Before Wester Hailes even existed Sighthill Camp emerged after the Second World War. It was also known as the Ack Ack Camp. This was because of an anti-aircraft battery stationed there.
Sighthill is a suburb in the west of Edinburgh. It is bordered by Broomhouse and Parkhead to the east. South Gyle is to the north. The industrial suburb of Bankhead and the Calders neighbourhood are to the west. Wester Hailes is to the south.
Let’s step back to the late 1940s. The southern part of Sighthill was constructed. It mainly consisted of cottage flats or four-in-a-block homes. It has remained relatively unchanged since then.
The Camp occupied the south-west portion of Bankhead Industrial Estate. It consisted of converted army Nissan huts. They were divided to house 52 families. In 1987, a reporter spoke to Bert Falconer. Bert was a former resident and community activist. He shared his memories of the place.
The accommodation was very basic and cramped. Bert recalled that the long huts were separated into two-room apartments. Walls were thin so privacy was limited. Residents washed and cooked together in a communal kitchen and washplace.
Despite the challenges Bert viewed the close quarters living positively. He said it was difficult at times. However, young couples were thrown together. This forged strong friendships. It helped them get through anything.
There was plenty of open space for children to play. The Camp had its own nursery school and shop. Above all there was a strong community spirit. Everyone looked out for each other.
One particular family addition exemplified the supportive atmosphere of Sighthill Camp. One woman was about to give birth to her first baby. It was the camp’s first birth. About 20 nervous fathers paced about waiting. To everyone’s joy she had triplets. There were many toasts that night.
A tenants association was set up. Bert was a founder member. It could well have been the first of its kind in Edinburgh.
Bert thought of Sighthill Camp as a happy time in his life. It gave his four children a great start. It provided a solid grounding in values.
Now fast forward to more recent times. For nearly 50 years, the skyline of western Edinburgh was dominated by four high rise residential tower blocks in northern Sighthill. These were Broomview House, Glenalmond Court, Hermiston Court and Weir Court.
Broomview House was demolished on Sunday 21 September 2008. The remaining three blocks were demolished on Sunday 25 September 2011. All of the remaining low-rise council-built properties were also demolished over the next few years. Plans for a new development called Broomview by Keepmoat were approved. The area was successfully redeveloped. Construction work was completed in 2020.
Sighthill has a public park to the north of this new housing. The Calder Road runs through Sighthill. It is one of the city’s main arteries.
Edinburgh Napier University’s Sighthill Campus is based here. Sighthill Campus was originally opened in 1968. It was custom-built accommodation for Edinburgh College of Commerce. In 1984, Queen Elizabeth II opened the newly refurbished library.
Sighthill has also been used as a location for film and television productions. The most notable production was the 1998 BBC Scotland television drama Looking After Jo Jo.