Tag: housing

Historic Edinburgh brewery site set for new lease of life

A historic Edinburgh brewery site is set for a new lease of life having been brought to the market.

The site at Duddingston Road West was previously home to the former Drybrough Brewery, which operated at the location from 1895 until 1987.

The exceptional development site, named “Holyrood Village” and measuring just under two-acres in area, already boasts planning consent as a mixed-use development for 131 new homes and 15 commercial units.

Offers are now being invited for the potential delivery of a high-quality residential development, with some commercial, which will be steeped in the history and character of the former brewery site.

Consented for a mix of refurbishment and new build, Holyrood Village lies in a well-connected Edinburgh location near Duddingston Village, Holyrood Park, Duddingston Golf Course and the world-leading Edinburgh BioQuarter.

For the last 30 years the site has been operating as Holyrood Business Park, catering for a variety of small businesses.

It is also home to Format Design who are the lead architectural design team for the project and therefore able to bring an intimate expertise and understanding of the site and its history.

The brewery was designed by renowned architect, Robert Hamitlon-Patterson, also responsible for the Caledonian Brewery and the Royal Scots War Memorial in St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh.

It was one of the seven breweries in the area but is the only one to remain mostly intact and is Category B listed.

Listed building consents have been obtained and the approved development converts the old brewery whilst retaining as many of the original buildings as practically possible including the chimney stack, one of the last remaining in Edinburgh

In addition to being an exceptional residential site, the location may be suitable for other uses such as purpose-built student accommodation, subject to planning.

It lies in close proximity to a number of University of Edinburgh facilities, including King’s Buildings and Peffermill Playing Fields, as well as the Edinburgh BioQuarter.

This exciting new development takes place within the existing cobbled courtyard of the ‘Brewery’ surrounded by the original stone building which will all retain their original names (e.g. The Maltings, The Kiln, The Wellhouse and The Brewhouse) and retain the original features.

The introduction of coffee shops, small studio spaces, corner shop which will create its village community atmosphere with magnificent views over Arthur’s Seat.

Commenting on this Will Scarlett of Scarlett Land and Development, who are marketing the site, said: “This is a truly-unique opportunity for an exceptional development in a well-connected location.

“There is the real potential here for a purchaser to deliver an exceptional scheme, steeped in the history and character of the former brewery. The site may also be suitable for other uses, such as student accommodation, given its location in close proximity to many key University of Edinburgh facilities and the BioQuarter.”

The site is being marketed by Scarlett Land and Development and further information can be found at:  

https://www.scarlettdev.co.uk/developments/holyroodvillage/

Scotland’s largest ‘net zero’ housing development set for Waterfront

Proposals to create Scotland’s largest ‘net zero’ housing development in Edinburgh have been granted approval by city planners this June.

The 444-home Western Villages is being led by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with Glasgow-based contractor CCG (Scotland) and architect Cooper Cromar.

The development will form part of the Granton Waterfront Regeneration, where over 3,500 homes are set to be created over the next ten years, delivering one, two and three-bedroom apartments, including wheelchair-accessible ground-floor dwellings, available in a mix of social (195), mid-market rent (62), market rent (63) and private sale tenures (124).

Designed within a masterplan that will take advantage of stunning parkland and sea views, there will also be greater emphasis placed on pedestrian and cycle movement with electrical car charging, car club accessibility and public transport in favour of traditional car parking which is reduced across the development.

The homes designed to the principles of CCG’s newly launched ‘Net Zero Home’ housebuilding standard. Developed in collaboration with energy and sustainability consultancy, Carbon Futures, the Net Zero Home focuses on enhanced fabric performance, low carbon heating and renewable technology as part of a gas-free energy strategy to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions (arising from regulated operational energy use) to a rate less than or equal to zero per year.

With an ambitious target to become a ‘net zero’ city by 2030, this first phase of Granton Waterfront will act as a blueprint for future sustainable development and help Scotland to transition towards a greener economy.

City of Edinburgh Council’s Vice Convener for the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee, Councillor Mandy Watt, said: “All of the steps we’re taking to make homes more sustainable will reduce the energy they use once occupied, thereby helping us to tackle climate change and become net zero carbon by 2030. That’s why we’re pleased to have CCG working with us as they adopt a new ground-breaking housebuilding standard. 

“It’s great to see this development with a large proportion of social rent homes get planning approval. We have incredibly ambitious plans which form the bedrock of our housing strategy over the next ten years. There is a critical need for more affordable homes in Edinburgh and we are responding to that through the commitment to build 20,000 social and affordable homes by 2027.

“Western Villages forms part of the wider Granton Waterfront regeneration project which will create one of Europe’ s largest coastal city parks, providing opportunities for residents and visitors to reconnect with the city’s waterfront by offering more areas for leisure and outdoor experiences, civic spaces and sustainable housing.”

CCG Managing Director, David Wylie, said: “Housebuilding is going to play a major part in achieving our ambitious target of becoming a ‘net zero’ economy by 2045.

“With gas being removed from new build homes as early as 2024, it places greater emphasis on collaborative working as the partners on this project have demonstrated; utilising the CCG Net Zero Home building standard to create an affordable, scalable and practical solution that can ultimately be delivered now for any residential development.

“We commend the City of Edinburgh Council for their bold commitment and share their aspirations for a more sustainable future for Scotland.”

Cooper Cromar Project Director, Graham Connor, said: “Cooper Cromar are delighted to have been appointed as the Architect to design and deliver this important residential project delivering one of the initial phases of the Granton Waterfront Development Framework which sets out the Urban Design Framework and Design Guidelines for future developments within the wider Granton area.

“We have sought to create a masterplan that not only stands alone for its significance as Scotland’s largest net zero development but also respectful to the wider regeneration of Granton. It will complement and integrate with future phases of housing delivery and we look forward to working with the project partners over the coming years.”

Carbon Futures Director, Andrew Money, said: “We are delighted to have supported City of Edinburgh Council and CCG with their bold and ambitious plans for Western Villages.

“From the outset, the key areas of focus for the design team were to maximise fabric performance and avoid the use of fossil fuels. This approach, together with the use of on-site renewable energy, will greatly reduce energy demand and deliver a significant reduction in utility costs for homeowners.

“The energy strategy for Western Villages delivers a low-carbon development, future-proofed against upcoming government legislation and presents a fantastic example of how the construction industry can support the nationwide effort to reduce carbon emissions and create a more sustainable future.”

Construction of Western Villages is expected to begin in mid-2022.

Eviction ‘a last resort’

Protecting tenants during pandemic

Housing Secretary Shona Robison has welcomed new joint statements from landlords reaffirming their commitment to supporting tenants facing difficulties during the pandemic.

Signed by representative bodies for local authorities, housing associations and private landlords, the statements underline the sector’s commitment to only taking eviction action as a last resort.

The move follows this week’s announcement by Deputy First Minister John Swinney of a £10 million grant fund to support tenants struggling to pay their rent as a direct result of Coronavirus (COVID-19). The new fund takes the Scottish Government’s total support for tenants during the pandemic to almost £39 million.

Ms Robison said: “We have been clear from the outset that eviction action must be an absolute last resort, when all other avenues have been exhausted and a tenancy is no longer sustainable, so I welcome these joint statements from across the rental sector.

“The actions already taken by the Scottish Government, local authorities, housing associations and private landlords have been essential to avoiding evictions. Our new £10 million grant fund to support those who are struggling to pay their rent will shore up these efforts and extend more support to those facing crisis due to the pandemic. We will work towards making the grant fund available later in the year, and we will work with stakeholders over the coming weeks to develop the details.

“Paying rent is an important tenant responsibility, and tenants in financial hardship should engage directly with their landlord. When landlords are flexible with their tenants, signposting them to the range of financial support that is available and coming to agreements to prevent and manage rent arrears, this sustains tenancies and keeps people in their homes, benefitting everyone. These actions are crucial to move towards a sustainable and fair recovery from the impact of COVID-19.”

Cllr Kelly Parry, COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, said: “Local authorities have worked closely with tenants during the public health crisis, to support them to stay in their homes.

“This is something we were doing previously, but became even more important as our homes became even more important to us over the months of the pandemic. I am glad to see the sector restate their commitment to support tenants, and would encourage any tenant facing financial challenges to work closely with their landlord and seek advice and guidance early.”

Sally Thomas, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Chief Executive, said: “Housing associations and co-operatives have always worked hard to help tenants who are struggling to pay their rent through tenancy sustainment services.

“This includes support to access benefits, budgeting advice, hardship funds and employability services – and this work has increased during the pandemic. They arrange manageable payment plans for tenants in rent arrears and will never evict someone who has agreed to, and is meeting, the conditions. Every effort is made to keep people in their homes.

“Any tenant who is struggling financially should contact their housing association or co-operative for support and help in paying rent.”

John Blackwood, Scottish Association of Landlords Chief Executive, said: “The overwhelming majority of tenants and landlords are working together to sustain tenancies during the pandemic.

“We welcome the Scottish Government emphasising that tenants have a responsibility to pay their rent, and encourage landlords to work with their tenants and always treat eviction action as a last resort. Our members have been working closely with tenants to reduce rents and write off arrears wherever possible.

“We strongly welcome the £10 million grant fund the Scottish Government has announced to help ensure tenants do not build up debt through rent arrears that they would struggle to repay. It is important landlords remain sensitive and constructive when working with their tenants, and that tenants struggling due to the pandemic speak to their landlord as early as possible.”

The shared statement on private landlords and letting agents working together with tenants to avoid evictions reads:

In responding to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, there are many examples of private landlords and letting agents who have gone further than ever before to engage with tenants as more people find themselves in difficulty for the first time because of Covid.

As the country comes out of lockdown it is our shared commitment to make sure that tenants in hardship because of Covid continue to get support to pay their rent and living expenses and we will continue to work together collectively to ensure this is done.

The Scottish Government will continue to explore all options for policy and financial support to enable tenants to work with their landlords and letting agents; to be aware of their rights and responsibilities and support them to address financial hardship due to Covid-19.

Alongside existing support of extended notice periods, Discretionary Housing Payments and the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund this will include a new £10m Grant Fund package to support tenants in crisis who are struggling to pay their rent because of financial difficulty caused by the pandemic and help landlords to support them.

Where a private tenant has suffered financial hardship because of the Coronavirus pandemic, eviction action should be an absolute last resort, when all other avenues have been exhausted and a tenancy is no longer sustainable.

We advise that private landlords and letting agents continue to work to the following principles – for the remainder of the pandemic and throughout recovery:

  • Intervene early to keep people in their homes and give them the support they need to stay there
  • Landlords and letting agents should work with tenants who are struggling and support them to make arrangements to pay rent through a plan that is manageable for them in the long term
  • All landlords and letting agents should be flexible with their tenants, signposting them to the range of financial support that is available to help prevent rent arrears as part of the pre-action protocols required prior to any eviction application to the Tribunal or Sheriff Court.
  • Landlords and letting agents should act compassionately and quickly to support people who are in financial hardship and wish to work with their landlord to reduce arrears.

Paying rent is an important tenant responsibility and, where a tenant is able to do so, they must continue to pay their rent.  To help do this, private landlords and letting agents from across the country have worked flexibly with their tenants to help them access the wide range of support on offer, and to sustain tenancies and prevent eviction action – as demonstrated in the annexed case studies.

Purpose of this statement

  1. To set out the current levels of support available for private rented tenants and to reaffirm the flexible and supportive approach private landlords and letting agents should and in many cases have been taking to help keep people safe in their homes and avoid eviction where tenants are struggling through no fault of their own to manage their rent payments
  2. To highlight real-life examples of private landlord practice since the start of the pandemic that has helped tenants in financial difficulty access support in order to sustain their tenancies.
  3. A complimentary statement has been developed with social housing landlords.

The Scottish Association of Landlords
PropertyMark
The Scottish Government

https://www.gov.scot/publications/joint-working-on-evictions-social-housing-shared-statement%20

Free confidential local help and advice on housing and debt is available from Granton Information Centre.

Telephone 0131 551 2459, 0131 552 0458 or email info@gic.org.uk

Scottish Government launches Short Term Lets consultation

Balancing neighbourhood needs with tourism interests

Consultation on the details of a licensing scheme for short term lets will take place over seven weeks this summer.

Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison has announced the publication of a draft licensing order for consultation, ahead of laying the final legislation at the Scottish Parliament in September.

Stakeholders will now have until 13 August to comment on the licensing order and the draft business and regulatory impact assessment.

Draft guidance documents have also been published to explain how the legislation would work in practice.

Ms Robison said: “Regulation of short term lets is vital if we are to balance the needs and concerns of our communities with wider economic and tourism interests. 

“Short-term lets can offer people a flexible and cheaper travel option and have contributed positively to our tourism industry and local economies across the country. 

“However, we know that in certain areas, particularly tourist hot spots, high numbers of short-term lets can cause problems for neighbours and make it harder for people to find homes to live in.

“By allowing local authorities appropriate regulatory powers through a licensing scheme, we can ensure that short term lets are safe and address issues faced by local residents and communities.

“It will allow local authorities to understand more fully what is happening in their areas and assist with the effective handling of complaints.”

Under the proposed legislation, local authorities will have until 1 October 2022 to establish a licensing scheme, with all short-term lets to be licensed by 1 April 2024. Existing hosts and operators must apply for a licence by 1 April 2023.

The Scottish Government previously withdrew the Licensing Order from the Scottish Parliament in February. This was to allow for draft guidance to be developed with input from the stakeholder working group.

Ms Robison added: “We want to get this legislation absolutely right. A stakeholder working group was established earlier this year to develop guidance on the licensing scheme that was clear, comprehensive and easy to understand. 

“As part of this, the Scottish Government also set out to allay any unfounded concerns and actively explore solutions to any real issues, with a view to making any necessary adjustments to the Licensing Order.

“Stakeholder working group members have helpfully made a range of suggestions for adjustments to the Licensing Order, as well as providing very significant contributions to drafting the guidance.” 

The consultation runs until Friday 13 August 2021.

The consultation paper on draft licensing legislation for short-term lets in Scotland and supporting documents can be found here: gov.scot/publications/short-term-lets/.

Top of the class for Boroughmuir apartments

A RESTORED Edinburgh landmark has landed its latest happy buyers, a couple who have snapped up a two-bedroom, ground floor apartment.

First time buyers Mark Love and Leon Macmillan had been renting for five years in Quartermile before they set out to find a home in their favourite area of Edinburgh, Bruntsfield.

After hearing about the transformation of the former Boroughmuir High School from a colleague, the couple found their dream home in a south-facing apartment with a main door access from the landscaped courtyard.

Mark, a product development director, said: “I’m originally from Glasgow and Leon grew up in Leith, and in 2015 we agreed we’d rent for a little while and wait for something to come on the market that we both liked.

“Nothing had really come up that we loved but as soon as we saw Boroughmuir, there was no doubt in our minds that we’d go for it. We spend a lot of time in Bruntsfield at the weekends, but we never really passed the old Boroughmuir High School so we didn’t know it was being converted into apartments.

“We had originally wanted a one-bedroom apartment but through discussion and seeing the homes in the flesh, we realised this is going to be our home for some time so we decided to go for a two-bedroom apartment.

“We had this affinity with Bruntsfield and had always said we didn’t want a fixer-upper, we’d prefer newbuilds or newly renovated homes so this ticked a huge box for us. It’s this amazing grand building in the heart of Bruntsfield – a pristine new home with a historic building around it, it’s really the best of both worlds.”

Mark and Leon chose a ground floor apartment with four large windows looking out from the front of the building, with a second bedroom that many residents have converted into home offices, overlooking the resident’s courtyard.

The couple has praised the team at CALA for their consistent communication while buying a home during a pandemic.

Mark added: “They say buying a home is one of the most stressful things you can do but to be honest it was amazingly stress-free. We can’t fault CALA at all, they were great from the outset.

“I think that’s probably what made it a lot easier, the constant communication from the Sales Consultants, they kept in touch about deadlines and guided us through the process. There was never a need to chase them, we were kept fully informed throughout.”

Nestled in the heart of Bruntsfield, Boroughmuir is a collection of one, two and three bedroom apartments. Most of the homes have elevated ceiling heights, with some up to seven metres, innovative mezzanine levels and carefully retained original features. .  

Boroughmuir is regarded as one of the Scottish capital’s most prized school buildings, constructed pre-WWI between 1911 and 1914. The Grade B-listed building is the innovative creation of renowned architect John Alexander Carfrae and was notably one of the first in Edinburgh to utilise a steel frame for architecture.

The development’s location in Bruntsfield means it is surrounded by plenty of bars, restaurants, and independent shops, and only a short distance from Haymarket and the greenery of The Meadows.

Each of the apartments comes with lift access, allocated parking with access to electric vehicle charging points, access to a private residents’ courtyard and a ten year NHBC warranty.

For further information on Boroughmuir, or to book an appointment for a tour of the show apartment, please visit: 

https://www.cala.co.uk/homes-for-sale/east-of-scotland/boroughmuir/

Escape to the countryside thanks to Zoom

Chris Preston and Fiona Ingleby had been living in London, working in the City while enjoying their weekends being active outdoors.

The frustrations of an older property and staying in a busy area eventually got to them, so to be closer to nature, the couple decided to move to Fiona’s home country, Scotland, choosing Barratt’s Preston Square development near Edinburgh.

Fiona said: “Our first house in London wasn’t right for us. It was quite old, so there always seemed to be something that needed to be fixed and the area surrounding it became very built up and busy.

“We soon decided we wanted to live somewhere nearer to open space that we could enjoy. We did quite a lot of research online and chose Edinburgh, as it ticked those boxes, allowing us to continue our careers and be closer to family.”

“Preston Square was in the ideal location and perfectly positioned, with green space on one side of it, and commuter, bus and train links to Edinburgh on the other. We also liked that it was quite small, but with considered green spaces and well-sized gardens,” said Chris. 

However, with Covid-19 travel restrictions in place, there was little chance for Chris and Fiona to view the property in person.

“Our buying process was a bit unusual. Due to travel restrictions, as well as living in London and buying in Scotland, it meant we couldn’t view the development in person.”

“Despite this, Zoe, the sales advisor met with us on a video call, and walked us through the development, showing us the estate and the plot we were interested in. She also sent through extra plans and photos, as well as arranging for physical samples of carpet to reach us.

“The sales and marketing team really made everything possible – Zoe was so helpful and gave us the confidence to go through with the purchase in the middle of the pandemic,” added Fiona.

Chris and Fiona chose a ‘Fenton’ house-type at Preston Square, a four-bedroom detached home, first visiting it on completion day. The home’s open-plan fitted kitchen and dining area provide access to the rear garden, benefitting from a separate utility room and downstairs WC. The Fenton also comes with an integral garage providing added convenience and security.

Fiona said: “Despite the unusual viewing and purchasing process, our experience of buying with Barratt was very different to the stress of when we bought our first house, which involved a lot of uncertainty of bidding through an estate agent.

“We’d recommend buying with Barratt to anyone. The house is a perfect blank canvas – everything is neatly but neutrally finished, easy enough to personalise it and make it feel like home very quickly. It’s also great to have solar panels allowing us to be more environmentally friendly.”

When asked if they had any plans now they had more room, the couple said: “We’re in the process of setting up one of the bedrooms as an office. It’s lovely to have the space to be able to do this properly now as it used to be very difficult not to be able to keep home working separate from everything else.

“We’re also thinking about getting a dog but not quite there yet. We’ve always wanted one, but before we felt like we didn’t have enough space or good enough walks nearby to be able to care for one properly – we’re in a much better position now.”

Preston Square is now sold out but Barratt East Scotland continues to offer several developments close to Edinburgh including, Barratt @ St Clements Wells, St Clements View, Yew Gardens and The Strand @ Portobello.

All feature easy commuting links to Edinburgh city centre and a range of local amenities, with sales centres and show homes open by appointment.

Find out more at www.barratthomes.co.uk

Edinburgh Living celebrates housing its first 250 tenants

Danielle Beatson, 42, who has recently moved into a three-bedroom home with her partner and three children

Two-hundred and fifty households are now in mid-market rent accommodation, thanks to the Council’s mid-market rent partnership, Edinburgh Living.

Edinburgh Living, the City of Edinburgh Council’s mid-market rent partnership, is celebrating hitting a key milestone with more than 250 families now in quality affordable homes thanks to the initiative, developed in partnership with infrastructure experts, Scottish Futures Trust.

Now in eight sites across the city, Edinburgh Living’s 250th tenant moved into their new home in Craigmillar last month.

Let and managed by Lowther Homes, part of Wheatley Group, Edinburgh Living has also launched its new website this week which will provide information about the initiative and help more individuals and families find their new home through links to what homes are available and what is coming soon.

Danielle Beatson, 42, who has recently moved into a three-bedroom home with her partner and three children, said: “We love our new home; it’s in the perfect area and is so spacious. The community is great; it’s a really family-friendly area, and my children are often outside playing with friends.

The home has made a big difference to Danielle’s life: “Our landlord was selling the home we were renting and we were struggling to find another suitable property at short notice. Mid-market rent was a fantastic, affordable option for us. The application process was simple, and we were able to move in quickly after applying.

“We feel so settled and secure now; my partner and I are really happy, and so are the kids, which is brilliant.”

Launched in Jan 2019, supported by the Scottish Government, the Council set up Edinburgh Living to address the lack of affordable housing available in Edinburgh by offering mid-market rent homes to households on low to middle incomes that were struggling to access property, either to purchase or rent, on the open market. 

The initiative is also supporting homelessness prevention, working together with Council services and Lowther Homes to raise the profile of mid-market rent as an option for lower income households at risk of homelessness. 

The Council and Scottish Futures Trust have strong ambitions to continue to grow Edinburgh Living, with an acquisition target of 500 homes by the end of 2022, and the long-term aim to provide 1,500 new mid-market rent and market rent homes over the next few years.

The Council is proactively identifying more homes to achieve this ambition, delivering well-built, well-managed and energy efficient new homes through its own housebuilding programme.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener said: “Hitting this big milestone and now having 250 family households in safe, warm and affordable homes, with more homes being identified to double that figure by the end of next year is just fantastic.

“Also hearing what a difference these bright and modern homes are making to people’s lives is the reason we started this programme in the first place.

“Making sure everyone has access to an affordable and energy efficient place to live has long been our priority. We have ambitious plans to grow the number of properties we own which we’ll do by purchasing homes, and by building homes through own housing development programme, delivering 20,000 affordable homes by 2027.

“As a Council we’re also committed to ending poverty, becoming more sustainable, while helping to foster greater wellbeing and inclusion, and so Edinburgh Living is just one of the ways we’re doing that for our residents and the city of Edinburgh.”

Councillor Mandy Watt, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Vice-Convener, added: “It’s a real joy to have families moving in and settling into their new homes through Edinburgh Living. And it’s great to see the new website provide more information about the partnership and signpost those looking for a mid-market rent home to what is currently available and under construction.

“We now have homes in eight locations which puts Edinburgh Living homes in three quarters of the city. These homes provide quality, stable accommodation to families, improving the diversity of communities and helping with the regeneration of parts of Edinburgh.”

Christa Reekie, director Development and Housing at the Scottish Futures Trust, said: “As infrastructure experts, we’re always looking for new and collaborative ways to maximise the delivery of affordable housing and boost the impact they have in communities right across Scotland. 

“Edinburgh Living is a case in point – a joint venture that is working towards the delivery of 1,500 much-needed, affordable and market rent homes in Edinburgh. Today’s milestone marks a significant step in the programme that is now benefitting 250 families and is increasing the supply of high quality, energy efficient homes for many years to come.”

Heather Voisey, Lowther Homes Managing Director, said: “We’re delighted to mark this important milestone in our partnership with Edinburgh Living.

“Mid-market rent flats offer much-needed affordable housing in sought-after locations, and it’s great to see the 250th tenant move in. We look forward to continuing to let and manage affordable Edinburgh Living homes across the city.”

Edinburgh Living has homes across eight locations in Edinburgh: Clermiston, Hailesland, Pennywell, Greendykes, North Sighthill, Royston, Dumbryden and Craigmillar.

Final release of sought-after apartments in West Lothian

AN INDEPENDENT housebuilder has launched a new block of apartments at its flagship development in West Lothian, bringing its final three flats to market.

Located just outside Livingston, Dundas Estates’ Uphall Station Village is now into its second phase, providing househunters with a selection of two-bedroom apartments priced from £174,495. 

Offering buyers the ultimate contemporary lifestyle, each flat boasts a large kitchen and dining spaces fitted with top of the range SMEG appliances, and Porcelanosa tiling and vanity furniture in bathrooms and en suites.

The award-winning developer saw the first block of apartments in the development’s phase one prove extremely popular.

Uphall Station Village Sales Negotiator, Janice Gemmell, said: “Uphall Station is set in an ideal location for those looking for some space outside the city, with all of the perks of the countryside but just 20 minutes from Edinburgh by train.

“The first phase of the development was popular with a range of buyers – everyone from first time buyers and families to young couples and commuters – and we anticipate this phase will be equally as sought-after.

“We have already seen a surge of interest in the new release and would urge anyone interested in a one or two-bedroom apartment to get in touch with our team as soon as possible.”

Uphall Station Village is situated just 15-minutes outside Edinburgh, with a regular service from the nearby Uphall train for commuters.

The development is surrounded by woodlands and countryside, and has two wildlife areas within its boundaries, perfect for walkers, cyclists and runners. Livingston also benefits from more than 100 miles of shared use paths and cycle networks.

Buyers at Uphall Station Village will benefit from a dedicated community hub, a space exclusively for residents to use however they wish – from parties and exercise classes to local parent and toddler groups.

There are also a number of primary and secondary schools in the local area, and Pumpeherston Golf Course and Xcite Leisure Centre are both a short walk from the development.

Uphall Station Village is a small, family-friendly community near Livingston, featuring quiet neighbourhoods and connectivity with nearby towns, cities and countryside.

The development consists of 266 homes in total, and launched in spring 2018 with two showhomes designed by interior designer Eileen Kesson at Envision.

Dundas Estates is a multi-award winning, independent, Scottish housebuilder with a track record of building well-designed homes. The developer is committed to creating welcoming, integrated communities, and making the journey of buying a home more straightforward, inspiring and fun.

To learn more about Uphall Station Village, call 0345 853 5007 or visit: 

https://www.dundas.co.uk/uphall-station-village-development-overview

Affordable Housing: ‘Scotland has been leading the way’

More than 100,000 affordable homes delivered – since 2007

Scotland has delivered more than 100,000 affordable homes since 2007, marking a major milestone on the path to a fairer, more equal nation.

Statistics published today show that 102,055 affordable homes have been delivered since April 2007, with 70,866 of these for social rent.

Scotland delivered over 75% more affordable homes per head of population than both England and Wales in the four years to 2019-20, and over nine times more social rented homes per head than in England during the same period.

Housing Secretary Shona Robison said yesterday: “This is a remarkable achievement. Today’s statistics tell the story of more than 100,000 households being given access to high-quality, affordable homes – whether they be for social rent or people owning a home for the first time.

“I would like to thank registered social landlords, local authorities, the construction sector and our other partners for helping us hit this significant milestone.

“Scotland has been leading the way across the UK with delivery of affordable housing, but we know there is more to do to ensure everyone has a warm, affordable home that meets their needs in a vibrant, safe community.

“Our utmost priority over the past year has been to keep Scotland safe from Coronavirus (COVID-19), and this has meant placing restrictions on construction or at times stopping it altogether.

“While this has affected our ability to meet our target of delivering 50,000 affordable homes over the last parliamentary period, we are continuing to work closely with partners across the housing sector to deliver the remaining homes as quickly as it is safe to do so.

“We will then deliver a further 100,000 homes by 2032, with at least 70% of these for social rent. This is just one of the actions set out in our Housing to 2040 strategy for building a fairer, more equal housing sector, alongside taking steps to tackle high rents in the private sector, setting a single set of standards for housing quality and accessibility, and continuing our work to end homelessness and rough sleeping once and for all.”

City council prevents more than 300 households falling into homelessness

In just over a year, more than 300 households living in the private rented sector have been prevented from becoming homeless thanks to city council’s Crisis-run Private Rented Service Team (PRS).

Established in November 2019 in response to a growing number of homeless presentations from the private rented sector, the Private Rented Service (PRS) Team has assisted 324 households since March 2020. This has been done by helping them to keep their existing tenancy or to move to either a new private or mid-market rent secure tenancy.

Edinburgh Help to Rent, which is a service the Council contracts Crisis to deliver, does this by providing rent deposit guarantee bonds. It has provided 50 households with a bond to access properties in the private rented sector since February 2020.

This comes as part of a wider update on the City of Edinburgh Council’s Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan (RRTP), a comprehensive strategy to tackle and eradicate homelessness across the city over the next five years, that was presented at the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee this month.

The Council has made significant investment, complemented by Scottish Government funding, to deliver the Plan, which is focused on providing:

  • suitable temporary accommodation for the needs of households;
  • supporting people into settled accommodation as quickly as possible;
  • reducing the number of people sleeping rough on our streets; and overall preventing homelessness in the first place.

The RRPT sets out all the different approaches that are key to tackling a wide range of issues faced by people across the Capital.

Alongside the PRS Team, a team has been set up to provide a ‘multi-disciplinary response’ pilot for Council tenants who are struggling to maintain their tenancy or who are falling into rent arrears.

This multi-agency approach across the Council aims to reach out to our tenants who may not engage with their locality Housing Officer, to offer joined-up support and enhanced engagement to help keep the tenant in their home and so avoiding homelessness. 

Learning from a similar successful innovative programme by Newcastle City Council, this brings together representatives from key Council services including housing, homelessness, advice services, family & household support, adult protection and children and families social work services into one cross-Council response group.

Established as recently as February 2021, since March this year the team has positively engaged 16 (84%) of 19 tenants referred to the team. A further 14 have since been referred and attempts are being made to contact them and offer support.

The Homelessness Transformational Prevention Programme complements the RRTP. Through this programme the Council has recruited 28 additional officers to trial new ways of working that will prevent homelessness in the first place.

When a permanent home can’t be found immediately, the team will continue helping people to access settled housing more quickly, thereby reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation. Through joint funding by the Council and Scottish Government, the RRTP has made this investment possible.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener of Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee said: “With the severe pressure on housing in Edinburgh, we need to take every possible step we can to tackle homelessness in our city.

“That includes stepping up work on prevention, improving temporary accommodation, making sure that there is support in place for anyone experiencing homelessness, ending rough sleeping and finding as many ways as possible to help people resolve homelessness. The Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan sets out all the different initiatives we’ve put in place to do that.

“This has to start with preventing homelessness wherever possible, so I’m glad that both the PRS Team and the multi-disciplinary response team are working so well. Preventing 300 households from becoming homeless in a year is phenomenal and it shows the real value of the RRTP supporting innovation and new ways of working. This funding from the Scottish Government allows us to try out new services, and where they are successful we can continue, and look to expand them.

“This is more important than ever as we start to see the economic repercussions from the pandemic and expect an increase in homeless presentations.

“The RRTP is a comprehensive plan that sets out all of these new services and innovative ways that we are supporting people to create better outcomes for individuals, and work towards ending homelessness in our city.”

Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener of Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee said: “Being homeless can be a horrible experience for people and finding better ways to prevent it is an incredibly important part of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan.

“Working with registered social landlords and partner organisations like Crisis has already made a big difference to the numbers of people ending up homeless.

“As we come out of the Covid-19 emergency measures, the need for this service is likely to increase significantly and we’ll be relying on our dedicated prevention team to play an even bigger role in our efforts to end homelessness in Edinburgh.”

Independent local support is available if you are experiencing housing/debt problems. Contact Granton Information Centre by email at info@gic.org.uk or telephone 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458.