Industry News
Proposed new £2 billion, sustainable neighbourhood in Scotland’s Capital
W
est Town Edinburgh Ltd, the development consortium which owns more than 200 acres of prime
development land to the west of Edinburgh, has agreed a joint approach with the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver a major new ’20-minute neighbourhood’ for the city. Both parties have agreed a ‘Memorandum of
Understanding’ which sets out how they will work closely together to prepare a delivery strategy for the sustainable expansion of Edinburgh at the West Town site. Te agreement was announced by Cammy Day, leader of the City of Edinburgh Council and Graeme Bone, group managing director of Drum Property Group, developers of
West Town, at the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREIIF) in Leeds. Te 205-acre West Town site – located
between Ingliston Park and Ride and the Gogar Roundabout at the western gateway of Edinburgh – is one of the most strategically important development areas in Scotland. Te £2 billion project presents the opportunity to help meet the housing needs of the nation’s capital while delivering a significant sustainable urban expansion for the city. Te area is identified in the City of Edinburgh Council’s City Plan 2030 as having the potential to become a vibrant, high-density city extension with a capacity for 7,000 homes, along with the commercial and community facilities required for a 20-minute neighbourhood. Subject to the development of a delivery
strategy as set out by the joint Memorandum of Understanding, as well as the approval of City Plan 2030 and in accordance with all relevant Council policies and the appropriate planning consents, it is hoped that work will start on site next year with the first phase of homes and community amenity being ready for occupation from early 2026. Welcoming the agreement, City of Edinburgh
Council leader Cammy Day said: “Edinburgh is quickly becoming a trailblazer for the type of affordable, sustainable homes our residents need and this overlooked land at West Town could pave the way for thousands more. We are leading the way
City of Edinburgh Council leader Cammy Day said: “Edinburgh is quickly becoming a trailblazer for the type of affordable, sustainable homes our residents need”
as a city to harness new technologies to make developments greener and fairer – building low and zero carbon homes which are energy and cost efficient – so I’m looking forward to working with West Town Edinburgh to build on our net zero ambitions. As a Council we’ve been modernising planning and procurement policies so that we can maximise the amount of affordable and social housing and community benefits each new development brings. Currently, over 150 households bid for every council and housing association home that becomes available, so we must set our sights on this development unlocking a huge amount of social housing. With demand for affordable homes higher than ever before, this is what our city desperately needs.”
www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMMJune/July 2023 | 17
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