Edinburgh councillors have given the go-ahead for the first phase of housing for the development. A £1.5m contract will now be awarded to CCG to take forward designs for planning approval for an affordable housing development to include about 450 homes. The council will be engaging with the community over the coming months to develop the designs for the detailed planning application.
As part of an early programme of works for Granton Waterfront, the Council is planning to refurbish an Edwardian former railway station to create business space and is exploring the potential to light the area’s former gasholder in a joint project with Edinburgh College.
The wider proposals are intended to create one of Europe’ s largest coastal city parks, linking Granton Harbour to Cramond and Lauriston Castle. It is designed to reconnect the city with its waterfront, enable residents and visitors to enjoy views across the Forth and improve provision for leisure and outdoor activity. The plan is to be centred around climate resilience with the aim of leading the way in future sustainable development and growing the economy.
The proposals involve about 3,500 new homes - of which at least 35% will be affordable – as well as a school, medical centre, creative and commercial space, new cycling and walking routes and enhanced sustainable transport connections with the city. The development is intended to make a significant contribution to Edinburgh’s target to become a net-zero-carbon city by 2030. The overall gross development value is around £1.3bn and the council is committed to investing about £196m to accelerate the regeneration and plans to attract significant public and private sector funding to deliver the scheme.
Council leader Adam McVey, said: “As we start the recovery from this pandemic this development is a fantastic start to building the homes our residents need. Our waterfront development significantly contributes towards our shared goal of a better and more sustainable Edinburgh together so it’s great news that the first phase of this vibrant new neighbourhood for Edinburgh is now going ahead. We’re absolutely committed to reaching our target to build 20,000 affordable homes in the city as well as investing £2bn in new council homes over the next decade. We’re also committed to becoming a net zero carbon city by 2030 and Granton Waterfront will contribute greatly to all of these goals.”
CCG (Scotland) director Calum Murray said: “The City of Edinburgh Council is to be congratulated for the support it has afforded the construction sector during the Covid-19 pandemic. By progressing with the Western Villages project they are helping to build essential economic resilience and mitigate the worst effects of the pandemic for key stakeholders and the supply chain. In so doing the city is also sustaining the delivery of necessary affordable housing which will deliver on its low-carbon objectives. CCG (Scotland) Ltd is delighted to be in the vanguard of this significant regeneration initiative.”
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