The city council is to receive over £50,000 to develop plans for the heritage and restoration of four key historic buildings and structures in Granton Waterfront.
The money will be used to develop ideas and proposals for the refurbishment of Granton Lighthouse; the Edwardian former Granton Gasworks railway station building platforms; Madelvic House, which is ‘B’ listed from the 1890s, and Granton Castle Walled Garden.
This first phase of funding will support the creation of high-quality sustainable development plans over the next 12 months, with the potential that Historic Environment Scotland and Heritage Fund will then award further funding to deliver the projects in the coming years.
Council Leader Cammy Day said:“We have ambitious plans to make Granton Waterfront a new sustainable coastal town for Edinburgh.
“In keeping with our plans for the whole city we’re creating a £1.3bn 20 minute neighbourhood with 3,500 net zero homes, a new primary school, lots of green spaces. We want to make sure people can get around and access other parts of the city easily so we’re putting in active travel routes and improving transport links as well. You can see work has started to make the iconic Granton Gasholder a multi-functional public space and hundreds of the sustainable affordable homes we’ve planned are .
“As part of this project we have strong community support to protect the heritage of the area and bring its listed buildings back to life for local people and visitors to use and enjoy. The funding announced today will help us to develop our plans to secure future funding to make this happen.
“This project along with the refurbishment of the Gasholder demonstrates the Council’s commitment to celebrate the historical legacy of the area making sure that its heritage is revitalised for future generations to come.”
Proposals for a new £2 billion, sustainable ‘20-minute neighbourhood’ on 205-acre West Town site ‘set to transform Scotland’s Capital’
West 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.
The 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
The 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.
The £2 billion project presents the opportunity to help meet the housing needs of the nation’s capital whilst delivering a significant sustainable urban expansion for the city.
The 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.
The proposals for West Town also align with the ambitions of the Scottish Government’s National Planning Framework 4, which was approved in February 2023. The Edinburgh Tram route runs directly through the site, and a new station will be created to ensure the whole development has access to quick and efficient public transport.
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 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.
“Wherever you are in Edinburgh and wherever you choose to go, everyone should feel connected to all of the amenities they need to live well locally, so I’m pleased to see their vision for a 20-minute neighbourhood approach.
“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 social housing. With demand for affordable homes higher than ever before, this is what our city desperately needs.”
Graeme Bone, Group Managing Director of Drum, added: “This agreement is a major step forward in realising the ambition we share with the Council for the area and for the city, further strengthening the long-term collaborative process that is set to deliver a positive and high-quality transformation of the west of Edinburgh.
“The amount of space on the site combined with its superb location allows for a natural extension for the city providing 7000 mixed-tenure homes and new jobs in a new 20-minute neighbourhood.
“West Town has direct access to some of the best public transport in Scotland – the tram line travels through the site and there are integrated rail, cycle and road connections, creating a strategic gateway to Edinburgh.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Council to advance our shared vision to create a new, sustainable urban quarter for the city.”
Drum Property Group is currently delivering a variety of transformative mixed-use projects across Scotland, including the award-winning Buchanan Wharf and Candleriggs Square developments in Glasgow.
Building brighter futures through confidence with numbers. That was the message today for children and young people from across the Capital as they celebrated National Numeracy Day.
The national scheme, run by charity National Numeracy, aims to promote confidence through numbers and how we use them in our everyday lives.
Here in Edinburgh at Piershill Library, Great British Bake-Off Winner, and National Numeracy Ambassador Peter Sawkins, led a reading group for local children.
A singing session then took place, led by library colleagues, before finishing with refreshments.
The aim of the event was to show local children the variety of situations where maths and numeracy were important.
Also in attendance were Depute Lord Provost, Councillor Lezley Marion-Cameron and Culture and Communities Convener Val Walker, alongside library colleagues, representatives from National Numeracy, Education Scotland, and the Scottish Book Trust.
Culture and Communities Convener Councillor Val Walker said: “I was delighted to attend the event today at Piershill Library to celebrate National Numeracy Day. It was fantastic to hear from National Numeracy Ambassador Peter Sawkins and all the children who attended enjoyed it tremendously.
“I am proud that our libraries can host such diverse and fun events for our residents to enjoy.”
> The Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) explores an innovative approach to design, procurement, and delivery of affordable net zero carbon homes.
> Planning permission has been granted for EHD’s second pilot project in Greendykes, delivery of which will be led by Urban Union and supported by Donaldson Timber Systems and Robertson Timber Engineering.
> The development of the Greendykes project will complete the last stage of the 15-year Greendykes North Masterplan aimed at regenerating the wider Craigmillar area.
> Both Donaldson Timber Systems and Roberson Timber Engineering will be using their proprietary offsite manufactured timber systems to deliver the build.
Proposals to transform currently vacant land into an affordable net zero carbon housing development in Edinburgh have now been approved by city planners.
Located between Greendykes Avenue and Greendykes Road in east Edinburgh, the development named ‘Greendykes K & L’, will comprise 28 two-storey terraced houses and 112 flats in four-storey tenement style blocks.
As well as being the final stage in the Greendykes North Masterplan to regenerate the Craigmillar area, the Greendykes K & L development is also the second of three confirmed pilot projects being delivered by The Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) – a programme providing an innovative approach to building affordable net zero carbon homes at scale.
The Scottish Government-backed programme has engaged a community of research and development experts to develop a catalogue of house types with the goal of demonstrating how we can create and set a new standard for affordable net zero carbon homes at scale across the six local authorities within the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Deal Region.
The homes that will be delivered as part of the EHD will be built using modern methods of construction (MMC) including offsite manufacturing techniques in accordance with the EHD’s design and performance standard that outlines a route to achieving net zero.
Specifically, the Greendykes pilot will be looking to optimise existing, and develop additional, house and flat types for the EHD catalogue and to test design, performance standard and mass customisation of the EHD house and flat types. Using the EHD types allowed an additional seven homes to be built on site showing the efficiency of the EHD design.
Anderson Bell + Christie Architects were appointed by Urban Union, housing developer and principal contractors, to create the plans for the Greendykes development on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council. Donaldson Timber Systems and Robertson Timber Engineering will deliver the offsite manufactured elements.
Each firm will use their proprietary offsite manufactured, closed-panel timber systems at Greendykes. Both systems will allow the build to be less wasteful and more efficient, while reducing embodied carbon emissions and increasing the quality and energy efficiency of the housing once complete.
As the second project delivered by EHD, the Greendykes development will benefit from the data and insights gathered during the first pilot project which is under way in Granton.
By carrying out extensive pre- and post-occupancy evaluations into build speed, energy demand and whole-life embodied carbon emissions, the development of the Greendykes site is projected to similarly provide insights that will feed into and inform the EHD business model and the ongoing regional approach to delivering net zero carbon affordable housing at scale.
John Smith, Technical Director, Donaldson Timber Systems said:“The approach of one site, one contractor, and two different timber systems gives us the ability to measure both.
“We can test, monitor and compare each system all the way through the process from build to occupancy, which will teach us a great deal about how best to deliver future net zero carbon housing at scale.”
Nicola Jackson, Net Zero Projects Lead, Robertson Group said:“This project is significant for bringing together two members of industry to develop and optimise the future model of net zero carbon house types.
“For Robertson, it is specifically important as it’s an opportunity to increase the pre-manufactured value (PMV) of our timber systems, meaning we can increase the quality of a build project and ensure that once complete, the homes will meet energy efficiency goals.”
Residents and visitors to Craigmillar and Niddrie are being invited to share their views on improving the look and feel of Niddrie Mains Road and its ‘high street’.
This is the latest project within Edinburgh’s 20-Minute Neighbourhood strategy, which seeks to deliver better community-focussed places where everyone can meet most of their daily needs within a short walk, wheel or cycle from their home.
A community coffee morning with play activities available for younger children, was held yesterday (Saturday 13th May) at Greengables Family Centre, where people had have the opportunity to discuss the projects in more detail, share feedback and ask questions.
People can also share their thoughts either online or in person at Craigmillar Library. The online survey is available until 7th July. Paper copies of the survey and feedback cards are available to fill in and submit by the community board at Craigmillar Library.
Plans for the local area also include proposals for a new primary school in Greendykes. This project brings exciting opportunities to explore ways the new school can provide extra use and community benefits for the local area. A specific survey for the proposed new Greendykes Primary School is also open, where people can give views on the location of the new school and potential for the wider community.
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener, said:“Our 20-minute neighbourhood strategy is about working together to make the local area better at serving the daily needs of the local community and businesses.
“Schools are a key part of this and we want them to be at heart of their local communities. Projects like the proposed new primary school in Greendykes provide the opportunity to rethink how community facilities can provide wider use and benefits for everyone to live well locally.
“Our high streets and local centres are also places that bring people together and provide excellent opportunities to live, work and spend time. Craigmillar has benefitted from some fantastic regeneration in recent years, but the High Street still has a lot of potential to become a more vibrant, attractive and inclusive space for everyone.
“We are calling for local people and businesses to share their views so we can develop a plan for school provision in the area, improved public spaces and to encourage people to access the high street, local facilities and greenspaces by active and sustainable travel.”
Michael Melton, Grant Manager for Sustrans, said:“Creating safe and accessible routes to schools and businesses is a core part of what we do, and is at the heart of the plans to further regenerate the Craigmillar area.
This exciting project will not only tailor convenient walking, wheeling and cycling options to the needs of the local area, but will also help develop the Niddrie High Street into a more relaxed and attractive setting for residents to socialise and spend time in.
“We strongly encourage everyone living and working in the area to share their views on the plans for the area to help ensure the project is as successful as possible.
The surveys are an initial opportunity for people to give their views. It will inform the development of an initial plan for school provision in the local area, and for encouraging people to access an improved high street, local facilities and greenspaces by active and sustainable travel. The Council will continue to work with the local community and businesses as this develops.
The 20-Minute Neighbourhood strategy was launched in June 2021. Its vision is to enable a net zero Edinburgh where everyone can live well locally.
The city needs this level of ambition to achieve a significant shift towards sustainable transport. Increased walking, wheeling cycling and using public transport can all help to cut congestion and reduce emissions. It will help to create more social, inclusive and accessible places. This will also support physical and mental wellbeing and help to end poverty in Edinburgh.
The City of Edinburgh Council has been awarded Places for Everyone funding to develop a concept design for an improved high street in Craigmillar. Places for Everyone is an active travel infrastructure fund backed by the Scottish Government and administered by Sustrans. The Places for Everyone programme provides support and expertise to help deliver walking, wheeling, and cycling improvements across the country.
Plans for how over £500,000 for park and open space lighting improvements across the city have been approved by the City of Edinburgh Council’s Culture and Communities Committee.
A prioritisation framework has been developed to identify where lighting improvements could benefit the city’s parks and open spaces for further assessment. The ranking comprises 58 sites across the city with Hailes Quarry Park considered first for developing a detailed lighting design.
In recent years, requests for park lighting have increased. This is in part due to increased numbers of people having enjoyed opportunities for exploring local parks and open spaces during the pandemic, as well as improving safety within and through parks, particularly for women and young girls who often feel most at risk at night when walking alone in or near open spaces.
The proposed framework follows an audit of the formal paths used for walking, wheeling, and cycling across city greenspaces. The endorsed priority listing will determine the order in which lighting projects in parks and open spaces will be further developed.
Through the councillors’ agreement to allocate this funding, it is hoped the new lighting in these popular areas can help reassure park users and encourage people to visit or travel through parks and open spaces.
However, there are additional considerations to be taken in parks compared to streets and roads as lighting outdoor space has to combine technical solutions with the unique features of green space environments. This can include supporting valuable habitats for wildlife, trees, historic buildings and monuments, as well as spaces for events, sport, active travel routes and traffic-free places.
Each of the proposed lighting designs must also consider improving lines of sight, proximity of entrances and exits, vegetation overgrowth, use of the space, and the importance of routes to local communities.
In order to meet the full plans, match funding will be sought to supplement the Council’s allocation.
The first 10 sites identified for improvements are:
Hailes Quarry Park (Sighthill/Gorgie)
Gyle Park (Drum Brae/Gyle)
Hunter’s Hall Park (Portobello/Craigmillar)
Ferniehill Community Park (Liberton/Gilmerton)
Roseburn Park (Corstorphine/Murrayfield)
Calton Hill (City Centre)
Princes Street Gardens (City Centre)
Harrison Park (Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart)
Leith Links (Leith
Pilrig Park (Leith Walk).
Culture and Communities Convener Councillor Val Walker, said: “In Edinburgh we’re extremely fortunate to have nearly 200 parks and open spaces to visit across the city and we want to make sure that they all remain accessible, safe, sustainable and of course open to the public for generations to come.
“Post-pandemic our parks and open spaces throughout the city have increased even further in popularity and continue be essential to modern life in the capital. They also provide havens for wildlife as well as important routes for people to move around the city by cycle and on foot.
“However, for many, these can be unwelcoming places, especially after dark, when fear of crime and concerns for personal safety are heightened. We of course recognise the community’s concerns and the need for these spaces to be safe and accessible for all users so I’m delighted that we are able to progress with illuminating existing paths in many of our parks and open spaces. We know where the first changes will be made but I hope through match funding we can roll these improvements out further across the city.
“We must also of course consider getting the right balance for needs of people and wildlife and steps will be taken to ensure the new lighting is not at the expense of biodiversity.”
Following Thursday’s approval, work will commence on the design of the first scheme for Hailes Quarry Park. Each lighting project in turn will include public engagement in the design process.
Over 100 new council homes have been approved as part of Edinburgh’s major regeneration of Fountainbridge.
Formerly the site of the Fountain Brewery, the huge number of new homes for social rent will feature in a 49,000 square metre redevelopment overlooking the Union Canal.
The area will be transformed as part of a development called Leamington Square – a joint venture between the City of Edinburgh Council as landowner and a partnership between Cruden Homes (East) Ltd and Buccleuch Property. They will deliver around 464 homes alongside landscaping and infrastructure improvements, over 2,700 square metres of retail space supporting the creation of a 20-minute neighbourhood approach and new local jobs.
The Council will own 115 homes for social rent and 71 homes for mid market rent as part of the plans and support the delivery of additional, affordable new homes. It will also spearhead the creation of a community growing space and new integrated cycle ways. Over 1,000 cycle parking spaces are planned for the development in total.
The Union Canal is a Local Nature Conservation Site and landscaping is planned to create a biodiverse area in harmony with the character of the waterway. Generous use of trees of varying species is also planned while the development will be designed to minimise greenhouse gas emissions and incorporate low carbon technologies, in line with Edinburgh’s ambitious net zero aims. Historic elements of the adjacent North British Rubber Factory will also be preserved and incorporated into the designs.
It is envisaged that work will begin in 2024 and be fully built-out by 2027.
Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “For years, Edinburgh has desperately needed more new social housing. This council is determined to tackle that shortfall and I’m delighted that we’ve secured space for over 100 new homes for social rent at Leamington Square.
“Just a stone’s throw away from the Union Canal, with great cycle links and amenities on the doorstep, the regeneration of the old brewery site is sure to prove a really popular place to live.
“The demand we are seeing for affordable and social homes is only going to increase as our city grows. And, while the future is challenging, together with developers and others we are doing everything within our powers to make it fairer on residents and on our environment with high quality, affordable, sustainable homes.”
Carlo D’Emidio, Project Director of Cruden Homes, said: “This is a significant milestone for this flagship new development, which will see the transformation of this former brownfield site in Fountainbridge into a vibrant new community.
“Subject to our development agreement with City of Edinburgh Council, Cruden and Buccleuch will deliver highly sustainable, Net Zero homes which will sit amongst a wealth of new amenities and community spaces in the Capital’s newest neighbourhood.”
Ewan Anderson, Managing Director, 7N Architects, said:“7N Architects are delighted that planners have approved our latest plans for this new, mixed use, neighbourhood at Fountainbridge in Edinburgh.
“The development will provide 464 mixed-tenure homes, 30,000 sq.ft of mixed-use space and people friendly public realm which will reinvigorate this important canalside site. We now look forward to taking the project onwards with Cruden Homes, Buccleuch Property and the City of Edinburgh Council.”
Our new school menu is ready to book on ParentPay!
We’ve kept all your favourites and added some new dishes like broccoli and pea pasta in a creamy sauce with garlic bread and butcher’s Scotch Beef mince homemade cottage pie with roast potatoes and cabbage
Parking attendants ride city buses to target inconsiderate drivers
A trial to crack down on drivers parking in bus lanes will see parking attendants riding Lothian Buses services to target city hotspots.
From tomorrow (Tuesday 9 May) parking attendants will begin travelling on specially selected routes, which experience issues with vehicles blocking bus lanes.
Attendants will be able to disembark buses to move on or issue parking tickets to any drivers breaking the rules and board the next bus on the same route.
The initiative, being carried out in partnership with Lothian Buses, aims to improve bus reliability and journey times by reducing disruption to services caused by incorrectly parked vehicles. In turn this will support and encourage sustainable, low carbon travel by public transport.
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “We already have an excellent bus service in Edinburgh, relied on by many, and our bus lanes are really important to making sure services can run smoothly and on time, especially during peak hours.
“This trial, in partnership with Lothian Buses, will let parking attendants target hotspots in real time, where drivers continue to park inconsiderately. We’ll continue monitoring its effectiveness to make sure we’re focusing on the right areas.
“Encouraging and supporting travel by sustainable, reliable public transport is crucial to our net zero 2030 aspirations, as well as helping to reduce congestion, improve air quality and provide accessible transport for everyone.”
Willie Hamilton, Operations Director, Lothian Buses, said: “Lothian is committed to providing a safe, reliable and trusted service across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
“As we look to encourage the use of public transport in support of the Scottish Government and The City of Edinburgh Council’s wider environmental goals, it is important that we work with partners across the city on effective ways to ensure bus priority measures are followed which will enhance our ability to provide a consistently reliable standard of service for our customers.”
Recently crowned the best city in the world by Time Out magazine, Edinburgh’s reputation as a great place to live, work, invest in and visit remains well intact. That’s according to the 16th annual Edinburgh by Numbers report, published by the city council last week.
The report reveals that residents’ lives are not only enriched by a vibrant cultural scene and more top-rated parks than any other comparable UK city – but on average Edinburgh people can expect to live longer, healthier lives.
Highlighting the city’s economic resilience, the findings also reveal that it’s not just residents who are in good health. Edinburgh has recorded the strongest local business survival rates and above average wages, retaining its position as the UK’s most economically productive city outside of London. Plus, all signs point to a post-pandemic rebound – with Edinburgh by Numbers demonstrating a bounce back in airport passenger numbers.
In summary, the stats reveal that:
Edinburgh has the highest life expectancy of the UK’s 8 major cities
And the highest proportion of life spent in good health (80%)
Boasts the most ‘green flag’ parks (35), twice as many as runner up Birmingham
With a greater number of ultra-low emission vehicles compared to elsewhere in Scotland (2.32% of vehicles)
More Michelin starred restaurants than any comparable city
And audiences eager to return to the city’s top rated visitor attractions and festivals
Strong recovery for the airport, with 11.3m passengers in 2022 vs 3m in 2021
The highest GVA per capita, the sign of a healthy economy
With above average wages and big decline in unemployment, down 50% in a decade
A highly educated workforce, with more people working at degree level or above
One of the highest student populations, behind Manchester and Bristol
Plus a population increase in the last decade of over 10% across all age groups, bucking national trends
While hard to believe, Edinburgh was also less rainy in 2022 than in the 5 years previous.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “Edinburgh by Numbers is one of our most well-loved and well used pieces of research, providing a handy resource for everyone from school pupils to professors. This latest edition doesn’t disappoint and provides yet another unique overview of life in Scotland’s capital.
“It may be small but not many capital cities can boast the unique blend of greenspaces, beaches or indeed ancient volcanoes Edinburgh can – not to mention the most famous festivals on the planet. It’s no surprise, then, that Edinburgh is often cited as one of the most incredible places to live. But perhaps all of this culture and outdoor space is actually good for our wellbeing, too?
“With Edinburgh by Numbers revealing evidence of people living well and living longer compared to similar cities, plus good survival rates for local businesses, Edinburgh’s outlook is certainly healthy. All of this shouldn’t be taken for granted, especially following the hardship of Covid. Thankfully, the latest Edinburgh by Numbers points to a great level of business resilience in our city and now the gradual and welcome return of tourism.
“The ‘Team Edinburgh’ approach to economic recovery involved over 60 organisations coming together to set out what was needed for the city to bounce back from the pandemic. Clearly, this dedicated work to build Edinburgh back after lockdown has been a success.
“While all of this good news is to be welcomed, however, there is a flip side to the reputation Edinburgh has coined. Our population has risen faster over the last decade than other cities and we’re living longer, leading to increased demand for homes and some of the most expensive rents in Europe.
Wages are higher than average, but so too are costs and many residents continue to struggle with the cost of living crisis. In just three years, we’ve seen a 191% rise in the number of people who are in work claiming Universal Credit.
“For the council, Government and all city partners, it’s important that we use the findings of Edinburgh by Numbers and address these challenges. Future generations should be able to reap the benefits of ‘the best city in the world’ too.
“This involves planning for the future in line with our 2050 City Vision and projects like the tram to Newhaven, Granton’s regeneration and affordable housebuilding will be key to a more sustainable city, alongside our ambitious net zero carbon by 2030 goal.”
