Gin Head, near North Berwick, was instrumental in the success of the D-Day landings. Now, it's to become one of the most extraordinary homes in the Edinburgh area.
Jutting into the North Sea, Gin Head near North Berwick, just along the coast from Edinburgh in East Lothian, is a beautiful spot which commands astonishing coastal views across the Firth of Forth.
But this is no ordinary clifftop plot for sale. Gin Head was a hugely important military base that was decommissioned in the 1950s and then used as a research facility until the mid 1990s.
Now derelict, the site is for sale for £3.5m through Goldsmiths & Co.
In 1943, the Admiralty constructed a research facility on the site, the work of which would go on to become key in the success of the D-Day landings of 1944.
During the Second World War, this outpost hosted dozens of scientists as they researched captured German radar equipment. This work would become crucial in the months leading up to the Allied Invasion of France and the deception and jamming operations tested here helped to deceive the German High Command into thinking that the British naval and airborne forces would arrive in France via the Pas De Calais, rather than in Normandy.
If the thought of impending paperwork puts you off there is no need to fear: the site has already been granted full planning permission for a grand home designed as two villas connected by covered walkways.
Indeed, the buildings that were designed for what turned out to be vital war work, built to withstand enemy action, have been explored in the architectural vision.
Italian architects Lazzarini Pickering have worked up the plans for the site to transform it into a stunning contemporary fortress.
The 26,000 sq ft space is alive with possibilities – myriad bedrooms, breathtaking studio space, a luxurious cinema, an Olympic-size swimming pool, plus sky-lit living areas.
The realised building at Gin Head promises to be a futuristic gem, waiting to take its place in Scotland’s rich architectural heritage.
Just thirty miles from Edinburgh, Gin Head offers an exciting opportunity to own a first class new build and piece of East Lothian’s most stirring landscapes.
With the magnificent Tantallon Castle to the east, perched on the cliff top just 300 meters away and Bass Rock, a world nature reserve and home to the largest colony of gannets in the world, Gin Head has it all: breathtaking natural beauty, fascinating history and luxurious modern living.
