head in Edinburgh. Not far from the city and among fields, it would have been an ideal location for some - but after four years of lying derelict, an eerie presence has taken over.
Despite there being security, nearly every other house in the area has been vandalised with smashed windows and broken fences.
Exposed to the Scottish elements, the once white homes are now grey with black and brown patches spreading across the corners. Paint can be seen peeling away and while blinds and curtains are still hanging, a couple of bricks lie under some of the shattered windows.
Having a children's play park in the centre of the estate would have been perfect for parents who would be able to peak out to check their kids were okay. It would have been the place to make little friends for the youngsters but now rust has taken over. The gate has been locked shut with covid warning signs taped to the park - a sight we haven't seen for some time now.
Originally a 17th century country house, Craigiehall has an impressive history and was requisitioned by the Armed Forces in 1939. After it was bought by the MoD in 1951, it was established as the Headquarters for the Army in Scotland. As well as serving at the HQ for the Black Watch and in the 1950s, it was the site for of a Cold War Royal Artillery Anti-Aircraft Operations Room.
Back in 2019, there were plans proposed for the site to turn into a 1,200 home village. Plans proposed that the buildings would be demolished to make way for 1,200 homes, a hotel that could sleep 100 people, and a park and ride. However, these were withdrawn and the ghost village still stands.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: “These properties are no longer in use by the MOD and we are in discussions with planning authorities about potential future development.
“We are aware there has been vandalism on some of the properties and we are working quickly to put 24/7 guarding on site.”
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