Construction is now underway at Salamander Yards, a landmark 99-home development set within one of Edinburgh’s most vibrant and popular neighbourhoods, Leith.
Located on Salamander Street, just moments from the buzzing heart of Leith and backing directly onto Leith Links, the development is a joint venture between five star housebuilder Cruden Homes and MNM Developments. The project will transform a former industrial site into a contemporary mixed-use neighbourhood, contributing to the continued regeneration and growing cultural energy of the Leith Waterfront.
Leith has become synonymous with independent retailers, creative workspaces, community-led events and some of the capital’s most celebrated restaurants and bars. From artisan coffee shops and street markets to waterside dining and cultural festivals, the area has evolved into one of Scotland’s most dynamic places to live.
Salamander Yards will provide a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with 35% of the homes allocated as affordable housing to help meet the growing demand for high-quality, accessible homes in the capital. The development will also feature two commercial units at ground level, further enhancing the area’s thriving business scene and creating a lively street presence.
Designed by 7N Architects, the development has been carefully crafted to complement Leith’s distinctive character, blending contemporary design with the area’s industrial heritage.
Residents will benefit from landscaped outdoor spaces, including a private courtyard, alongside enhanced public realm improvements on Salamander Street and new active travel routes to promote safer, more accessible cycling.
The new development backs directly onto Leith Links, one of Edinburgh’s most historic and well-loved green spaces, giving residents immediate access to expansive parkland, sports pitches and walking routes.
Salamander Yards is situated close to excellent transport connections, including bus routes, established cycle paths and the tram network, offering outstanding connectivity to Edinburgh city centre and beyond.
Fraser Lynes, Chief Executive of Cruden, said:“Salamander Yards is a key contribution to the evolution of Leith Waterfront, helping to shape a vibrant and sustainable place for people to live.
Together with our partners at MNM Developments, we are proud to deliver high-quality homes, including much-needed affordable housing, in one of Edinburgh’s most exciting and culturally rich neighbourhoods.
“Backing onto Leith Links and just moments from the Shore, this development combines green space, connectivity and community in a truly unique setting.”
Marc Teague, Managing Director at MNM Developments, said:“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Cruden to bring Salamander Yards to life.
“Leith continues to grow as a vibrant, creative and highly desirable place to live and work. This development not only delivers much-needed homes, but also supports the wider regeneration of the waterfront and enhances the strong sense of community that defines the area.”
Salamander Yards forms part of the wider regeneration of the Leith Waterfront, helping to create a thriving, mixed-use neighbourhood just minutes from the heart of the capital. First homes are due to complete in Spring 2027.
Lovell has opened its South Queensferry development to local young people, recently welcoming 51 pupils from Echline Primary School to the site and supporting work experience opportunities. The education project gives young people a hands-on introduction to construction and the wide range of careers involved in building new homes.
The Crossings is a major mixed-tenure development that will deliver 398 homes, including 100 for social rent in partnership with Sanctuary Scotland, 185 homes for private rent through Sigma Simple Life, 113 private homes for sale by Lovell Homes and 14 commercial units. The development will also support more than 300 local jobs.
The education activity forms part of the ongoing commitment by Lovell to deliver social value in communities where it builds, helping to create opportunities for young people and strengthen pathways into employment.
It comes at a time when attracting new talent to the construction sector is increasingly important, with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) estimating that Scotland will need to recruit 26,100 additional construction workers by 2028 to meet future demand.
Tony Rankin, Regional Managing Director at Lovell, said: “Construction offers a huge range of opportunities, but too often young people only know about a few job roles in the industry. Opening up our sites like this is about showing them the bigger picture and helping them understand the many different career routes available.
“With Scotland needing to attract thousands of additional workers to the construction sector over the coming years, it’s vital we support the next generation to see the possibilities and feel confident that there is a place for them in the industry.”
As part of the programme, P7 pupils from Echline Primary School were guided through a series of live demonstrations by Site Manager Kevin Kelly from Lovell, including broadband installation, underground pipework and the various stages involved in completing new homes.
The groups also visited a nearly completed home, where they learned about painting and had the chance to try it for themselves.
The tour concluded with a discussion about the wide range of roles involved in delivering new homes, from trades and engineering through to design, planning and project management.
Laura Marshall, P7 teacher at Echline Primary School, said: “This was a fantastic experience for our pupils. Seeing a live site and speaking directly with the team helped them understand how homes are built and how many different roles are involved.
“It’s important that young people are given opportunities like this to explore career paths they might not have considered and it was very inspiring for the children.”
The visit is part of a wider programme of activity by Lovell that engages local schools and young people in South Queensferry. Lovell teams have interacted with hundreds of pupils from Echline Primary School and Queensferry High School through site visits, workshops and career sessions. Additionally, 15 surveying graduates from Hardies, the employer’s agent on the development, visited to learn more about construction operations and live-site working.
Lovell has also supported work experience opportunities at The Crossings, offering real-world experience and helping participants build confidence for future employment.
The experience was delivered in collaboration with Positive Qualities and its Construction Skills Academy, which supports young people in developing essential workplace skills. Through the Academy, participants successfully completed three SQA units ahead of their placement, including the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Health and Safety certificate.
Lovell site teams worked alongside supply chain partners R&M Contractors and Ramsey Electrical to support placements and provide young people with meaningful experiences across various trades.
Conor Watt, Development Manager at Sanctuary, said: “Creating great places to live is about more than building new homes. It’s also about supporting the communities around them and investing in opportunities for local people to ensure the benefits are shared and long-lasting.
!We’re proud to work alongside Lovell on initiatives that inspire young people and help them imagine a future career in construction.”
Post work placement surveys highlighted the real value of the live-site experience and showed measurable impact, including increased workplace confidence and improved understanding of the range of opportunities available within construction. Both work experience participants have since progressed to further education, moving on to college courses following their time at the South Queensferry development.
Sean Siala, work experience student, said: “It was great working on-site, especially gaining practical, hands-on knowledge.
“I really enjoyed the camaraderie. I loved chatting with the electricians and learning from their experience.”
GRAHAM has completed the first stage of a £10 million retrofit of Brunstane Primary School in Edinburgh, marking a major step in transforming the building into one of the city’s most sustainable education facilities.
Appointed by City of Edinburgh Council, GRAHAM is delivering the multi-phase project while the school remains operational. The works, which began in October 2024, will enable the building to be carbon neutral in operation, aligning with the Council’s ambition to reach net zero by 2030.
The first phase handed over includes 11 newly refurbished classrooms, a modernised library and the completion of a new energy centre. This allows the school to run on air source heat pumps instead of gas, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.
James House, Construction Director at GRAHAM Building, said:“This milestone reflects the expertise of our team in delivering complex retrofit projects in live environments.
“The handover provides Brunstane Primary School with fully modernised classrooms and an upgraded library, alongside a new energy centre that enables the school to operate using air source heat pumps.
“These facilities have been delivered while the school remains fully operational, with the programme designed to minimise disruption to teaching and learning. The next phases will continue to improve the school’s facilities and infrastructure in line with the planned schedule.”
The next phase, due to start after the October break, will see the delivery of a new gym hall, kitchen, staff areas and toilets.
The final stage, scheduled for early 2026, will complete the remaining staff facilities, reception, offices and classrooms for Primary 1 and 2 pupils, with external works progressing alongside each phase.
Once complete, the project will provide a three-storey tower with 12 classrooms and a single-storey block with eight classrooms, administration offices, amenity space and an infant block. Improvements include new cladding, replacement windows, upgraded accessibility with new ramps and photovoltaic panels to generate renewable electricity.
Deborah Lee, principal teacher at Brunstane Primary School, said:“The new classrooms are a positive step forward, bringing P3-P7 learners back under one roof where they can truly make the new classrooms their own, creating a sense of pride and shared respect for the space.”
Additional funding could be unlocked to fix building safety issues through new legislation published in the Scottish Parliament.
If passed, the Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill will see a tax charged on the construction of certain new residential properties, in line with equivalent legislation in England.
The Bill seeks to raise around £30 million per year to help fund work to fix residential buildings with unsafe cladding which have no linked developer.
Latest estimates indicate that the Scottish Government’s Cladding Remediation Programme could cost £1.7 billion over a 15-year period.
Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee said: “The Scottish Government is committed to doing what is right and necessary to address the challenge of fixing buildings affected by unsafe cladding.
“That includes putting the appropriate funding arrangements in place to ensure that the associated costs of cladding remediation do not fall directly onto affected homeowners.
“I know that developers share our determination to keep people safe and this levy will ensure they make a fair contribution to these costs, just as they will be doing in England.
“I also welcome the continued cooperation of developers who have accepted responsibility for the assessments and any required mitigation and remediation of their buildings.”
‘Hard working’ families in England to get safe and secure homes as Chancellor announces £2 billion injection of new grant funding to deliver up to 18,000 new social and affordable homes
Landmark announcement part of Plan for Change to deliver security for working people by growing the economy and building 1.5 million homes.
£2 billion of new funding will only support development on sites that will deliver in this Parliament, getting spades in the ground quickly to build homes in places such as Manchester and Liverpool.
Helping hard working families get safe and secure homes and kickstarting economic growth are driving the government’s agenda, as the Chancellor and Deputy Prime Minister today (Tuesday 25 March) announced up to 18,000 new social and affordable homes will be built with a £2 billion injection of investment to deliver the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.
The announcement hails a significant milestone on the government’s promise to build 1.5 million new homes whilst driving economic growth by getting Britain building again. It follows the government’s plan to inspire the next generation of British engineers, brickies and chippies, by training 60,000 construction workers to tackle skills shortages and get more young people into jobs.
The £2 billion investment boost comes as a down payment from the Treasury ahead of more long term investment in social and affordable housing planned later this year, which will provide additional funding for 2026-27 and well as for future years. This forms part of the government’s plan for tackling the housing crisis that has held working families back from the stability and security that comes with a safe roof over your head.
Thousands of new affordable homes will start construction by March 2027 and will complete by the end of this Parliament. The government is encouraging providers to come forwards as soon as possible with projects and bids to ramp up the delivery of new housing supply, in turn making the dream of home ownership a reality for more people across the country.
Today’s investment will also unlock development and opportunity on sites that are ready and waiting for spades in the ground in places such as Manchester or Liverpool.
The Chancellor announced plans on a visit to an affordable housing site in Stoke-On-Trent with the Deputy Prime Minister, working hand in hand to deliver the biggest boost to affordable and social housing in a generation.
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner said: “Everyone deserves to have a safe and secure roof over their heads and a place to call their own, but the reality is that far too many people have been frozen out of home ownership or denied the chance to rent a home they can afford thanks to the housing crisis we’ve inherited.
“This investment will help us to build thousands more affordable homes to buy and rent and get working people and families into secure homes and onto the housing ladder. This is just the latest in delivering our Plan for Change mission to build 1.5 million homes, and the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said: “We are fixing the housing crisis in this country with the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. Today’s announcement will help drive growth through our Plan for Change by delivering up to 18,000 new homes, as well as jobs and opportunities, getting more money into working people’s pockets.
“At the conclusion of the current Spending Review process on 11 June 2025, the government will announce further long-term investment into the sector in England, delivering the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation.”
Kate Henderson, Chief Executive at the National Housing Federation, says: “This funding top-up is hugely welcome and demonstrates the government’s commitment to delivering genuinely affordable, social housing for families in need across the country. The additional £2 billion will prevent a cliff edge in delivery of new homes, ahead of the next funding programme being announced.
“Social housing is the only secure and affordable housing for families on low incomes, and the dire shortage has led to rocketing rates of poverty, overcrowding and homelessness.
“Investment in social housing is not only key to tackling the housing crisis, but is also excellent value for money, reducing government spending on benefits, health, and homelessness as well as boosting growth. Housing associations are ready to work with the government to deliver a generation of new social homes.
Charlie Nunn, CEO, Lloyds Banking Group said: “A safe and lasting home is the foundation for good lives and livelihoods, and we welcome this boost to building much-needed social and affordable homes.
“As the UK’s biggest commercial supporter of social housing, we’re working across the private, public and community sectors to help increase provision of good quality, genuinely affordable housing for those in need.”
David Thomas, CEO at Barratt Redrow said:“To increase construction activity and build the homes the UK desperately needs, we need support for demand across all tenures.
“As well as providing more much-needed affordable homes, this welcome investment will help unlock mixed-tenure developments and to create jobs and economic growth across the country.”
Stephen Teagle, Chair of The Housing Forum said:“This additional funding signals that the Government is listening to the sector and reaffirms its strong commitment to accelerating the delivery of much-needed affordable housing while driving economic growth.
“It represents an unprecedented intervention which, when paired with sustained, long-term investment, will be instrumental in meeting the growing demand for affordable homes.
“Now, it’s up to the industry to rise to the challenge — accelerating delivery, building momentum towards the government’s target of 1.5 million new homes, and ensuring we provide the housing this country urgently needs.”
A diverse manufacturing business which is leading the way in sustainable industrialised construction to meet the UK’s housing needs hosted more than 60 secondary school students who presented their ideas on how to tackle society’s key challenges.
Eco Group, led by founder and MD Eddie Black, specialises in Contract Manufacturing, Organic Brand Manufacturing, and Services to Manufacturing in a range of industries across the UK from its base in Annan, Dumfries and Galloway.
Eco’s VASO Build Solutions, construction panels made from mostly recycled glass, is one of a range of world-first decarbonisation technologies and carbon mitigation strategies developed by the pioneering business.
On Monday (March 17), Eddie and Eco Group Opportunity Strategist Gary Robertson, and Eco colleagues, hosted S5 students from Annan Academy as part of the forward-thinking Powering Futures programme involving 1,300 pupils in 86 schools across Scotland.
Powering Futures, which is supported by 47 Scottish businesses and organisations, “prepares the workforce of the future for the jobs of the future”, educating the workforce of the future in over 100 Scottish secondary schools, and training the workforce of the future in large employers across the country.
The SCQF level 6 accredited programme equips learners with critical meta-skills that employers are looking for while gaining an understanding of sustainability knowledge.
The event at Eco on Monday kicked off a programme throughout Scotland over the next two weeks where students will be making their final presentations to businesses in boardrooms, from the Borders to Inverness, to mark the culmination of their 30-week challenge.
Eddie Black, one of the judges at Monday’s event, said: “Investing our time, energy and expertise in the next generation is something I have been passionate about ever since the day we set up our business more than 15 years ago.
“With the way Eco has grown and diversified, we were delighted to host the Annan Academy students at our headquarters and hopefully give them a taste of what a sustainable business environment looks and feels like.
“It was fabulous to see and listen to their challenge presentations. It was a privilege to be in the room with group of young people with such inquiring minds.
“We were genuinely blown away by the thinking and research they had done to come up with their solutions to some of society’s major challenges.
“All the students showed impressive problem-solving skills. We know all too well how much adaptability, collaboration and resilience they will have had to show to get to this presentation stage – we have even named one of our businesses Resilience because we know what an important quality that is in today’s fast-changing society. Congratulations to all the students – you were amazing.
“Big thanks must also go to all the teachers and staff at Annan Academy for giving our young people the support and opportunity to take part, and to the team at Powering Futures for making these experiences happen which will stand the students in such good stead today for embarking on the careers of tomorrow.”
Participants in the Powering Futures Schools Programme engage in hands-on learning as they collaborate to find a solution to real-life sustainability challenges that have been set for this 2024-2025 academic year.
Industry partners are embedded in the delivery of the curriculum programme, which is designed to systematically create a pipeline of talent to businesses involved in delivering the transition to net zero.
Annan Academy is one of only four schools nationally to have enrolled an entire year group in the SCQF level 6 programme, the same level of Higher or modern and foundation apprenticeships.
Annan Academy Headteacher Ewan Murray said: “By integrating the Powering Futures Challenge into the whole year group instead of as an optional course, we ensured that all our students could benefit from learning these essential meta-skills, including teamwork, problem-solving, and organisation.”
Powering Futures Co-Founder David Reid said: “The teams demonstrated the new skills that they have developed over the past 30 weeks around team building, collaboration, problem solving and now presentation skills, all attributes that they need for a great career and a job in the future.
“So much so that Eco, our hosts, have already identified two or three individuals that they would like to speak more to about vacancies that they have, because they were so impressed.
“By fostering essential meta-skills that are highly valued by employers, the Powering Futures Schools Programme not only prepares students for their careers but also empowers them to navigate all aspects of life beyond education.
“They have helped the studentsgain the experience and confidence needed to navigate an evolving job market and contribute meaningfully to their industries.
“As a result, the students are not just preparing for the future – they are actively shaping it.
“Thank you also to all the team at Annan Academy for their support. We’re excited to continue collaborating with the academy to guide young people toward a brighter, more prosperous future.”
Up to 60,000 more engineers, brickies, sparkies, and chippies to be trained by 2029, as Chancellor outlines how the Government will train more workers to tackle skills shortages and inspire the next generation into the construction sector.
New training will help deliver 1.5 million homes which will transform communities and drive growth through the Plan for Change.
Reforms will get young people into well paid, high skilled, jobs in the construction sector by funding additional placements, establishing Technical Excellence Colleges, launching new foundation apprenticeships, and expanding Skills Bootcamps.
This injection of over £600 million over the next four years will also encourage experienced builders to help train and inspire the next generation.
Ahead of the Spring Statement on Wednesday {26 March) the Chancellor has announced £600 million worth of investment to train up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers.
This will deliver well paid jobs across the country in the construction sector and help build 1.5 million homes to transform communities by the end of this Parliament.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “We are determined to get Britain building again, that’s why we are taking on the blockers to build 1.5 million new homes and rebuild our roads, rail and energy infrastructure.
“But none of this is possible without the engineers, brickies, sparkies, and chippies to actually get the work done, which we are facing a massive shortage of. We’ve overhauled the planning system that is holding this country back, now we are gripping the lack of skilled construction workers, delivering on our Plan for Change to boost jobs and growth for working people.”
The sector is facing significant shortages, the latest Office for National Statistics figures show that there are over 35,000 job vacancies and employers report that over half of vacancies can’t be filled due to a lack of required skills – the highest rate of any sector. Demand is expected to increase further to deliver the homes and infrastructure that this country needs.
Funding and reforms announced today will pay for more training places, ensure a sustainable flow of skilled construction workers and help businesses invest more in training. It will encourage the men and women who have spent decades working on building sites, to pass on their skills to the next generation of construction workers.
Building the skilled workforce of the future is key to driving economic growth, the central mission of the Government’s Plan for Change. These construction jobs are the type of secure, well paid, in demand jobs that will help put more money in working people’s pockets and fuel growth.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: “Skills are crucial to this government’s mission to grow the economy under our Plan for Change, and nowhere is that clearer than in the construction industry.
“We are being held back by the largescale skills shortages in the construction sector which is a major barrier to the delivery of the growth mission.
“These measures will break down barriers to opportunity for thousands of young people, helping them to thrive in – and build – their local communities.”
Today’s announcement will provide £100 million of new investment to fund 10 new Technical Excellence Colleges and £165m of new funding to help colleges deliver more construction courses.
Skills Bootcamps in the construction sector will also be expanded, with £100 million of funding to ensure new entrants, returners, or those looking to upskill within the industry will be able to do so.
All Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) areas will benefit from £20 million to form partnerships between colleges and construction companies, to boost the number of teachers with construction experience in colleges, sharing their vital expertise by training the next generation of workers.
Construction will also be one of the key sectors that will benefit from new foundation apprenticeships backed by an additional £40 million, which will be launching in August 2025. This will inspire more young people into the construction industry and allow them to progress and specialise in advanced apprenticeships, giving them the tools they need for a sustained and rewarding career.
As part of this new offer, employers will be provided with £2,000 for every foundation apprentice they take on and retain in the construction industry, on top of fully funding the training costs through the new Growth and Skills Levy.
A further £100 million of Government funding, alongside a £32 million contribution from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) will fund over 40,000 industry placements each year for all Level 2 and Level 3 learners, those studying NVQs, BTECs, T-levels, and advanced apprenticeships.
This will help get learners ‘site-ready’ and address the ‘leaky pipeline’ of learners who don’t progress into the sector. The CITB will also double the size of their New Entrant Support Team (NEST) programme to support SMEs in recruiting, engaging, and retaining apprentices.
To ensure employers are able to work collaboratively to secure the workforce needed to meet future demand, the Government will sponsor a new Construction Skills Mission Board. Co-chaired by Government and by Mark Reynolds, Executive Chair of Mace, the Board will be empowered to develop and deliver a construction skills action plan and provide strategic leadership to the construction sector.
The government’s communications campaigns continue to promote skills and their contribution to opportunity and growth for individuals and employers.
In collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) through Job Centre Plus, the DfE campaign highlights the construction industry’s value for growth, celebrating employers who contribute significantly to workforce training, and emphasising the benefits of careers in construction.
The announcement follows a series of reforms announced during National Apprenticeship Week, including changes to English and maths requirements that will see up to 10,000 more apprentices qualify each year in key sectors, and new shorter apprenticeships. Changes to end point assessments will also mean it is even easier for businesses and providers to support getting people into the workforce.
Last year the Education Secretary announced new Construction Skills Hubs, funded by industry, which will also speed up the training of construction workers crucial to supporting the government’s homebuilding drive.
Mark Reynolds, Executive Chair Mace, Co-Chair of the Construction Skills Mission Board and Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council said: “This is fantastic news and demonstrates that Government is committed to working with the construction industry to deliver 1.5m homes by the end of this Parliament and its ambitious plans for infrastructure delivery.
“It’s a hugely significant funding package, and the establishment of the Construction Skills Mission Board will enable us to collaborate with Government to drive change at pace.
“Understandably, construction firms across the country are looking for certainty of pipeline before they commit to investing in new jobs and skills – but this investment by the Chancellor will be critical in giving them the confidence they need. There is now no excuse – industry must embrace the Government’s growth mission and match their ambition.”
Tim Balcon, CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted with the support the Government is giving the construction sector with increased investment.
“This package will provide vital support, where it is needed most – it will cut straight to the heart of the construction industry being able to address the challenge of building 1.5 new homes for people that desperately need them.
“As an industry, we now need to grasp this opportunity and play our part in delivering it. I genuinely believe this is a once-in-a-generation chance to us to recruit and train our workforce – equipping more people with the skills they urgently need now and in the future.”
The development of 75 affordable, ‘net-zero ready’ homes at Granton Station View, led by the City of Edinburgh Council, has reached its final phase now that rigorous testing is underway to validate performance standards.
Across three pilot projects, including the Granton site, the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) programme is set to deliver 324 homes designed to achieve a ‘net-zero ready’ standard. This is achieved by improved building fabric performance that exceeds the current Building Regulations coupled with a zero-emissions heating system. Granton Station View was built by construction and manufacturing group, CCG (Scotland).
The University of Edinburgh is now conducting detailed, in-situ performance tests to measure and monitor the performance standard before occupancy, with results expected in Spring 2025. The University is measuring the u-value and airtightness of the buildings as well as thermal imaging the homes, to name a few.
A 12-month monitoring period following occupancy will further assess the homes’ performance. During this time, occupants will also be asked to participate in surveys to understand behaviour that influences energy efficiency and to capture insights into the impact of and experiences with zero-direct-emissions heating systems.
The University will also be capturing the electricity usage via the property distribution board, monitoring the efficiency of the communal heating system and internal air temperature analysis using surface-mounted sensors.
Now that the EHD programme is well underway with the delivery of its pilot projects, the six local authority partners of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City region Deal have committed to establish and manage the Regional Delivery Alliance (RDA) to apply the lessons learned from the EHD programme to refine and scale the performance standard.
By consolidating outputs from the EHD programme, the RDA is applying a cohesive approach to procurement, housing typologies, and performance specifications across the six local authority areas.
The Regional Delivery Alliance has secured funding and endorsement from regional partners for an initial two-year term, running until March 2026. The RDA will play a vital role in supporting local authorities, registered social landlords, and the private sector in the South East of Scotland, ensuring the successful delivery of affordable, energy efficient housing.
City of Edinburgh Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, Lezley Marion Cameron said: “Thanks to the collaborative efforts with our partners at the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator programme, we’ve been able to deliver high-quality, energy efficient homes that will provide much needed housing for individuals and families.
“The testing being performed will verify that the homes achieve the high standard expected and I look forward to seeing the results.
“The homes at Granton Station View are designed with the latest technology to keep energy bills low, ensuring that families can live comfortably while benefitting from a sustainable, future-proofed living environment. Not only will they reduce carbon emissions, but they also provide another avenue for tackling the housing emergency.”
Dr Julio Bros-Williamson, Chancellor’s Fellow in Net Zero Buildings at the University of Edinburgh said: “The evaluation of the homes is the culmination of a lot of hard work from the stakeholders of this pilot project, from the initial design and energy aspirations to the construction and delivery on site.
“The tests we are conducting will help to verify and provide in-depth knowledge of the initial performance of a sample of flats representative of the whole development. Projects like this provide a beacon of knowledge to transition to net zero homes of the present and future.”
CCG Managing Director, David Wylie, said: “Granton Station View is a pioneering development that will help to shape the future of affordable, net zero housebuilding in the Edinburgh and South East City Region.
“As main contractor, CCG led its delivery through use of our advanced, offsite methods of construction – a key strand of the EHD initiative’s philosophy and an integral component to achieving the rigorous design standard and future operational net zero carbon capability.
“We look forward to receiving the results and once again give thanks to The City of Edinburgh Council, the design team and wider delivery partners for their support throughout the project’s journey.”
To keep up to date about the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator and Regional Delivery Alliance, follow the EHD LinkedIn page:
There were 21,825 all-sector new build homes completed in Scotland in the year to end June 2022, according to quarterly statistics on housebuilding and affordable housing supply published today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician.
This is an increase of 9% (1,806 homes) on the 20,019 completions in the previous year. Increases were seen across private-led new build completions (4% or 615 homes), local authority new build completions (27% or 540 homes), and housing association new build completions (21% or 651 homes).
Meanwhile the number of new build homes started across all sectors decreased by 13% (2,765 homes), with 19,060 starts in the year to end June 2022, down from 21,825 starts in the previous year. Private-led new build starts decreased by 15% (2,611 homes) and local authority new build starts dropped by 12% (234 homes), whilst housing association new build approvals increased by 3% (80 homes).
Separate figures published as part of the UK House Price Index show a total of 12,013 private new build sales transactions in Scotland in the year to end August 2022, up 4% (508 transactions) on the 11,505 transactions recorded in the year to end August 2021.
Latest social sector new housebuilding figures for the year to end September 2022 show an increase of 17% (982 homes) to 6,704 completions, with local authority completions rising by 40% (799 homes) to 2,792 and housing association completions up by 5% (183 homes) to 3,912.
However social sector starts fell by 16% (797 homes) to 4,161, with local authority starts increasing slightly by 1% (11 homes) to 1,910 and housing association approvals decreasing by 26% (808 homes) to 2,251.
Affordable Housing Supply Programme
Separate quarterly statistics on the Affordable Housing Supply programme show there were a total of 2,565 affordable homes completed in the latest quarter July to September 2022. This brings the total number of affordable homes completed in the 12 months to end September 2022 to 9,449, an increase of 2% (219 homes) on the 9,230 homes completed in the previous year. There were increases in the number of completions for social rent by 17% (1,127 homes), however affordable rent completions decreased by 28% (387 homes), and affordable home ownership completions fell by 42% (521 homes).
Meanwhile there were 1,028 affordable homes approved in the latest quarter July to September 2022, which brings the total number of affordable homes approved in the 12 months to end June 2022 to 7,160, a decrease of 16% (1,414 homes) on the 8,574 homes approved in the previous year. There were decreases in the number of approvals for social rent (by 13%, or 813 homes), affordable rent (by 18%, or 195 homes), and affordable home ownership (by 37%, or 406 homes).
There were 2,172 affordable homes started in the latest quarter July to September 2022, which brings the total number of affordable homes started in the 12 months to end September 2022 to 8,256, a decrease of 19% (1,877 homes) on the 10,133 started in the previous year. There were decreases in the number of starts for social rent (by 11%, or 804 homes), affordable rent (by 37%, or 548 homes), and affordable home ownership (by 42%, or 525 homes).
Quarterly affordable housing supply statistics are used to inform progress against Scottish Government affordable housing delivery targets, in which the ambition is to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70% will be for social rent and 10% will be in remote, rural and island communities.
There have been a total of 4,927 completions so far against the 110,000 target, across the period 23 March 2022 to 30 September 2022, consisting of 4,188 (85%) homes for social rent, 418 (8%) for affordable rent, and 321 (7%) for affordable home ownership
Figures on the remote, rural and island communities element of the target are planned to be reported on as part of future annual affordable housing supply out-turn reports, although we are considering whether it is feasible for these figures to be reported on a quarterly basis in addition to this.
Latest annual figures on long term empty and second homes
The 42,865 long-term empty properties as at September 2022 is a decrease of 2% (901 properties) from the 43,766 properties in 2021. Across the same time period the number of second homes has increased by 2% (397 homes) from 23,890 to 24,287.
David Lloyd Leisure, Europe’s leading health, fitness, and leisure group, has announced that work has begun on the much-anticipated David Lloyd Edinburgh Shawfair development, with the club opening in summer 2023.
Located in the new residential development area of Shawfair, Midlothian, which lies to the southeast of Edinburgh, the club will offer world-class health, fitness, racquets and spa facilities. David Lloyd Edinburgh Shawfair is anticipated to become a popular leisure destination for families as well as health and wellness enthusiasts in surrounding areas.
David Lloyd Leisure expects that the new club will generate up to 75 jobs, and the group said that it will explore opportunities to develop local community partnerships over the coming months. The development was granted planning approval in April 2021 following extensive consultation with the local community in 2020.
At the time of its planning approval, Midlothian Council officers said that “the proposal aligns with the masterplan principles for Shawfair to encourage sustainable, healthy lifestyles within a vibrant community”.
Construction began in October 2022, and the development phase is expected to generate more than £4 million for local subcontractors and companies and involve 50-60 construction jobs.
The centrepiece of the club will be the 100+ station gym, which will house David Lloyd Clubs’ cutting-edge gym concept with an unrivalled array of best-in-class equipment. There will be three group exercise studios; a hi-tech indoor cycling studio, high impact studio and a Mind & Body studio.
There is also a Clubroom café bar with a family zone, an indoor soft play area for the younger ones, and a business hub. An outdoor patio area will offer a space for outdoor dining and drinking on warmer days and evenings.
Michelle Chambers-Cran, Regional Manager at David Lloyd Leisure, said:“We are excited to be starting work on David Lloyd Edinburgh Shawfair and to be one step closer to bringing this new family-friendly leisure destination to life next summer.
“We know that people of all generations will relish what the club has to offer, from the state-of-the-art gym, racquet and spa facilities to the clubroom and children’s activities.
“Our philosophy is to create incredible health and wellness spaces where family and friends can spend quality time together.
“We look forward to engaging with the local community as the development takes shape over the coming months and would encourage those who want to follow our progress to register on the website for updates.”
The club will have a 250-space carpark and is well-connected to Edinburgh and surrounding towns in Midlothian and East Lothian by nearby bus, rail and cycle links.
